Wellbeing

In the Lead up to R U OK Day…

With R U OK? Day coming up on September 10th the Wellbeing Team wanted to address the question we get asked most often about this day…what does it actually mean? 

R U OK started in 2009 after Gavin Larkin lost his father, Barry, to suicide. His initial plan was to make a documentary to raise awareness about suicide prevention and the power of a conversation to change a life. While making a documentary Gavin realized that a greater, Australia-wide cultural change was needed. He could see the need for greater awareness of the power and impact of conversations that connect people. 

The ethos of R U OK? is simple and backed up by research. People struggle when they don’t feel a sense of belonging and connection to others. By asking and listening we build that connection, and we let people know they are not alone. 

Holding space for difficult conversations can be, well, difficult! The greatest barrier people feel when asking if others are okay is the possibility that they will say no… what then? 

R U OK? Keeps this really simple, you don’t need to fix or change the problem, just listen when the person talks. I’ve included a step-by-step guide for our parents and students to look over in the lead up to R U OK? Day. This year, we want to challenge our parents to ask their students if they’re okay, and really listen to the answers. And as always, if the answers bring up anything that needs further discussion with a professional, the Wellbeing team are here to support parents and students. 

It can be easy to see R U OK as a tokenistic yearly nod to mental health. But what R U OK really presents is an opportunity for meaningful connection and conversation

Madeline Azhar