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Be part of a caring community where no one has to face tough times alone.
Compassionate Villages bring together local businesses, community groups, and everyday people who want to make a difference.
Together, we’re building stronger connections, sharing support, and creating a sense of belonging—where people look out for one another and work together to reduce distress in their community.
An extension of the Brisbane North Safe Space Network.
Compassionate Villages are made up of businesses, organisations, local institutions, citizen associations, and community-led social groups within the same neighborhood who share a heartfelt vision — to rebuild the sense of ‘village’ in their community.
A village where no one has to face distress alone, and support is shared.
Together, the Compassionate Village can lighten the load and help reduce the causes of distress in their community by regularly connecting with each other; discovering and sharing resources; learning from lived experience and developing skills; finding opportunities to collaborate; and celebrating the community being built.
The core purpose of Compassionate Village is to bring diverse people together from the same area to:
Connect
with each other so people are aware of who is who and who is doing what in the community.
Continually learn
with each other about how to better recognise, respond to, and reduce distress in the community. Learning opportunities could be in the form of workshops, training, round-table discussions, and ongoing relationships.
Collaborate
in response to place-based priorities. This could involve the sharing of existing resources or the development of new initiatives that contribute toward a safer, healthier, and more compassionate community.
We’re looking for individuals, businesses, community groups, and organisations who want to be part of the Compassionate Village in their area. There's no cost to getting involved.
There are already four Compassionate Villages established in:
Inner north-west & central Brisbane
CBD, Fortitude Valley, Bardon, Paddington, Ashgrove, Kelvin Grove, Milton, Red Hill, Rosalie, Toowong, Spring Hill, Herston.
Pine Rivers
Strathpine, Lawnton, Petrie, Bald Hills, Brendale, Bray Park.
Peninsula
Redcliffe, Clontarf, Margate, Kippa-Ring, Scarborough, Woody Point, Newport.
Caboolture & Morayfield
All areas.
Join your local Compassionate Village
Interested in joining? Reach out to one of the Compassionate Village Coordinators.
There is no cost to being part of the Compassionate Village. Instead. we invite members to take part in:
A Safe Space is a peer-led inclusive and welcoming environment for people experiencing distress, including carers or support persons. These spaces offer a range of supports provided by peers with lived experience, creating a safe place to talk, be heard, and feel understood.
There are currently four Safe Spaces in Brisbane North: Bardon, Strathpine, Caboolture, and Redcliffe.
They are open from 5pm–9pm on weekdays and operate on a coordinated weekend roster.
For more information, please visit My Mental Health | Safe Spaces.
When someone arrives at a Safe Space — whether it’s a guest or their carer or support person — they are greeted by a friendly peer worker (someone who understands, drawing on their own experience of distress).
They will help guests settle in, offer refreshments, listen and chat about what kind of supports might be most helpful in their situation. Support can include:
There are four locations ready for you in Bardon, Strathpine, Caboolture and Redcliffe, with more to come. To view addresses, opening hours and contact info, visit My Mental Health - Safe Spaces webpage.
If you or a loved one are in crisis, please call:
Lifeline on 13 11 14 or the Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467.
