The R U OK team have been hard to miss on Peel Street this week, and after three years of festival activity are hoping to go bigger and better with their message next year.
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The suicide prevention organisation is now ten years old, and while the key message of asking people the question is now well out there, CEO Brendan Maher said it is the next step that is most important.
“People are now more willing to ask if someone is OK, but they also have to know what to say if someone answers that they are not,” he said.
“We are trying to activate a set of resources that we all have – eyes to see, mouth to ask, and ears to listen.”
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Unfortunately in Australia suicide statistics are trending the wrong way, with 8.7 people a day taking their own life, while people in regional areas are twice as likely to commit suicide then those in the city, and it is not just the drought.
“The drought has put another lense on this, but people in regional Australia are less likely and less able to access services,” Mr Maher said.
“It is a major concern but there has never been more investment than this is now, and the sector is working a lot more collaboratively than it ever has before – we are just focussed on strengthening peer to peer support.”
Ambassador Travis Collins is no stranger to the Country Music Festival, and unfortunately the six time golden guitar winner is also no stranger to the grief of having a loved one take their own after his father-in-law committed suicide over five years ago.
“Travis got us involved in the festival and is one of those great guys that just can’t say no to helping out,” Mr Maher said.
On Friday night Travis will be giving a huge shout out to the R U OK team and campaign during his performance in Toyota Park at 7pm.
Earlier in the week Allison Forbes and Ryan Daykin joined forces to put on the Music for Mates show at Diggers.
