Compassionate Communities with Harpreet Kalsi and Rhee Duthie

Join facilitators Harp Kalsi-Smith and Rhee Duthie for an interactive workshop on exploring compassion and building compassionate communities. Together with a panel of inspiring leaders driving compassionate communities work, this session will open space for reflection and dialogue on what it means to practice compassion—beginning with ourselves, extending to our inner circles, and reaching out to the wider community. We will explore how compassion can be lived and practiced during all facets of life, better preparing us to mobilise in our daily lives and communities to support one another through serious illness, death, and bereavement. Participants will be invited into conversation and collective practice, creating momentum for a movement that nurtures care, connection, and compassion at every level of community life

Harpreet is an Australian Indian woman who was born in Kenya and raised on the lands of the Turrbul and Yuggera peoples. She brings 20 years of experience specialising in health and wellbeing, community development, driving innovation and change.

She founded the Kindness Company, a social change collective that works with individuals and communities to build capacity to live well, age well and die well.

Harpreet’s passion to advocate and work in end-of-life care commenced after supporting her mother during her final months of end of life. Her own lived experience and that of carers and people who have died from a range of illnesses including dementia and cancer, have driven her to work for better care for all approaching end of life. Harpreet is Board Director of Compassionate Communities Australia, holds a Masters in Conflict Resolution, is a consumer advocate, integral sound healer, reiki master, trauma informed practitioner and end of life doula.

Rhee Duthie - Rhee is of Maori (Waikato Tainui) and Swiss descent born in Aotearoa, New Zealand. Her way in life has been spent working across the social ecologies of Health, Social services and Sector development. She is a holistic therapist and enjoys creates art in her spare time and is deeply connected to her culture and community development. She now leads sector development for Volunteering QLD and has been an integral member of Compassionate Communities Gold Coast