Connection Cards to help you #StayConnected
hello • 23 March 2020
Across Australia and the world people are facing an unprecedented situation as our health authorities and governments act to manage the spread of COVID-19 (coronavirus). For detailed, accurate information about these measures please visit the Department of Health website.
It’s very normal to not feel OK in challenging times such as these. We must continue to promote a sense of community, reach out and ask our friends, family and colleagues, “Are you OK?”.
If you’re feeling well and able to support someone, practically or emotionally, you can use our 'Connection Cards' to let them know you’re there to help now and for as long as they need.
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If you would like to co-brand the card please get in touch with us at [email protected]
The creation of the Connection Card was inspired by the ‘Creative Commons’ #ViralKindness card produced by Becky Wass in the UK.
• For information about the signs someone might be struggling and how to have an R U OK? conversation visit our How to Ask page.
• If a conversation is too big for you or you need additional support visit our Find Help page.
Relationships shape our lives so when any meaningful relationship ends, the loss can be deeply personal and painful.
After ten years of teamwork, partnerships, growth, and countless conversations, I will be stepping down as CEO from 1 December 2025. It has been an extraordinary privilege to contribute to the growth of this movement and to witness meaningful change before my eyes. Gavin Larkin founded R U OK? because he believed conversation has the power to change lives. One seemingly simple question, when asked with genuine intent and care, can start a meaningful and sometimes complex conversation. And that’s what Gavin wanted. For people to look beyond responses of “I’m fine” or “All good” and ask, “Are you really OK?”. The notion of going deeper with conversations, of asking a second time, of trusting our guts and moving past our hesitation - is being grasped and moving beyond one day to any day. Whilst saying “G’day how are you?” will always be a greeting - we can do more. When Gavin lost his father to suicide he wanted to try and protect other families from the pain his endured. He wanted to get people talking and having real chats about how they’re feeling with their mates, their family and their colleagues. In locker rooms, lunch rooms, and lounge rooms across the nation. But he approached it from a different angle. Gavin wanted all of us to have the confidence to support the people we care about who might be struggling with life. To make conversations a natural part of our behaviour, to openly show our signals of support. So as R U OK? generations continue to evolve, my chapter is coming to a close. How fortunate I am to have been part of the story. From hesitant glances during presentations in 2015 to queues of people waiting for a conversation in 2025. From yellow wigs in the office, to welcoming yellow-swathed Ambassadors to share their lived experience. From yellow coffee cups in a café, to yellow cars driving into communities nationwide. And yes, there’s been a few cupcakes along the way. Social change is happening, and we are all a part of it. No one organisation can prevent suicide, no one individual can save everyone - but the power of many can make a difference.
Matildas forward Michelle Heyman talks about how one of the most challenging transitions of her life became the most transformative, thanks to the support of her fiancée Christine.
