Sidewalk Talk: You talk, they listen : Guelph Wellington Mediation

Sometimes, all it takes is a willing set of ears to make the world a better place. That’s the underlying premise of Sidewalk Talk, a community wellness initiative coming to Guelph later this month that sees trained volunteers set up listening stations in public locations: two chairs and a welcome mat. People can then sit down and talk to a volunteer for 10 or 15 minutes about whatever they like. “It could be a grandma wanting to brag about the birth of her new grandchild or it could be a person on the street who is really struggling that day,” says Marie-Jose van der Zande, the coordinator of the pilot project. “It’s just a place to go where people care. Where people will listen. Ten to 15 minutes of whatever is on people’s minds.”

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