Mission Australia organised a morning tea in the Town Square on Thursday as part of National RUOK? Day.
R U OK? is an Australian non-profit suicide prevention organisation. Their mission statement revolves around the slogan “R U OK?”, and advocates for people to have conversations with others.
Simply asking the question can be a turning point for people suffering severe emotional stress and mental health issues.
Program Manager of the local Mission Australia services here in Broken Hill, Jenna Bottrell, said, “we want to start to reduce the stigma and really get the message out about how meaningful it can be to ask someone if they are okay, and how to listen and have a conversation if people say they aren’t okay.”
There was a variety of stalls at the morning tea on Argent Street, which showcased the multitude of charities and services available to almost every demographic.
Ms Bottrell said one of the great things about the Broken Hill community was, “you only need to put the call out that there is an important date coming up and the hands go up very quickly.”
Alongside Mission Australia, services and charities at the R U OK? Day Morning Tea were Headspace, The Salvation Army, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), The Royal Flying Doctors Service and Catholic Care.
R U OK? is a harm prevention charity that encourages people to stay connected and have conversations that can help others through difficult times in their lives. If you need professional support, contact your doctor,
local health centre or you can head to https://www.ruok.org.au/findhelp for a comprehensive list of services that provide advice and assistance.
