Mark R U OK? Day on Thursday 12 September

Get involved in a range of events and initiatives at UNSW.

R U OK? is a national movement that encourages people to stay connected and have conversations that can help others through difficult times in their lives. Each year we celebrate R U OK? Day on the second Thursday in September.

UNSW Wellbeing will host a number of events and activities on Thursday 12 September. These are designed to enable staff to connect with colleagues, rest and recharge, or to evaluate their own mental health and wellbeing. 

Roundhouse R U OK? Day event 

UNSW’s flagship activation for 2024 will be an all-staff event in the Roundhouse. Special guest speakers include actress Paula Duncan AM, Jorge Alvarez Vega from Converge and Professor Sam Harvey from the Black Dog Institute. 

Staff are invited to attend the event either in person or online. For those attending in-person, morning tea will be provided and Lucky Door prizes will be awarded.

Find out more and register to attend.
Places are limited and registration is essential. 

Activation in Mathews Pavilions 

Visit the Mathews Pavilions on Upper Campus between 11am to 2pm for free massages, light refreshments and other activities. 

Free massages

Free massages will be available from professional massage therapists, in the following locations:

• Kensington Campus: Mathews Pavilions
• Paddington Campus: Elwyn Lyn Conference Centre (ELCC)
• Canberra Campus.

Virtual Gratitude Tree 

Place a ‘sticky note’ on the Virtual Gratitude Tree to share what you’re grateful for this R U OK? Day. 

Virtual backgrounds

Show your support in the lead-up to R U OK? Day by changing your virtual background in Teams and Zoom meetings. Other resources are also available about how to have an R U OK? conversation.

Suicide prevention training

UNSW currently provides suicide prevention training to staff and students. The Recognise and Respond: Suicide Prevention for Everyday Life course from the Black Dog Institute will help you to respond and provide support to a friend, family member or colleague who might be at risk of suicide. Recognise and Respond is a self-paced online course which takes approximately one hour to complete.