Griffith goes the extra mile for a Conversation

hello • 11 September 2018












Griffith residents including one hundred primary school and high school students greeted the Conversation Convoy this morning at Memorial Park.


With the Rotary Club cooking a free breakfast and cuppas flowing, those gathered heard from Mayor Dal Broi and Austin Evans MP about the importance of opening up and being vulnerable particularly amongst men in the community.


“Ending the stigma of saying ‘I’m not OK, I need help’ is what we need to do, and the conversation can be the start of that”, Dal said.


Austin followed by encouraging more meaningful connections, “One of the biggest issues we have in this society is disconnection. We lose that connection amongst people. R U OK? reminds people to be aware of each other and ask their friends that question.”


Long-term R U OK? Ambassador Karen Snaidero shared her reasons for staying involved in the cause citing the desire to see positive change to mental health attitudes as her driver.


Local support services were in attendance to chat with guests and provide free information on programs for social connection, housing, youth services and training.


Jenna Roberts once again represented the LifeSpan Murrumbidgee initiative , “It’s a system-based approach. One of the pillars is you and what you can do. QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) is free one-hour training course to increase your confidence to talk about suicide” she said.


Other welcomed programs and services included headspace, Way Back Support and New Access.


R U OK? Ambassador James Van Cooper performed a number of songs and shared his personal experiences of life’s ups and downs, and how his love of community spirit has helped him get through those challenges.


Special thanks to Karen Snaidero for her efforts in bringing the Griffith community together throughout the year.


The Conversation Convoy continues its journey with next stop: Canberra (ACT).

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Announcement from the CEO, Katherine Newton

by Katherine Newton • 16 October 2025
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.
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