R U OK Day?
On Thursday 14th of September was R U OK?Day, which is a national day of action to remind Australians that every day is the day to ask, ‘are you OK?’ and to start a meaningful conversation whenever they spot the signs that someone they care about might be struggling with life.
It is an important day to reflect on mental health and our general wellbeing, as it is often such a silent issue. This year’s theme “I’m here to hear”, emphasises that you don’t need to be an expert to reach out – just a good friend and a great listener.
Many of our Aspire Childcare centres, as well as our Head office, recognised this day by having a morning tea and dressing up in yellow, and our Aspire families were also invited. It was a great day for all of us to come together and spread the message. We also provided a range of resources and spoke about the importance of supporting one another and reaching out to those who may be struggling with their mental health.
At Aspire, we strongly support our employees’ health and wellbeing, and provide our employees access to an Employment Assistance Program (EAP). This is a tool that is available to our employees 24/7 and a beneficial resource for them to use.
If you do see someone in your life struggling, have a conversation using these four steps:
1. Ask R U OK?
2. Listen
3. Encourage action
4. Check in
To learn more about the signs and when it's time to ask R U OK? visit their website here: https://www.ruok.org.au/signs
