Becoming a good listener & great friend

The message from this year’s R U OK? Day is making sure we are prepared to ask that question of those near and dear to us any day of the year and that sits perfectly with Limestone Coast R U OK? Day ambassador Tracey Wanganeen.

“I always valued the important of asking RU OK? any day which is this year’s RU OK? Day theme,” Tracey said. “I had been working with StandBy Support After Suicide across regional SA for several years and had often supported RU OK Day events and used their positive messaging when engaging with communities. In suicide prevention work connection is a key preventative factor and I understood the importance of checking in with people we suspected may be having a difficult time.”

When it comes to marking the day in this region, which is Thursday, September 12, Tracey believes keeping it simple is the best policy.

“I am the Acting Chair of the Mount Gambier & District Suicide Prevention Network and each year the network has collaborated with services to be present at a couple of local coffee shops to ‘shout’ people a coffee and suggest they check in on someone that day and ask RU OK? ,” she said.

This year Slice of Metro is the location for a conversation and a cuppa from 8am-10am with the Marketplace’s Expresso Eatery hosting the local team from 10am-12noon.

Tracey’s passion for the mental health space is long standing despite it being a late career change, completing her Social Work Degree as a mature age student and applying for that initial role at StandBy,

“I didn’t really know exactly what the work would entail but I came out of that interview knowing that I really wanted that job,” she said. “It is a privilege to work with people in the difficult times in their lives with the aim of assisting them to find a way forward. Now, working as the centre manager of Mount Gambier Medicare Mental Health Centre (formerly Head to Health) people can walk in on any day they decide they are ready to access support OR people wanting to support someone can access advice on how best to do that.”

And given Tracey’s strongly held view that R U Ok? Day should be something we make every day, she is happy to provide some tips for those of us who aren’t trained in the space.

“RU OK? can be asked a number of ways, how are you, what’s happening etc – but the intention is the same,” Tracey said. “We really need to check in with people when we notice a change in their usual behaviour like not turning up to sport training or other social activities they would usually participate in.”

Tracey, as an RU OK Ambassador, can be accessed all year around.

“I can be requested to be a guest speaker in workplace and sometimes I have delivered virtual presentations for workplaces in other States,” she said. “This year I would encourage all workplaces to think about how they can utilise the RU OK Day message of checking in ANY DAY and how they can tap into that across the year.”

Check out the RU OK Day website where ambassadors as guest speakers or to be present at an event can be requested.