Neighbours Every Day is the next evolution of Neighbour Day

The inaugural Neighbour Day was launched in Melbourne in 2003, as an opportunity to “check on your neighbour”. 

Relationships Australia became the custodian of Neighbour Day in 2014 and the day has since grown into an ongoing, year round social connection campaign that seeks to address loneliness across Australia. Neighbours Every Day is the evolution of Neighbour Day into a year-round campaign with a dedicated day-of-action named Neighbour Day, celebrated on the last Sunday of March annually. As the leading social connection campaign in Australia, Neighbours Every Day continues to grow and support all in Australia to build respectful and sustainable relationships with those around them.

Relationships Australia

Relationships Australia works in a variety of ways to support respectful relationships across Australia.

You can find out about our services across the country here.

With three key pillars at the national level, we provide services and supports to all people, to enable sustainable respectful relationships.

Broadly, Relationships Australia advocates and promotes the importance of respectful relationships with respect to positive individual mental health outcomes and general community outcomes.

Our research is relevant and purposeful, and further enables us to provide our ongoing trusted services and supports

 

Respectful Relationships

We support the development and nurturing of respectful relationships, which has proven to be a crucial foundation for mental health, general wellbeing, and overall resilience.

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Advocacy

We advocate for respectful relationships across all levels of society. Relationships Australia advocates across many stakeholder groups via policy, research, media and community engagement.

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Research

We conduct relevant research across a broad range of topics in regards to relationships. At times we partner with universities and other organisations, working locally and internationally to support further understandings of relationships.

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Our supporters

A broad range of individuals and organisations continue to actively show support for Neighbours Every Day. Throughout the years, these collaborations have greatly contributed to community awareness, as well as a sustained reduction in loneliness.
Ambassadors

Our Ambassadors are much-loved members of our communities who support the principal aim of Neighbours Every Day, which is to build sustainable respectful relationships with the people around us.

Ambassadors generously help raise awareness of Neighbours Every Day and its messages about the importance of social inclusion and connection in communities around Australia.

Read about what our Ambassadors have to say

Very Neighbourly Organisations

Very Neighbourly Organisations (VNO) are organisations that uphold and promote the principles of Neighbours Every Day.

These important organisations are committed to helping increase respectful relationships across Australia, one social connection at a time.

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Community organisations

A number of community organisations support Neighbours Every Day each year. These vital organisations are often the heart of communities and take action on loneliness every day.

Many of these are also very neighbourly organisations.

We offer a range of free resources to support community organisations to create and share belonging.

Councils

Many Councils around the country are actively involved in annual Neighbours Every Day activities and events. Councils play a key role in connecting individuals and communities.

Many of these are also very neighbourly organisations.

We offer a range of free resources to support councils to create and share belonging.

Create Belonging | Share Belonging

Neighbours Every Day promotes practical and effective ways to help address loneliness across our communities.

Loneliness is detrimental to our overall wellbeing. Social connection and increasing sustainable respectful relationships is the key to better outcomes for individuals and communities alike.

Relationships Australia is pleased to announce that new research conducted in collaboration with the Australian National University has been published demonstrating that involvement in Neighbours Every Day leads to a tangible and sustained reduction in loneliness.

Testimonial
“Community and connectedness and culture go hand in hand. It’s a way to show respect and also a way of identifying who we are and where we come from. This sense of belonging and connectedness to family and community - is central to our culture.”

Natalie Ahmat, Neighbour Day Ambassador

Testimonial
“I see friendships formed over community gardens week in and week out. Verge gardens, pocket parks, laneways…you name it. Families, kids, adults and elders are nurturing their environment and growing things for the birds, insects and people to share. It’s not just the plants that are growing in the garden, people are too. They are connecting with one another, all ages together.”

Costa Georgiadis, Neighbour Day Ambassador

 

Testimonial
“I had always wanted to have a caring, connected neighbourhood, but didn’t really know where to start. Neighbour Day gave me ideas, tools and an excuse to get on with it.”

Neighbour Day host

 

Testimonial
“Making friends in your community can help alleviate feelings of isolation and can also help you feel safer in your neighbourhood. There are so many positives to getting to know your neighbours, and there’s no better time to get started than this Neighbour Day.”

Councillor Liam Mooney, Townsville City Council website 

 

Testimonial
“Liverpool City Council is proud to join the 'Very Neighbourly Organisation' network and to be part of the Neighbour Day initiative, led by Relationships Australia. Very Neighbourly Organisations encourage residents to connect with others who live in their neighbourhood, particularly those who may be isolated or vulnerable. Council believes in the importance of social connection as a means of combating isolation, depression and loneliness.”

Very Neighbourly Organisation, Liverpool City Council website

 

Resources available for download