Our featured client for February is Sober In The Country (SITC)! For over 8 years, SITC has been changing and challenging the conversations and behaviours around alcohol in rural Australia. Today, SITC reaches over 100,000 people through a range of social media channels. They are amplifying the message that it is ‘OK2SAYNO’ every day, not just on the official ‘OK2SAYNO’ day, which launched on 22/2/22.

Rural and remote Australians are 150% more likely to experience alcohol harm, and only 17% will get help. Rural Australians are stepping up to acknowledge it’s time to change the conversation around alcohol, and SITC is providing the leadership, language, information and education to make that possible. SITC provides a range of resources at https://www.soberinthecountry.org/, so please pay the site a visit if you would like to learn more.

SITC is also home to an anonymous online support group, the Bush Tribe. The Bush Tribe is home to hundreds of people living in rural Australia who want to quit or cut back on alcohol, but can’t access support where they are. It offers a safe, friendly, non-judgmental space where mates can help mates.

Shanna Whan, CEO + Founder, is the winner of ‘Australian of the Year Local Hero for 2022’. Prior to SITC being registered as a charity in 2019, Shanna spent 5 years working full time as a solo volunteer. SITC receives no funding from either state or federal government, and you can support their work by clicking here: https://www.soberinthecountry.org/helpingout.