The other downside to isolation is the potential for cyber bullying to increase. With more of us conducting our lives remotely, it’s easier than ever for virtual boundaries to be crossed. But it’s essential we show kindness and compassion to our friends, colleagues and loved ones during this time.
This sentiment is advocated by the loved ones of Dolly Everett - who was only 14 when she took her life in January 2018 as the result of relentless in-person and online bullying.
Since then, her parents have launched ‘Dolly’s Dream’, a platform giving voice to kids who are silently suffering.
Last year for the first time, the organisation launched ‘Do it for Dolly day’, which saw students, workplaces and businesses don blue in a united front against bullying. This year, the initiative is going full steam ahead again on Friday, May 8, albeit in a different format given the current climate.
“We can’t ask people to come together like last year but fostering a sense of community and togetherness is more important than ever,” explains Dolly’s mother, Kate Everett. “Kindness is at the core of everything we do. We believe that through kindness we can create a sense of community and, together, we can combat bullying.”
So what can you do to show your support? It’s simple: show kindness or pay it forward. These are just a handful of the suggestions put forward by Dolly’s Dream that you can do:
- Make a music playlist or card for someone you care about
- Cook a meal for the people in your house
- Write a positive review for an online business
- Start an online fundraiser
- Place something in your window – or even paint your window blue – to mark #DoItForDollyDay
Visit dollysdream.org.au/do-it-for-dolly-day for more info and remember to mark May 8 in your diary.
