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It’s a movement for kindness and intra-service support. A way to acknowledge those who may be feeling isolated, undervalued, underappreciated or those simply deserving of acknowledgement.
To date, Aussie frontline has sent out 469 Pay it Forward shirts to recipients across all states and territories of Australia.
Sponsors have purchased a Pay It Forward tee from the Aussie Frontline online store, understanding that the shirt they have paid for will be sent to a deserving member of the frontline community. Sponsors are only ever identified by their initials, suburb and which service they are a member or veteran of (if applicable). They sponsor Pay It Forward tees because they are selfless, generous and have a genuine care for the Aussie Frontline Community.
Nominators are sought via the Aussie Frontline Instagram page by a ‘NOMINATION CALL’ post. These occur periodically once enough shirts have been sponsored to ensure the best chance of being able to fulfil all nominations. A Nominator responds to a ‘NOMINATION CALL’ indicating they wish to nominate a member of the frontline community. At the close of the ‘NOMINATION CALL’ period, Aussie Frontline contacts the Nominators privately to obtain details of the Recipient they wish to be sent a sponsored Aussie Frontline tee. Nominators select the size and colour of the shirt their nominated Recipient will receive and provide postal details for their Recipient. They may also choose to provide Aussie Frontline with a note to their Recipient which will accompany the sponsored tee. Any member of the frontline community who could use a gesture of support can be nominated as a Recipient – there are no other criteria.
Recipients don’t know they have been nominated until they receive their Aussie Frontline parcel. They are sent a sponsored Aussie Frontline tee, with a personalised note from Aussie Frontline, and a note from their Nominator if one has been provided. They are also advised which service the sponsor of their shirt is a member or veteran of (if applicable).
We are grateful to receive positive feedback about the Pay It Forward program regularly and are particularly moved by the messages from Recipients. These tees really do make a difference. View some of the heartfelt and inspirational feedback.
This firefighter, Dan, donated an Aussie Frontline tee back for us to ‘pay it forward’ to a member of the frontline community. To honour Dans wish, we reached out to our (at that time small) Instagram following – seeking private nominations to identify a member who might benefit from this act of kindness. Not only was a recipient nominated by a caring frontline member, but another member of the frontline community on the opposite side of the country came forward with a spontaneous offer to cover the cost of shipping the shirt.
What followed was a series of contacts from frontline members offering to sponsor further shirts and postage for other members in need of support. We were so inspired by the outpouring of generosity and goodwill from this community we sought to create a system to facilitate their kindness on an ongoing basis. And so, the Aussie Frontline Pay It Forward program grew organically from the intense desire of the frontline community to look after one another.
A way to acknowledge those who may be feeling isolated, undervalued, underappreciated or those simply deserving of acknowledgement.
Want to sponsor a shirt for a stranger? We’ll match your sponsored shirt with a nominator and a recipient.
Optimising Australia’s first responders, ADF members and veterans through community, education and positive culture.
Narelle is a Level 2 registered counsellor with the Australian Counselling Association. She has a background in Military and Emergency Service roles, serving six years as a frontline Police Officer, followed by ten years in the Royal Australian Airforce.
Narelle has a wealth of experience with people from various backgrounds and has developed a deep understanding of mental health issues and the impact poor mental health can have on entire communities. She draws on her experience working in high-stress environments to facilitate programs that educate and reduce mental health stigma in the community.
Narelle’s primary focus is delivering 1-on-1 counselling to frontline members and veterans.
Matt is a highly experienced and passionate mental health advocate dedicated to helping individuals, executives, and organisations improve their mental health.
Drawing on his ten years of frontline experience as a former police officer, Matt provides counselling and mental health training to those in high-stress roles seeking high-performance outcomes. He also has experience navigating post-traumatic stress and depression following his service, which he uses to support and educate others.
Matt is a Level 2 registered counsellor with the Australian Counselling Association, a national Community Ambassador for RUOK?, a peer training consultation for The Male Hug, and sits on the state’s first Suicide Prevention Council as the First Responders representative.
