What is the Gathering of Kindness?
Kindness matters. There is a direct correlation between organisational negativity and poor staff morale, which affects both staff wellbeing and effectiveness.
The Gathering of Kindness aims to redress this by building, nurturing and instilling a culture of kindness throughout the healthcare system.
GOK brings together people from inside and outside the healthcare sector - actors, clinicians, artists, musicians and innovators - to imagine that kindness, trust and respect are the fundamental components of the healthcare system, and that bullying is unacceptable. GOK looks for creative pathways to a more compassionate model of health care.
We are now committed to broadening future participation and to helping workplace groups create their own gatherings.
"Having attended many conferences about bullying, workplace relations and 'healthy workplaces', I was inspired to see one which addressed the issues head on, with moral courage, practical wisdom and operational nous. At the Gathering of Kindness, the calibre of speakers was top notch. A great mix of CEOs, clinicians, academics, patients and other representatives - which made for a well-rounded and informative day. The audience members were humming in every break, talking about how they would apply the learnings when they got back to their health service. A day to remember. I look forward to attending Gathering of Kindness again next year!"
Rose Bryant-Smith, Director - Queen Elizabeth Centre, Director - Australian Home Care Services, Director - Worklogic, workplace relations lawyer and bullying expert
Create your own event
Our Gathering of Kindness events provide participants with the opportunity to share their ideas, work, and projects!
Real change happens through lots of conversations in lots of places. That's why we've created the Kindness Hub to help you create your own event.
A great gift idea
WA Country Health Service celebrated World Kindness Day by inviting their staff to host a morning tea for staff, patients, families and carers!
These beautiful homemade baubles were also gifted to staff, each with a special handwritten kindness quote inside of them – such a unique and lovely gift idea so close to Christmas!
Staff were also provided with a range of resources about the benefits of kindness, including examples of everyday acts of kindness, inspiring quotes and songs, and a list of websites for more information.
A special mention to Manager, Patient Experience and Community Engagement at WACHS Rosie Keely, a dear friend of ours, and popular speaker and panellist at many Gathering of Kindness events over the years!
Meanwhile, check out the WACHS reception area! #kindnessworkshere – which you can purchase here.)
Kindness in Cancer Care
The Kindness in Cancer Care videos are a collection of short stories sharing what ‘kindness’ looks like for people during the cancer care experience. These stories are from people in our regional and rural communities.
In developing this collection, Gathering of Kindness has been proudly and generously supported by the Eileen and Robert Edgar Foundation (Mike Reynolds FMD Financial), Central Gippsland Health and North East Heath Wangarrata.
Warmest thanks are also extended to the management, staff, patients and families from the Sale and Wangaratta regions for their generosity, kindness and time.
Check out this fabulous article thanks to Western Sydney Health Sydney News - and the team at the Ministry of Health NSW for promoting this important message!
A new book was launched at the 2019 Gathering of Kindness November events!
Sue Robins, Canadian Author and Patient Storyteller, has launched her latest book, Birds Eye View: stories of a life lived in health care across various Gathering of Kindness events throughout November!
Monash University and Hush awarded Research Grant
The HUSH Foundation is a partner on an Australian Research Council grant entitled Conferring dignity in law and health care (DP190100734). This project is led by Linda Barclay at Monash University, in partnership with Hush and academics at Monash University, Macquarie University, King's College London and Tulane University. Over $240,000 has been awarded.
This project aims to develop a new and more inclusive conception of dignity. The expected outcome is a new understanding of the importance of dignity in human rights law and in health care services, with an aim to provide concrete guidance for health and aged care services on how they can promote the dignity of all of their clients. The Hush Foundation will partner will Linda Barclay to develop workshops and educational material on the theme of upholding the dignity of all people in hospital and residential care.
Dr Linda Barclay, Monash University
Buy your kindness online now!
Wearable Kindness
Get ready to cap, tee, and even tote for your Gathering of Kindness.
Based on demand and feedback this fantastic range has been expanded to include the very popular Gathering of Kindness as well as hashtag #KindnessWorksHere.
Both equally efficient and scientifically proven to promote the benefits of kindness wherever you wear!
Hush 'Gathering of Kindness' album is here!
Piano legend Tony Gould AM is joined by renowned guitarist Peter Petrucci for this brand new music release from the Hush Collection. A beautiful jazz-inspired album, the music is a perfect way to calm any stressful environment - and is very easy listening at home or in the car!
This latest album, produced by ABC Jazz, was named after our Gathering of Kindness events!
The Inaugural Gathering of Kindness Ambassador
On the hop points for Hop!
Alan Hopgood AM, writer of the Hush Health Plays, received the inaugural Gathering of Kindness Ambassador Award in front of the audience of approx. 120, 37 floors up in the air at the KPMG event floor as part of Kindness Works Here 2018.
His family were all on hand for the recognition.
The Health play Do You Know Me had just been performed and Alan was surprised, delighted and very gracious.
He spoke of his warm association and Hush and praised his actors for their work.
It was doubly appropriate as it was also World Kindness Day.
The Gathering of Kindness Anthology
The Gathering of Kindness Anthology is a collection of incredible stories, ideas, action plans, and creative impressions of a kind healthcare system, and how to get there. And by purchasing the book, you'll be supporting the Hush Foundation and helping continue the quest for kindness. Learn more here.