In difficult times, human connection matters

As physical distancing has become part of everyday behaviour in Australia, many people have realised just how important physical connection is to our emotional wellbeing.

Out of necessity, many essential services have quickly shifted to online or contactless delivery. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, universal telehealth was seen as a massive project that would be years in the making. But out of necessity, the way Australians access healthcare changed in a matter of weeks. By April 20, more than three million patients had used Medicare Benefits Schedule-funded telehealth services – via phone or video call.

From telephone GP visits to specialist consults via Facetime, patients have embraced telehealth and doctors are calling for it to become a permanent part of healthcare delivery.

This contactless technology may be safer for medical staff, patients and practitioners – and it can also provide vulnerable, remote, rural or isolated people with services they may otherwise be unable to access. However, there are still some conditions that still need face-to-face assistance.

Schools and universities also had to rapidly transform traditional lesson plans into ‘learning at home’ packs and video school classes. And in the process, the extent of the digital divide in Australia was uncovered. More than 2.5 million Australians are not online, and as many as one in six children live in households below the poverty line. For them, internet and a home computer are simply unaffordable. With libraries also closed, those students were unable to connect with their teachers or homework.

While digital channels have proven valuable during this period, physical channels will continue to be important for how government, not-for-profits and other organisations communicate with Australians.

Delivering hope in hard times

“This period of time will go down in history,” says Rural Aid’s CEO John Warlters. “We’ve seen devastating drought, then the bushfires, in some areas floods, and now a global pandemic. But what it has done is show how resilient and generous Australians are. Putting their hand up to help when it’s needed.”

He says that while our lives may now be much more online, we’ll never completely replace the need for human contact. That’s what inspired Rural Aid’s Christmas ‘Write to a farmer’ campaign two years ago and now the Rural Aid ‘Dear Farmer’ campaign that can share hope through a physical letter or online.

“Everyone needs to know someone out there cares about them,” he explains. In 2018, Rural Aid sent out 3,500 letters to farmers from school kids, covered in glitter.

“Last year, it was over 10,000 – even corporate executives sat down and wrote a letter in their boardroom. Taking that time to put your thoughts down on physical paper is very powerful for the person receiving it.”

This simple act of kindness has had a life-saving impact. “We’ve had many heartfelt letters back from farmers, telling us how much it means to them, but one really stands out. A dairy farmer in Northern Victoria was experiencing some tough personal challenges. And, something compelled him to check the mailbox. Inside there was a letter from a little girl in Sydney.”

Knowing someone else was there for him gave him hope – and he contacted Rural Aid and got the counselling he needed. Rural Aid is well-known as a rural charity that delivers hay, water, financial assistance and counselling (via telephone and face-to-face).

Physical mail can help create an emotional connection as many feel it’s more genuine in a digital world. In a report commissioned by Australia Post, in conjunction with Accenture, 38% of consumers say mail makes them feel important.

But it is also an effective channel to reach a less digitally-connected audience – as Australian Red Cross found when it came to Australia Post with a dilemma. Farmers hadn’t been applying for funding grants that could really help them in Queensland and they needed to build awareness of their Drought Relief Assistance program.

Targeted postcard drops to drought-affected areas helped spread the word to those who may not have otherwise heard about the program, and there was an uptick in applications for help.

“It was a really useful initiative – anecdotally, we’ve heard that some people in need would not have known about the program or realised they were eligible, if they hadn’t received the postcard,” says Antoine Chandonnet, Australian Red Cross Community Recovery and Development Officer.