The mother of a teenage girl who committed suicide after relentless bullying, has thrown her support behind the NT Government's ban of mobile phones across schools in the Territory.
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The ban, which will come into place on the first day of Term 1 in 2023, will see the private use of phones prohibited in all public schools.
Katherine's Amy 'Dolly' Everett, aged only 14, took her own life in early 2018 after months of severe bullying both online and in-person.
In the wake of her death, Dolly's parents, Kate and Tick Everett, courageously spoke out about their daughter's suicide triggered by bullying.
Their message for students and their parents to 'speak even if your voice shakes' has since sparked a nationwide conversation.
Following the announcement of NT-wide phone bans in schools, Mrs Everett said she and her family were glad that the Government was addressing the issue.
"Research suggests that policies to restrict students' use of personal devices tend to work more smoothly when the school has other positive factors in place," she said.
"(These include) good relationships between staff, students and parents; active involvement by parents in the school community; clear, consistent rules that staff follow too; secure storage for devices; good educational technology in the classrooms, and support for students to socialise in fun ways without their devices.
"Anything that supports a positive culture change is a move in the right direction."
In October, Mrs Everett, who was named the 2019 Australian of the Year Local Hero together with her husband, passionately shared her heartbreak about losing her young daughter.
Speaking to a group of council staff from regional councils across the Northern Territory who had gathered in Katherine for the annual Australia Day Council Conference, Mrs Everett spoke about her "shock, denial, anger and depression" that followed Dolly's death.
"But there is power in small steps."
Bringing into life the Dolly's Dream Foundation in a bid to highlight the adverse impact bullying and cyberbullying has, gave Mrs Everett and her family "meaning" and "helped to put one foot in front of another".
It now boasts a parent hub which teaches caregivers how to have conversations about bullying, offers school education classes and connects families in need with the best support networks.
"What stood out for us as a family in this journey was the lack of services," Mrs Everett said.
""When we needed help the most as a family living on a remote cattle station, there was no support network.
"Living two hours from Kununurra in WA and six hours from Katherine - accessing help was virtually impossible.
"Our work is now driven by the desire to connect families in need living in the bush, and to change the stigma and the dialog around bullying, mental health and suicide."
Mrs Everett said part of her personal mental health journey after losing Dolly was "finding something positive to focus on".
"Exercise gave me the ability to look for the silver lining," she said.
"A walk turned into a run, and the run turned into an obsession."
In July 2021 Mrs Everett ran a 42km marathon through the desert at Yulara, raising more than $20,000 - something she admits she'd thought was "never achievable".
Annie Hesse
I am an award-winning media and communications professional with experience across print, digital, social and radio broadcast, as well as photography and videography. I am the NT Correspondent at Australian Community Media and I write for my hometown newspaper, the Katherine Times. I love telling people's stories, and I am passionate about giving those a voice who may otherwise remain unheard. When I am not busy putting pen to paper, I spend time in my garden, go bushwalking or travel across the Northern Territory, Australia or the world. In my spare time I write, illustrate and publish books.
I am an award-winning media and communications professional with experience across print, digital, social and radio broadcast, as well as photography and videography. I am the NT Correspondent at Australian Community Media and I write for my hometown newspaper, the Katherine Times. I love telling people's stories, and I am passionate about giving those a voice who may otherwise remain unheard. When I am not busy putting pen to paper, I spend time in my garden, go bushwalking or travel across the Northern Territory, Australia or the world. In my spare time I write, illustrate and publish books.
