On Wednesday 29 August, Newman College hosted our R U OK? Day. This is a national day of awareness about mental health and suicide prevention as it affects all people in all walks of life. R U OK? aims to prevent suicide using four steps: 1. Asking the simple question “R U Ok?” 2. Listening without judgement. 3. Encourage action 4. Check in with the person.
We felt that it was important to voice this issue and educate the students on the Marcellin Campus about a very real and difficult topic that is not normally discussed in the classroom. This is our second year of running the R U OK? Day at Newman, and in under a year we have seen an immediate increase in this topic being discussed and shared in the classroom by teachers and students alike.
Thanks to the support and cooperation of Mrs Bramanto our Leader of Wellbeing, Mr Finneran and the College Psychologists, we were able to contact Glenn Gerber, a motivational speaker and partner with R U OK?. Glenn spoke to the Years 10 and 11 students during extended PCG.
Throughout the day students were encouraged to accessorise with yellow items; the colour of R U OK?. It was amazing to see so many students wearing yellow hats, wristbands, scrunchies and even yellow suspenders (worn by Liam Street one of our founders of the day). A concert was also planned during lunch but was unfortunately cancelled due to heavy rain.
