Stories of young people's extraordinary acts of kindness in Ballarat will be shared across Australia.
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Compassionate Ballarat and Loreto College are launching new e-book Compassion Heroes Ballarat on Tuesday as part of the National Day of Compassion.
It features 18 stories, including a girl facilitating letter writing to people experiencing homelessness, a boy making free masks for people in aged care and a girl creating a social justice magazine for children.
We have found when you put your attention on how people are supporting each other, there is a lot to be hopeful about./
- Dr Lynne Reeder
Year 12 students Eliza McCrum and Chloe Stevens worked on the project team to collate the stories and said they hoped they brought feelings of hope and positivity for the future.
"This project has proven to us that you should never underestimate the impact of a kind action, no matter how small," they wrote in an introduction to the book.
The National Day of Compassion, led by Charter for Compassion, includes an online launch and Facebook streaming of more than 60 video conversations, some including Ballarat people.
Australian Compassion Council and Compassionate Ballarat steering group member Dr Lynne Reeder said hearing other people's stories was inspiring.
"In these unsettled times, it can seem there is not a lot of goodness in the world," she said.
"But we have found when you put your attention on how people are supporting each other, there is a lot to be hopeful about."
Dr Reeder said Ballarat was making a significant contribution to the national day and with the launch of the book and the release of a peace poem video by Megan J Riedl.
Ballarat music performance videos will be played during the Facebook stream, including the Concert for Compassion and Ballarat Arts Academy's What a Wonderful World.
"In our polarised world where we are still struggling with COVID, putting our focus on the things that connect us rather than the things that divide us is very important," Dr Reeder said.
"Particularly in this time when we are moving out of lockdown and not sure what the next stage of COVID looks like.
"That focus on seeing the good things in the world really supports us and our mental health."
Visit the Charter for Compassion Facebook page throughout Tuesday to watch the video streams.
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