Walking Together – What does it really mean?
I have been thinking a lot lately about the phrase “walking together.” It sounds simple, and in practice what does it really mean? My feeling is that when it is backed by intent, presence, and shared commitment, it transforms into something deeply powerful.
That is exactly the spirit behind the Walking Together: Collective Wellbeing, a luncheon that Thrive Stars and Yakuway Indigenous Corporation walked together to host last Friday. To us, it was more than a lunch—it was a ceremony of connection, care, and courageous action.
Why We Walk Together
This wasn’t your typical corporate wellbeing event. It was a space intentionally crafted for listening deeply, learning differently, and forging relational bridges. We are talking real stories, cultural insights, and systemic change. Real-world perspectives from:
- Indigenous wisdom, through a Welcome to Country with Aunty Cheryl Smith and Uncle Ray Smith and lived stories from Yakuway’s Malcolm Smith, rooted in the legacy of Uncle Bill Smith, a local Aboriginal leader, changemaker and businessman.
- Organisational care—Nuanced strategies from Hunter Primary Care, Ethos Health Group, University of Newcastle and Federal Treasury’s research on “Measuring What Matters”.
It was a multi-layered approach about wellbeing: global, national, regional, organisational, and personal. A mosaic of perspectives reminding us that wellbeing is not siloed—it is collective. That wellbeing is not just the responsibly of one, it is the responsibility of all of us.
My personal takeaways for the luncheon:
Spirit of the Earth 1990 Archival Video – As I watched, the message of walking together with each other and with the earth and all living things is the foundation of a thriving world landed in my heart loud and clear. Uncle Bill’s message that went to the United Nations in 1990 has a much relevance now as it did back then.
Welcome to Country – As Aunty Cheryl spoke, it really settled in me that the Welcome to Country is not about ownership, it is an introduction, acknowledgement and honouring of the land and all the peoples that have walked before us. It is a gesture of care for the person coming into that space and care for the country. To be introduced to the spirit of the land through a formal welcome is to take care of the energy of the person entering and the people there already. It comes from the heart. This was followed by melodic tones of Aunty Cheryl and Uncle Ray singing to us of trust, respect and walking together. I was so engaged I nearly forgot my luncheon duties and got up to dance.
National Wellbeing – Suzanne Butler – Measuring What Matters – Federal Treasury
I heard , a recognition of the responsibility that this nations leadership have towards playing their part in national wellbeing. The Measuring What Matters initiative that started in 2023, is an attempt to measure and monitor through a wellbeing framework that tracks our progress towards a more healthy, secure, sustainable, cohesive and prosperous Australia
You can find out more here https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/measuring-what-matters
Regional and Community Wellbeing – Keith Drinkwater and Claudine Ford – Hunter Primary Care
Keith showed us that we are living in challenging times and good leadership is paramount to fostering a healthy and well community. As a leader he saw the value in creating a team within the organisation that “walks together” for common outcomes and goals, looking out for each other along the way. Claudine reminded us that simple things like changing the way we speak about wellbeing and the language around approaching wellbeing issues in the community and workplace can bring positive more thriving outcomes to wellbeing.
Global Wellbeing – Voice of the Pacific – Andy Grieves – Cinematographer – Rolling Ball Productions.
There was a hushed silence as the people in the room contemplated the what hey had just watched about plastics in the Pacific Ocean. Deeply listening to the pause, I felt the hearts of everyone sit heavily with them. The moment was poignant and powerful.
Andy has been on country in the Pacific Islands over the past months, sitting with the Elders under the coconut palms surrounded by tonnes of plastic washed up from other shores. The Rolling Ball team has been invited into homes, watched children play in mountains of plastic and smelt, felt and heard the voices of everyday fishermen, grandmothers who are drowning under a problem created by others.
Andy shared his experience with is and said that “seeing it and being there definitely has an impact at a personal level, it is something you cannot unsee”. The aim is to take the documentary to the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) who are meeting in Geneva in August to create a legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, dubbed the Plastics Treaty.
April Howard, director and producer at Rolling Ball says “I feel like this project is an obligation to the children of the Pacific Nations and to all of us. This project has to happen”
Here is a group of individuals, walking together to give a voice to those who need a helping hand.
You can watch the trailer here https://www.voicesofthepacific.org/
Donate here https://documentaryaustralia.com.au/project/voices-of-the-pacific/
Workplace wellbeing – Trent Watson – Ethos Health
Trent’s engaging and straight-shooting presentation left me with a key message – as a leader you have to walk the talk about wellbeing in the workplace. “Say – act – demonstrate” your commitment to fostering a happy and healthy workplace. If you say you care as a leader, that you must also follow through with actionable programs, measurement, and engagement otherwise the people within your organisation with call you out and say you are “full of sh!t”. (quote)
Personal Wellbeing – Nathan Towney – University of Newcastle
Nathan shared his personal story growing up as a Wiradjuri man over three generations of his family. He taught me that the definition of wellbeing is impacted by what is required to keep family “well” in the times we live in. It is about perspective.
Wellbeing for his grandparents meant being able to keep their children safe from the “clean, clad and courteous” and “exclusion of demand” policies of the time that prevented aboriginal children from going to school. It was more important to their family to teach them how to navigate the colonial view of life. This meant, for his grandparents, deciding not to pass on language and culture so that their children were “safe” and could make a go of “surviving” in the modern Australian world. Now as a proud Wiradjuri man his perspective of wellbeing has come full circle and he is actively bringing back cultural stories, connection to country and values within his own family and in the community, passing it on to his children and the children of 7 generations to come.
For Nathan and his cultural knowing of “responsibility” extends beyond this to an obligation. Culturally he is obligated to take care of the wellbeing of himself, the land and others.
Why Walking Together Matters
The common thread throughout the luncheon was about taking responsibility. Taking responsibility for personal wellbeing and for the part each and every one of us play in the wellbeing of those around us. Whether that is in the context of family, workplaces, community, nationally or globally. That to create a thriving nation, community, workplaces, and family comes down to a contribution from each and everyone of us. A collective approach.
When we walk together:
- We close statistical, cultural, relational, and historical gaps alike.
- We embed Indigenous ways of knowing (and other cultural ways of knowing) into workplace wellbeing—creating a deeper foundation for inclusion and belonging.
- We harness Thrive Stars’ 5 pillar evaluation to move from conversation to measurable, sustained impact.
How You Can be part of Walking Together:
- Join the next luncheon: Keep an eye on Thrive Stars—this was the first of many, and the momentum is just beginning.
- Bring your team: Organisations are invited—not just individuals. It is a shared step toward healthier workplaces and communities.
- Commit to action:
- Join is in conversation through The Hunter Way: A collective approach to creating a thriving future
- Create connection, share stories and foster belonging within your organisation through the introductory workshop Walking Together for Cultural Safety, a collaboration between Thrive Stars and Yakuway.
Final Reflection
To the Thrive Stars team, Walking Together means weaving new paths—culturally strong, relationally grounded, impact-driven. Thrive Stars and Yakuway didn’t just convene a lunch— our intention is to ignite a cultural shift: from isolated initiatives to collective wellbeing. If we are all ready to build workplaces and communities that truly care—this is where we begin.
My questions to you:
- Are you owning responsibility for your own health and wellbeing, or are you always abdicating the responsibility to someone else?
- Are you owning responsibility for the part you play in the health and wellbeing of others?
- What does “walking together” feel like in your team or life?
By Jennylee Taylor – Thrive Stars Wellbeing Pillar Lead
