R U OK? Conversation Convoy begins in Geelong

A 14,000-KILOMETRE road trip across Australia with an important question on its mind started on the Geelong waterfront on Monday.

The R U OK? Conversation Convoy launched its six-week journey with an event at the carousel attended by R U OK? ambassadors Steve Bastoni, Barry Du Bois, Steve “Commando” Willis and Geelong Cats star Mark Blicavs, along with performances from Triple J Unearthed singer Tyller Fischer and the Torquay Men’s Shed Choir.

The convoy’s aim is to make every day R U OK? Day (it will be officially marked on September 13) by encouraging more Australians to get comfortable asking the question “are you okay?” not just for one day a year but every time we recognise the signs that someone we care about might be struggling.

This year’s Conversation Convoy comes in the wake of the successful 2017 convoy and will travel to 25 regional and metro communities including Longreach, Darwin, Tennant Creek, Hervey Bay, Grafton, Griffith and Devonport.

R U OK chief executive officer Brendan Maher said there was “a very real reason” why Geelong was the starting point.

“It’s because a lot of people from the Geelong community reached out to us last year when we were on the road and said ‘why didn’t you come to Geelong?’ so we answered that by starting in Geelong.”

R U OK campaign director Katherine Newton said that based on the 2017 experience, there were three types of conversations at the convoy’s events: people that loved yellow and the campaign’s message; people who had lost someone to suicide; and “on the periphery, we’ll see one or two people just pacing, kind of seeing what’s happening, and quite often that can be a first step to them finding some help”.

City of Greater Geelong mayor Bruce Harwood said he was “pretty chuffed” that the convoy began in Geelong.

“It’s a very complex question sometimes, and sometimes people will struggle to answer honestly and openly.

“I think these forums and messages help us all to allow people to do that and understand when they’re not okay and to take the necessary steps to help them accordingly.”

Corangmite federal member Sarah Henderson said her government had committed to funding an extra $338.1 million in mental health services.

For support at any time of day or night, phone Lifeline on 131 114. For more information on R U OK?, head to ruok.org.au.