Griffith goes the extra mile for a Conversation
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).
