Do it for Dolly Day: Dolly’s Dream helping mental health support in the regions
This Friday is Do it for Dolly Day, and throughout regional Victoria strangers to the young QLD girl who died in 2018 will aim to spread a little kindness in her honour.
The anti-bullying wave that began as a ripple in outback Queensland four years ago when suicide claimed a much-loved daughter Dolly Everett has reached the shores of southern Australia at tidal force with Victorian, Tasmanian and South Australian supporters now some of Dolly’s Dream’s most passionate.
Stawell Secondary College is one of hundreds of schools, businesses and community groups from the southern states that will participate in a colour fun run, dress in blue, host blue cupcake stalls or decorate their schools and halls with butterflies and messages of kindness as part of the annual fundraising and awareness campaign, Do it for Dolly Day, this Friday.
It is a day dedicated to bringing communities together, spreading kindness and uniting in taking a stand against bullying in honour of 14-year-old Dolly Everett who took her own life in 2018 following sustained and ongoing bullying.
Stawell Secondary College Year 12 student Cloe Sell helped organise the colour explosion fun run at her school this year to bring the community together and raise awareness about bullying while also sharing the importance of being kind.
“The principal and assistant principal are both invested in helping complete the fundraiser. All the students and teachers are taking part,” Cloe said.
“I believe it’s a good way for the students to de-stress and help them connect with each other as well as see the harm bullying can cause.
“I personally know quite a few people who have been bullied including myself. I hope that it (the campaign) hits the right people so the message keeps getting passed on that nothing good comes out of bullying.”
BUSINESSES BACK DOLLY’S DREAM
When Carlee Knight read the tragic news of outback teen Dolly Everett’s suicide, it made her stop in her tracks and take stock.
“I was once a young country girl on a farm with my horses and I couldn’t quite understand how this could happen,” Carlee, who runs Bairnsdale Horse Centre, said. “Dolly’s story really got to me.”
Carlee’s instinct was to help the family so she set about embroidering a few shirts and making a $15 donation from each sale to the Dolly’s Dream foundation, which was created in Dolly’s honour to raise awareness about the devastating effects of bullying.
Carlee’s small gesture of kindness that was expected to scrape a few hundred dollars raised $12,000 in a month and has now exceeded $400,000 in four years.
“To look back and reflect on what we have achieved still gives me goose bumps every time,” Carlee said.
It is proof that one person can make a collective difference and rings true to the core values of Dolly’s Dream that small acts of kindness are far reaching.
After being “totally blown away” by the initial response and demand for the Do it for Dolly shirts, Carlee, went back to Dolly’s Dream and suggested she continue creating the shirts as official merchandise.
There are now 60 products in the range from caps and shoes to horse rugs and hi-vis work shirts.
FIND THE COURAGE
Carlee said the initial demand almost overwhelmed her small business.
“It’s been a massive learning experience for me. From navigating my way around a new website that had only been live for a week, to then waking up to over 120 orders overnight,” Carlee said.
She needed more embroidery machines to keep up with demand and had to design new products despite having “no idea where to start”.
“So many long days, late nights, tears and tantrums but I wouldn’t change a thing. I’ve made many mistakes and learnt things the hard way but that’s the way to success right.”
Carlee has become friends with Dolly’s parents Kate and Tick Everett and said she hopes to continue to support their foundation by donating $100,000 each year.
“I see the need for more awareness and support to be available especially in rural and remote communities,” Carlee said.
“It’s not just about kids or bullying. It’s mental health in general. I’m very passionate about it and it’s rewarding knowing that all the hard work going in is helping other people.”
While she hasn’t been personally affected by bullying, Carlee said social media and online platforms could be vicious and affected people in heartbreaking ways.
“We are creating awareness. We are giving more people the courage to speak even if their voice shakes and reminding everyone to be kind,” she said.
“I have experienced my own mental health issues in recent years. I have had to reach out for help. The hardest thing I’ve probably ever had to do. It has made me realise that there are so many adults and children out there who need to reach out but just don’t know how.”
STEER THE WAY
Western District farmer Margaret Hallyburton lost the eldest of her brothers to suicide six weeks before Dolly took her life.
To suddenly lose her brother hit Margaret hard and it drove her desire to help others.
On the first anniversary of his death, she contacted the Western Victoria Livestock Exchange at Mortlake to ask if it was possible to do a charity auction for Dolly’s Dream at the renowned New Year weaner sales.
The WVLX manager was supportive as was Margaret’s stock agent Michael Stewart and for the past four years she has donated two Angus steers to be auctioned with all proceeds going to Dolly’s Dream.
“This year’s auction of the steers was the most successful so far,” Margaret said.
“Charles Stewart and Co from Colac purchased the first steer for $4100 and Nutrien Ag Solutions at Warrnambool purchased the second steer for $3800. I was utterly blown away by the amounts.”
So far, more than $18,000 has been raised to support Dolly’s Dream.
“I hope that from what I do each January helps victims of bullying as well as their families,” Margaret said.
“The bullying message is being heard but unfortunately children and adults are still taking their lives due to the effects of it.
“I was bullied as a child but when I went to school you walked out the gate without the bullying following you 24/7.”
CHANGE THE CULTURE
Dolly’s Dream is committed to changing the culture of bullying by addressing its impacts of anxiety, depression and youth suicide through education and direct support to young people and families.
Dolly’s Dream general manager Stephen Bendle said raising awareness and understanding of the signs and impacts of bullying was their key goal.
Enabling the conversations and understanding within families to support children and young people and provide strategies to intervene early and respond effectively was also a priority.
“To help students, parents and carers and especially those in rural and remote Australia, we offer the Dolly’s Dream Support Line for bullying and other issues,” Stephen said, adding the line was free, confidential, supported by qualified mental health professionals and no referral was needed.
Access to suitable support at the right time could make a critical difference.
One in five Australian young people report being socially excluded, threatened or abused online and 55 per cent of those sought help from their parents.
The Dolly’s Dream Support Line offers easily accessible support and advice around the prevention and early intervention for a range of issues such as bullying, navigating stress, anxiety, parent expectations or image-based abuse.
“Dolly’s Dream also offers the Parent Hub, a website with relevant and pertinent information for parents and carers on how to keep their teens safe online,” Stephen said.
“This year we also plan to start a program of focused community consultation and engagement in rural and regional communities.”
MORE NEEDS TO BE DONE
Awareness about bullying has improved significantly around Australia and more people are speaking out against bullying than ever before but it is still far too prevalent, Stephen said.
“The public conversation, the awareness, the efforts, the programs, the resources have all increased since we started our organisation to prevent bullying,” he said.
“But the stories that families share with us of their own heartbreaking experience reminds everyone that the job isn’t done, and we all need to try harder.
“We know that despite the progress that is being done to prevent bullying and to keep children safe online and offline, more needs to be done.”
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