Brightly Volunteers at Chatty Café Australia

Brightly are proud partners of Chatty Café, a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to addressing issues associated with loneliness and social isolation by getting people to “connect and chat.”  

As part of Mental Health Awareness Week last month, we shone a spotlight on the negative impacts of social isolation and loneliness on mental and physical health.  

Loneliness can seriously impact a person’s sense of wellbeing and cause a range of disorders such as: 

• An increased risk of developing depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues 
• Increased stress levels, leading to high blood pressure & weakened immune system 
• People who feel isolated may struggle with substance abuse issues 
• Difficulty sleeping, leading to fatigue, weakened immune system & depression 
• Cardiovascular problems, such as heart disease & risk of stroke 
• Increased risk of cognitive decline and dementia in older adults

Employees were encouraged to play a part in promoting the positive wellbeing of the greater community by volunteering their time during Mental Health Awareness Week to interact with members of the public at a “Chatty Table” over a game of Scrabble or just a simple chat over a cuppa.  

Two of our Australian Brightly employees share their experiences below: 

I volunteered at the Collingwood Library Chatty Table. I was keen to be involved in the cause and help break the cycle of isolation for people experiencing loneliness. I reflected on my own past when I felt alone, particularly when I became a mum for the first time. I experienced my own feelings of isolation and lack of connection to the outside world. Now that I’ve come out the other side, I wanted to reach out to new mums to talk about their journeys through motherhood and build solidarity by sharing some of my own experiences.  

I’ll be an ongoing volunteer for Chatty Café and I’m thrilled to have an opportunity to make a positive contribution to the community. Brightly helps make this possible with their Employee Volunteer Leave Policy, which can be applied to Brightly sponsored or endorsed activities such as Chatty Café.  

Angela Jermyn

Office Manager for Brightly Melbourne, Australia 

I went to the Bay Road Nursery Café in Sandringham. At the café every Tuesday there is a table booked for Chatty café with a sign that says everyone is welcome to join.  

We ended up with the whole table being fully occupied and it was lovely to chat with all the elderly ladies. I remember one of the ladies sharing her life as a teenager at Brighton beach and how so much has changed and she still lives at Brighton. Personally, I felt uplifted and found the experience very rewarding at a human level. Everyone at the table was so wise and I learnt so much. I felt very connected. I’d love to go again as it is a great way of connecting with the community at the ground level. Chatty café would love to have more people volunteer for this. 

Akhilesh Jain

Asset Management Consultant, Brightly 

If you would like to learn more about Chatty Café Australia or volunteer, you can visit their website at https://chattycafeaustralia.org.au/ or read their latest newsletter at https://chattycafeaustralia.org.au/june-2023-national-newsletter/.