Victorian school spreads R U OK? message year-round

hello • 12 April 2022

Brookside College has been taking part in R U OK?Day for years. Despite the pandemic, their 2021 events were bigger than ever.

Tell us a little bit about your school, Brookside College.


Brookside P-9 College is based in Caroline Springs, Victoria. We have over 1,200 students and the student wellbeing team is a team of four clinicians.  We recognise R U Ok?Day every year, and turn it into a week of activities for the students and include the staff members.


What did you do for R U OK?Day in 2021?


Because of the pandemic, we were not able to do our usual R U OK?Day activities. Instead we got a local artist (Tim Sta Ana) to design and paint a wall mural for the school. The words on the mural were contributed by every year level . They included messages like, "be strong", "be caring", "keep calm" and "get moving". We wanted a constant reminder for the students, staff and school community to continue asking, "are you OK?", all year round.


What  did the staff and students do to support the day and encourage meaningful conversations?


We had a whole school project titled “R U Ok? Day, Everyday”. Students created pieces of artwork that expressed messages of seeking help, words of encouragement and positive affirmations. The idea was for students to make a whole-school contribution to promoting positive mental health. These artworks are displayed in our front office and winners were chosen and provided prizes courtesy of Nestle. 


There were also presentations hosted by Headspace Schools and The Wellbeing Team at Brookside that role-played students in conversations about how they would notice the signs someone might be struggling and how to have a conversation with that person. Students took part in daily wellbeing activities that addressed the four steps of an R U OK? conversation (Ask, Listen, Encourage Action, Check In), as well as resilience building.


The R U OK? conversation four steps

Our large lunchtime celebration this year included public speakers from the No Bull group to engage students in music and games. Melton Young Communities also came along to help with the student engagement. There were multiple R U OK?  giveaways provided to students (bananas, stickers, wristbands, erasers, fidget toys, etc.). There was also a photo-booth, with the  printed film being R U OK?-themed. At recess we had  Indigenous musical artist, Brett Lee, perform for the students. 


And what about staff? How were they involved?


We wanted to ensure that staff were also taken care of, and are aware of the supportive culture that the school and the Wellbeing Team encourage. We provided a staff breakfast hosted by our wellbeing team and our food technology team and an afternoon tea hosted by our wellbeing team and our Hands on Learning Team (this involved students part of the Hands on Learning program). There was also a staff lunch hosted through the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC), which was generously sponsored by the Caroline Springs Lions Club and District. These events provided an opportunity for staff to feel supported, and created environments to share meals and to check in with one another. We also provide EAP (Employee Assistance Program) cards yearly. 


That all sounds amazing! Why does the R U OK?Day message mean so much to the staff and students at Brookside College?


Our R U OK?Day gets bigger every year. Students and staff members always look forward to this time of the year to recognise this great cause. We’ve noticed that it has built a positive mental health culture within the school. It continues to promote seeking support and encouraging others to check-in with their friends. Students are aware of the message of R U OK?Day and can identify these steps. Overall, it has improved the school community's awareness of mental health, from staff, students and parents/carers. It has increased the school community’s capacity to recognise people who may be needing  support as well as how to approach situations related to this. 


Thanks, we can't wait to hear what you have planned for 2022!

EDUCATOR RESOURCES

Group of School children holding R U OK? Signs

For students, learning how to support their peers and talk about how they feel is an important life lesson, so where better to start than in the classroom? These resources for primary, secondary and tertiary educators and institutions will help students everywhere have an R U OK? conversation.

GET INVOLVED

Announcement from the CEO, Katherine Newton

by Katherine Newton • 16 October 2025
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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