R U OK?
Since 2020, Metro North has been a proud supporter of the R U OK? Program, a suicide prevention initiative that promotes early intervention and team connectedness. The program encourages individuals to invest time in personal relationships, stay alert to the wellbeing of those around them, initiate conversations, and offer support long before a crisis develops.
Given that we spend a third of our lives at work, colleagues naturally become one of the most important sources of encouragement and support for good mental health. R U OK? teaches us to trust our instincts when we are concerned about our colleagues and to ask, “R U OK?”.
For an R U OK? conversation to be meaningful, it must be authentic and involve a level of trust between individuals who are familiar with each other’s routines and behaviours. Cultivating an R U OK? culture in the workplace can help establish that trust and foster a sense of belonging and connection among employees.
Training
Each year around R U OK? Day (the second Thursday in September), staff psychologists and Culture and Wellbeing Officers will offer training both in person and online. Keep up to date with the e-bulletins for events at your local facility.
Other resources
Metro North promotes understanding and asking the question “R U OK?” every day, not just in September.
- Find resources or get involved at the R U OK website
- Trust the Signs, Trust your Gut and Ask R U OK?
Video
Watch this video to learn more about the origins and intent of the program from the 2023 R U OK? Ambassador, Jo Hassan.
