How Can I Help? – New podcast aims to guide mental health allies

Have you ever been in a situation where you wanted to help but you didn’t know how? To better empower individuals to make a difference, Pro Bono News has launched a new podcast, How Can I Help? 

Hosted by Pro Bono News Editor Wendy Williams, the six-part series features conversations with people with lived experience and experts in the field on what we can all do to help in situations that many of us encounter in our lives – whether that’s when you see someone sleeping rough, if you think a friend or colleague is in an abusive relationship, or a family member is suffering from depression.

“Several years ago I wrote an article for Pro Bono News about what you can do if you see someone sleeping rough. The article is one of our most-read,” Ms Williams said.

“I realised that, just like me, there were a lot of people who really wanted to help, but quite simply didn’t know where to start. 

“That’s what this podcast is about – learning from those who have lived or worked through these issues about what we can do.”

Episode one explores how you can help when you see someone sleeping rough.

We speak with Akemi who shares his real life story of sleeping rough on the streets of Melbourne and what would have helped him.

“So what would help me best was someone making a connection, so someone saying, ‘Hey, here’s this person. I’m going to look out for him,” Akemi said.

We also speak to George Hatvani, from homelessness organisation Launch Housing, about his recommendations on the ways people can help. 

Future episodes explore how you can help if you know someone in an abusive relationship, if you know someone struggling with anxiety and depression, if you want to confront racism, if someone you know has an eating disorder and if someone you know has a gambling problem.

This podcast is not going to solve the world’s problems. But it might give some of us the tools we need to help make the world a better place.

Find out more at probonoaustralia.com.au/how-can-i-help/

Lourdes Antenor

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Lourdes Antenor is an experienced writer who specialises in the not-for-profit sector and its affiliations. She is the content producer for Third Sector News, an online knowledge-based platform for and about the Australian NFP sector.

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