The #beatloneliness project is open to anyone who wants to form a sporting team and help beat loneliness.
Thinkerbell has partnered with Australian Red Cross to raise awareness on the issue of loneliness, ‘Beat Loneliness’.
Beat Loneliness encourages anyone who is a part of a sporting team to register online for a free sporting kit for their team, and rebrand their team to ‘Loneliness’. Then, every team that they go up against in a competition will be faced with the challenge of trying to ‘beat loneliness’.
Red Cross has also partnered with esports team, Legacy Esports, to develop this project. Legacy Esports was the first sporting team in Australia to rename themselves ‘Loneliness’, and is calling on any other sporting teams or gaming groups to do the same.
The esports team played under the ‘Loneliness’ banner and were livestreamed on Twitch.
“The friendships and sense of belonging felt in sporting and gaming communities is what makes this project so special. We want people to know loneliness doesn’t have to be a constant in their life," Red Cross CEO Judy Slatyer says.
“Your team, whether you’re a player or a fan, isn’t just a team, it’s also your support network. We are asking teams to join this campaign and play for a bigger cause this season. We’re widening the playing field and encouraging everyone to help beat loneliness.”
“#beatloneliness is a powerful idea as it helps ‘out’ the endemic issue of loneliness. Further, by teaming with Legacy Esports, Red Cross is helping to bust one of the biggest myths around loneliness that gaming culture, and social media in general are a significant cause of loneliness," consumer psychologist Adam Ferrier says.
"In fact, often the very opposite is true. Many people claim that esports has been one of the vehicles that have actually helped them connect with others."
