Yesterday across Australia was R U OK Day, a National Day of Action where people are encouraged to ask friends, family, work colleagues or peers “R U OK?”. This year, under the guidance of the Student Prefect Team, our community reflected on the numerous ways you can approach and ask someone if they are okay. Conscious that each person is different, the Prefects led the Middle and Senior School through an assembly that provided students and staff with numerous insights, tips and tricks to help support a variety of people. The team also reminded students that they don’t need to be able to fix problems people might share, rather it is just as important that they check in, ask the question and listen.
Normalising the question ‘are you okay?’ helps to reduce the possible embarrassment people might feel should they need to respond with a ‘no’. Assemblies like the one held today which included teachers sharing the different ways they have approached people, help to further reduce the stigma that might be attached to asking for or admitting you need some extra support.
We encourage all Saints Girls to reach out when they need extra support or help. Talking to a trusted individual can help strengthen a sense of connection, it can reduce the sense of feeling alone and it can help change perspectives on situations. Sharing doesn’t mean you’re looking for someone to fix your problem, it simply provides a safe space to talk and have someone listen.
So, in the spirit of the day and following on from our excellent Student Leaders’ example, ‘R U OK?’