R U OK? Day theme announced for 2023
The theme for R U OK? Day on September 14, 2023, is “I’m here to hear.”
Launching new R U OK? resources today, CEO Katherine Newton emphasised the importance of creating space to have meaningful conversations.
The R U OK? model for approaching these conversations is ALEC.
- Ask
- Listen
- Encourage Action
- Check in
“Choose a time and a place where you can give your full attention, free of distractions. A walk in the park, a sit down over coffee, a quiet night in. Let people in your world know you are here to really hear,” she said.
R U OK? conducted research to understand what a meaningful conversation looks like for Australians and came up with three common factors:
- Trust: People are more likely to open up to someone they are close to and trust.
- Authenticity: People are more likely to open up if they know someone genuinely wants to hear what they have to say.
- Environment: Place is key to feeling safe and opening up. A private space is preferred, with no time restrictions.
“By taking time for an R U OK? conversation and genuinely listening with an open mind, we can all help the people in our world feel supported and connected,” says R U OK?
Resources will be released in the coming week, but people and workplaces who actively support R U OK? Day can currently:
- Download a guide to supporting R U OK?
- Download the official editable poster
- Download a starter pack
- Download social media graphics
- Register their R U OK? Day event
- Buy merchandise for their event or activation.
R U OK? has developed a huge range of items including t-shirts, scarfs, gym bags, visors, beanies, golf balls, water bottles, post it notes, pens and biodegradable coffee cups.
R U OK? is a national movement started in 2009 by Gavin Larkin after the death by suicide of his father, Barry, in 1995.
Gavin, who passed away in 2011 with cancer, believed that a Conversation could change a life. This is his story.
In Australia, 3 in 4 people who die by suicide are male and suicide kills six men a day.
The Australian Men's Health Forum recently launched its national campaign to address male suicide, calling on the Government to develop a male suicide prevention plan.
Sign our petition: Time To Act On Male Suicide in Australia
Download AMHF's How to Help a Mate Doing It Tough Guide