EssenceMediacom is supporting young people in rural and regional communities this week by raising funds for Dolly’s Dream, a charity that works with communities in rural, regional and remote communities across Australia to deliver Mental Health First Aid training.
On Thursday, the GroupM agency hosted a fireside chat with Dr Charlotte Keating, resident psychologist at ABC Radio. Keating spoke to the attendees about the work Dolly’s Dream does, its growth and impact over the years, and the importance of continued support.
Managing director Stevie Douglas-Neal told Mediaweek that the GroupM agency had so far raised over $10 million in media support this week, including chalk art and radio ads to amplify the message.
Left to right: Dr Charlotte Keating and Stevie Douglas-Neal
Meanwhile, on a national scale, EssenceMediacom has also been busy during the week fundraising with bake sales and team-based events and will round out the week with a silent auction.
Douglas-Neal also thanked EssenceMediacom’s vendor partners who took part in the agency’s efforts to support the cause.
“Moments when our industry comes together behind things like this, you really see the value in what we do, and you feel like part of the community, which we’re grateful for.”
The stark contrast between the agency’s base in a big city and life in rural Australia was not lost on Douglas-Neal.
She said: “One of the risks that’s always been true for agencies or agency life is we all live in Manly or the Eastern suburbs of Sydney. How often do we get to Dubbo and Katherine? The lives that people live there are fundamentally different, and that’s real Australia,”
She explained that when talking with clients and building brands on a national scale, it is important to have an understanding of the cross-section of communities that represent Australia, “not just Bondi and Manly and where we live.”
Douglas-Neal also highlighted EssenceMediacom’s commitment to tackling bullying in the workplace.
“By having this conversation with our people, we’re demonstrating that we’re committed to it. We have a really open culture of feedback and candour; we have a really open management team.
“I remember being a coordinator vividly. I remember the first time I got a massive account. I remember the first time a client wasn’t happy with what I presented. I remember all those moments and they are so challenging.”
Douglas-Neal noted that EssenceMediacom CEO Pippa Berlocher and their expert team talk a lot about vulnerability.
“We want to help our teams who have come up through the company working remotely, meeting people through screens and building up strong technical skills.
“We want to help have conversations about resilience and build a culture of radical candour where people can feel comfortable saying how they feel to management, their boss, or their peers.
“Having that vulnerability as part of our culture is driven by Pippa and really enables people to feel comfortable to have that conversation. This is a really nice way to encourage a team to think about that without telling them.”
Dolly’s Dream was established in 2018 by Kate and Tick Everett in memory of their 14-year-old daughter Dolly, who took her own life following sustained and ongoing bullying and cyberbullying.
The charity is committed to changing the culture of bullying, addressing its impact, and putting an end to youth suicide through education and offering direct support to young people and families.
Six years on, Dolly’s Dream continues to provide support services, education programs and workshops to more than 50,000 children and young people, and their families in rural, regional and remote communities across Australia.
Douglas-Neal added: “This is a cultural moment for us. It is an incredible piece of good that we can do as an organisation. We can reflect on the opportunity to help those who have less access to services or financial resources than we have and to really make a difference.”