Be Kind Ballarat: our evolving mantra in COVID-19 pandemic

Compassionate check, by offer skills and kindness to small business, as the way Munash Organics tackled the unprecedented shutdown and shift online.

This was what Ballarat did best and was a way to share that strong sense of community across their national networks.

Be Kind Ballarat was the mantra from the city's community leaders as the ripple effects from across the world in facing an unknown were keenly taking their effect.

Two years on, community leaders say kindness is still key to how Ballarat can begin to emerge from the pandemic strong.

What started with rainbows on streetscapes and teddy bears in windows has evolved to getting booster vaccines or adapting to new ways of working and socialising in the return to a normal.

Through it all has been a continued effort to support community business with most impacted by COVID-19 furloughs, job losses or staff vacancies.

"I think kindness has become important moreso," Ms Djordjevic said. "People need to reach out and connect.

"Hospitality is struggling but on social media people are sharing posts to show 'if you need a job, there's an opening here'.

"We've all had a journey, some more than others. Some are more optimistic than others and there are still some in the community who are hesitant and we need to let them emerge when they're ready but let them know we're here.

"...Keep checking in, even with happy people. We're all emerging with pandemic stories and we're not completely healed but a way we can help healing is through connections."

Ms Djordjevic said her family-run business had grown through the pandemic but a lot of their small business retailers were still keenly feeling pandemic effects. For some this might have been redefining who their business and celebrating small milestones along the way.

"Mental health is a huge issue, especially for business owners," Ms Djordjevic said. "It's not just about a sale. Every time something happens, our philosophy is relationships and caring."

City of Ballarat councillor Ben Taylor said gradually the city was changing. Streets were getting busier, car parks were harder to find and people were out later in the nights having fun.

Cr Taylor was mayor for most of the first pandemic year and a key voice in spreading the Be Kind message along with vital health and lockdown messaging across the community.

He still chooses to regularly eat out, or get takeaway to support the hospitality industry, something he made a point to do in trying to lead by example from the first lockdown.

As mayor, Cr Taylor said the biggest challenge was keeping at the forefront of a fast-changing situation and advice. Sometimes his calls might have been preemptive, such as a call for people to mask up before Victoria officially covered up, but the aim was always helping Ballarat people to best help each other.

While optimistic in easing restrictions, he said there was still a transition for most people to normality - and the best way to help each other was still with kindness.

"Be Kind Ballarat is still relevant today and still resonates," Cr Taylor said. "...One think I think we did well in Ballarat was rolling up our sleeves to help each other - generally it's what Australians do.

"In Ballarat, people generally did what we were told, we knew our responsibility to protect ourselves and respect others...We have been pretty resilient and we need to stay resilient to manage whatever is coming up next. Lots of people are dealing with staff shortages - as a council we directly felt this in pool closures this summer - and that needs us to be patient and respectful with each other."

The Turret Cafe owner Carmel West has continued a pay-it-forward coffee scheme to support healthcare workers, no matter how tight business gets in the ebbs and flows of the pandemic.

When possible, The Turret still offers pay-it-forward meals for people in need but Ms West said it was on an ad hoc basis that was largely dependent on staff availability.

"We still have quite a few people getting the meals. The community has been absolutely, very generous. Everyone is amazing," Ms West.

"I felt it is still needed and if you can do something, you should do something."

Committee for Ballarat chief executive Michael Poulton said being a truly compassionate city was a cultural value, part of the fabric of a city, and not just a moment in time.

Lockdowns might be over, but lingering impacts still affected most people - especially with COVID-19 still circulating in our community.

"Whether the pandemic is over or we're over the pandemic there are a lot of long-term needs," Mr Poulton said. "We're all juggling skeleton staff or people in new roles and trades. The level we have expected of services in the past might not be what they were - you might have to wait longer for a coffee you ordered...There are going to be more short-term challenges."

Mr Poulton maintained the best way forward with kindness was ensuring your COVID-19 vaccinations were up-to-date.

More than 70 per cent of eligible Ballarat residents have received their booster jab and Mr Poulton said it was important we support each other to get the youngest eligible cohort, five to 11-year-olds, to similarly high jab rates.

Compassionate Ballarat leader Lynne Reeder said there was still a lot of uneasiness for people in moving forward to the next stage of the pandemic, and that was okay.

Dr Reeder said, for example, some people may question why others continued to choose to wear face masks in setting where this was no longer required. It might trigger an unease or annoyance.

"We need to manage those emotions and concerns by supporting ourselves and others with self-care, kindness and empathy. We still need to Be Kind Ballarat," Dr Reeder said. "After all if we want minds that are going to solve the confronting problems surrounding us, then we need ones that are compassionate."

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