At the moment it feels like many of us are doing life hard, with much of what happens around us seemingly beyond our control. The cost of living crisis, unemployment, political turmoil and so on can leave us feeling more disconnected and struggling to deal with everyday issues.

Today I'm joined by Shelley Loader, manager at Community House, Whanganui and someone who regularly sees the best and worth in both human behaviour and the situations faced by many of the most vulnerable in our society.

Shelley freely admits that her passion for her work is something that impacts upon her but it is this drive to support both her community and services operating on a national level that drives her and while she may often return home exhausted, it is her love of people that keeps her motivated.

Shelley and I talk about how lack of dialogue, events like the recent assassination of Charlie Kirk, 'othering' in reporting and social media forums among other things can splinter relationships between those around us and create further division when unity is our most positive tool for wellbeing and social harmony.

Check out some of Shelley's work on the below links:

How personality shapes our approach to social justice - Shelley Loader - NZ Herald

The power of everyday role models in shaping community values – Shelley Loader - NZ HeraldOur different perspectives should strengthen, not divide – Shelley Loader - NZ HeraldWelcome to Community House – Supporting our communities together