Glencore’s loyalty to support wellbeing charity Where There’s A Will (WTAW) in the Upper Hunter has been unwavering since its establishment in August 2016. Founder Pauline Carrigan said their organisation wouldn’t have turned into what it has without not only their support, but their guidance.

Pauline started WTAW after her son Will Carrigan took his own life at the age of 24 on Christmas Day 2015.

It was a tragedy that Pauline and her husband Hilton thought had the potential to transform the mental wellbeing of rural communities by introducing “positive education” in schools.

The day Will died he was wearing sunscreen, a learned habit, so Pauline and Hilton thought if they could embed that behaviour into kids, why not positive education?

“The very first meeting we had when we were showing Glencore what we wanted to do, we met with some businessmen. One of them said to me when we were leaving, ‘have you ever looked at Ernesto Sorelli’s work?’ I said, ‘no’.

“Ernesto Sorelli’s work is about not giving people what you think they need, find out what they want, shut up and listen to what they want,” explains Pauline.

“Money can take you so far, but the advice from Glencore on that day was for me, the most powerful thing that happened and I believe has been what has made us so successful.

“We listen externally to our community, to professionals, to advice, we never go out to tell anyone what we think, we listen.”

The most recent program Glencore has jumped on board with is WTAW’s ‘Riding the Wave of Wellbeing’.

The 18-month program aims to extend wellbeing literacy beyond the school gate and into the wider community. The program is being delivered via the WTAW website in the form of an interactive calendar that takes you on a journey of wellbeing through podcasts, activities, workshops, articles and stories.

“There are two things you can bring along on this journey. The first one is curiosity. You have to be curious. Some things you might try and it won’t be right for you, but you don’t know unless you try.

“Some of these things are a matter of personal choice so you have to just keep dabbling across the 18 months.

“The second thing you have to bring along is ‘tiny is mighty’. Our brains are muscles and just like we work our muscles in some sort of physical activity, our brains also need to be worked. When we change something tiny in our brain for a few weeks we’re making a mighty change.

“These are the things we are trying to get across,” said Pauline.

“I think that Where There’s A Will is the future.

“We’ve had some very major funders over the years, but our relationship with Glencore is amazing. They have given us the ability to listen to the community.”

Glencore Coal’s Community Relations Coordinator Tracey Snedden said they’re proud to continue their support of WTAW.

“I was fortunate enough to attend the recent Character Strength Photo Competition launch at Muswellbrook. The event unveiled beautiful and creative photos taken from across the Upper Hunter region’s schools, preschools and early learning centres.

“It was inspirational to experience the detail and care that went into the photographs, each depicting a sense of community belonging and an interpretation of wellbeing.”

WTAW wouldn’t have been able to achieve all they have in the Upper Hunter and beyond without the assistance of other mining companies including New Hope Group, BHP and Bengalla.