Young unites with the Conversation Convoy on World Suicide Prevention Day

hello • 10 September 2018










The Anderson Park blossom had a hue of yellow today as locals gathered for World Suicide Prevention Day and the Young Conversation Convoy stop.


Rotary Club of Young cooked a free breakfast to greet residents and business representatives from far and wide including café owners, new mums, and community health workers.


Mayor Brian Ingram shared the alarming statistics on suicide and suicide attempts in Australia; acknowledging that he is one of the 89% of people that have been touched by it. “Even if we just save one life, what an achievement that would be. Start the conversation, learn how to respond and where to go for support”, he encouraged.


State member Steph Cooke MP referred to the World Suicide Prevention Day theme of working together. “When we work together as a community, as schools, workplaces, friends and families – that’s when we get the best outcomes” she said. “Any day we can prevent someone going to that final step is a good day and it can start with asking R U OK?”


Jenna Roberts represented the LifeSpan Murrumbidgee initiative , a trial program for suicide prevention led by the Black Dog Institute. “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.


Jenna also referred to the safety net communities can be for those who are struggling with life and shared how she makes asking R U OK? a part of her everyday life, “Having really open conversations with my family and encouraging my family to access local services and the help that’s around.”


R U OK? Ambassador and musician James Van Cooper provided the morning’s entertainment and shared why he got involved in the cause, “I’ve been the voice of this – the angry, the sad, the up till 3am face. And I wanted to do something about it for myself and others.”


Special thanks to the support services who were on hand with a friendly smile and free information on how to access help for those that need it, including Well Ways, My Health Record and RAMHP (Rural Adversity Mental Health Program).



The Conversation Convoy continues its journey with next stop: Griffith (NSW).

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Announcement from the CEO, Katherine Newton

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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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