R U OK? and Australia Day Ambassador shares a message of hope in home town of Katherine

Hailing from Katherine in the Northern Territory, 21-year-old Jake knows first-hand how powerful a heartfelt conversation can be to someone who is struggling with life.

From the ages of 12 to 16, Jake went through some dark times which he later realised was the result of post-traumatic stress.

Jake said his childhood was a tough one.

He battled with depression from age 12 due to a school incident where he was injured playing sport with his mates.

“Depression began creeping in to my life. The next five to six years were pretty tough for me,” he said.

“Because of that, I remember feeing like I didn't belong, some days I couldn't even get out of bed. I was always crying and suicide often crossed my mind.”

That was over ten years ago now but Jake said he has never forgotten the fear he felt at that time.

“I was just lucky my parents and family saw what was going on,” he said.

Fast forward a few years and he’s now a successful, young professional living in Canberra using his experience to inspire others.

The R U OK? ambassador is living proof that the combination of caring family and friends coupled with appropriate support, means light at the end of the tunnel for someone going through a rough patch.

His own personal experience and the loss of good friends to suicide was a call to action.

It made him determined to help more people access the support they needed. “I've lost a few people - both family members and close friends - to suicide. The impact this had on me personally and the people around me, has been devastating. The pain of not knowing; questioning; wondering. I guess that’s what’s made me want to do more.”

As an ambassador for both R U OK? and Australia Day (for the Northern Territory), Jake’s on a mission to get people talking.

“We are a relatively small population in a very big land. Australia is a country of deserts and mountains, rivers and seas, but also a place of small, close-knit communities,” he said.

“This is a country that rewards hard work and as a community we often shine brightest when confronted by difficult situations.

“I'd like to see people learn to recognise the signs that they might be struggling and to see those signs in their mates as well,

It's important we talk about we’re going through and try and be there for those closest to us.”

Jake said we need to take the time to regularly check-in and a good way to start is by asking a simple but powerful question;

“A lot of the time you don’t realise you are helping, but just being there, asking how they’re going, listening to what they have to say and encouraging them to access appropriate support can make a big difference.”