R U OK? is a national suicide prevention charity and registered public health promotion that encourages people to stay connected and have conversations that can help others through difficult times.
Recently, R U OK? announced they have changed their social media handles across multiple platforms to @ruokanyday, in an effort to highlight the importance of regular, meaningful conversation with people close to us to help prevent small things from becoming big things, “because any day is the day to check in with someone you care about and ask, ‘are you OK?’”
Since their inception in 2009, a National Day of Action inviting us to ask a simple question of our loved ones, has resulted in a movement known to engage over 80% of Australians. This year, R U OK?Day will take place on Thursday, 12th September 2024, but the team at R U OK? is keen to promote the idea of this question being something we can ask any day of the year. “By checking in regularly, you build trust and normalise talking about what’s really going on, so when the people in your world find themselves struggling, they know you’re someone they can talk to.
In recent years across Australia, we have seen a rise in the prioritisation of student wellbeing and mental health initiatives within state education departments. Multiple states have developed frameworks in an effort to support youth as they navigate increasing rates of anxiety and depression and schools are eagerly seeking resources to support them in this work.
As an evidence-based program, Second Step social-emotional learning has been adopted by many schools across the country as one of the resources being used to address the standards set out in the student wellbeing frameworks. Though not a targeted mental health intervention, Second Step most certainly addresses the need outlined in wellbeing frameworks to equip student with the skills they need to connect, succeed, and thrive. And as a universal program designed to be taught to all students, it helps schools to create a more positive and welcoming school climate in which they feel a sense of safety and belonging.
Second Step lessons include the explicit teaching of skills that target key risk and protective factors linked to a range of problem behaviours. Executive function, self-regulation, emotion management, relationship-building and problem-solving skills can all contribute to a students’ ability to cope with stress, face adversity and solve problems. In addition, Second Step lessons allow students to practice building their interpersonal skills such as being an active listener, making friends, showing empathy and compassion towards others - all skills that are necessary for having a conversation with loved ones to ask “are you OK?”.
Positive Pieces Education is the Australian and New Zealand publisher of the Second Step social-emotional learning program. Learn more
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