Grief Awareness Month 2024

Let's Talk About Grief

Griefline and the National Association for Loss and Grief (NSW) Inc (NALAG) have joined forces to spark a movement for courageous conversations on grief and loss.

‘Let’s talk about grief’ - grief awareness campaign 

Griefline has joined forces with the National Association for Loss and Grief (NSW) Inc (NALAG), to spark a movement for sharing courageous conversations on grief and loss.  

Our organisations aim to engage all corners of the community to share experiences, build resilience and deepen understanding of grief and its impact on our mental health. 

‘Let’s Talk About Grief’, an awareness campaign taking place in August, aims to reduce stigma through the sharing of engaging conversations, coping strategies, professional advice, and educational resources. 

"Grief touches each of us at some point in life, yet our experiences are often overlooked, leading to misunderstandings and diminished feelings. We chose August for this campaign to coincide with Loneliness Awareness Week, Sleep Awareness Week, Dying to Know Day and Red Nose Day. We recognise the significant roles that poor sleep health and loneliness can play in mental well-being, compounding feelings of grief. Additionally, Dying to Know Day encourages conversations about death, dying, and bereavement, further highlighting the importance of addressing grief and providing support," explains Louisa Smith, Griefline’s Chief Marketing Officer. 

“We will consider grief from the perspective of children and parents; share coping strategies for the workplace and hear from experts in end-of-life care, culturally safe support, and trauma,” Louisa Smith continues. 

"Our aim is not only to raise awareness and initiate courageous conversations about all facets of grief, but also to influence professional practices and workplace cultures to foster open dialogue regarding grief responses and experiences.  We are mindful of how stigma can deter individuals from sharing their experiences. By prioritising compassion and engagement in our interactions with colleagues and clients, we aim to enhance personal resilience," explains Trudy Hanson, NALAG CEO 

Join us in breaking the silence surrounding grief. Together, let's ignite conversations, challenge stigma, and foster a culture where it's not only okay but encouraged to talk about grief.  

Call to Action: Invest in Early Intervention 

We call on governments to invest more time, money, and resources into education and early intervention support services such as Griefline and NALAG. Recognising and supporting the important work they do in normalising grief, holding space for those who are grieving, and ensuring people do not allow their grief to escalate into mental ill-health and suicide is crucial. The Productivity Commission estimates that mental ill-health costs the Australian economy up to $70 billion per year. By supporting these services, we can make a significant impact on the well-being of our communities. 

 #LetsTalkAboutGrief, #GetToKnowGrief, and #GriefAwareness

What's on in Grief Awareness Month

Community Events

Each year community groups put on events to commemorate Grief Awareness Month. This could be a Church Service, Remembering Ceremony or Information Session. For details on upcoming events please see our Events + Education Page.

Education

NALAG NSW has scheduled 4 FREE education session "What Do I Say?" during Grief Awareness Month. These 2 hour online zoom sessions are designed to equip those who are supporting someone who is grieving with empathetic support.

FREE Sessions:
For more Information and to Register:

Tuesday 13th August at 10am
Wednesday 14th August at 6.30pm
Tuesday 20th august at 6.30pm
Wednesday 21st August at 10am
Register FOR the workshops

Yellow Ribbon Pins

NALAG has a supply of Yellow Awareness Pins for our Members, Volunteers and the community. These pins are designed to be worn to ignite conversations about grief. We hope that you can wear one of these pins, and if asked what the yellow represents, it will start a conversation about grief. 

Why Yellow? Yellow is the colour of wattle which is the symbol of grief. Just as everyone's experience of grief is difference, there are 1000's of types of wattle across Australia and one is always blooming in Australia throughout the year.

Social Media Campaign

NALAG NSW in collaboration with Griefline has an extensive social media campaign rolling out during the month of August that encourage courageous conversations about loss and grief. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook to keep up to date and learn more.

What can you do?

In the Workplace

  • Organise a workplace morning tea
  • Decorate your workplace with our flyer and yellow decorations
  • Ask your workplace to wear something yellow for a day

In Your Business

  • Decorate your Business with our flyer and yellow decorations
  • Wear something yellow for a day

In Your Community

  • Plan an event or Remembering Ceremony
  • Participate in planned events
  • Wear something yellow
  • Volunteer

In Your School

  • Plan an event or Remembering Ceremony
  • Engage a discussion about Grief (with age appropriateness)
  • Ask students to wear something yellow
  • Plant a wattle tree
  • Create a Memory Book: Collect photos, letters, and mementos of your loved ones to create a memory book. This can be a therapeutic way to remember and celebrate their lives.

At Home

  • Plan an event, lunch or morning tea at home in remembrance of your loved one
  • Ask attendees to wear something yellow
  • Plant a wattle tree in their honour

Commemorating Grief Awareness Month can be a meaningful way to honour those who have died and support those who are grieving.

Share Your Story:

Sharing personal experiences with grief can help others feel less alone. You can write a blog post, share on social media, or participate in community discussions. Remember to use the #letstalkaboutgrief

Health Professionals & Agencies:

If you would like to refer a client, please download the 'Agency Referral Form' below.

Agency Referral Form
Scroll to Top