R U OK Day at Hilliard

On the 9th of September, Hilliard Christian School took part in R U OK Day alongside many other Australians around the country. With a staggering 45 percent of people in Australia having at some point struggled with mental health, Hilliard students and staff thought this was a brilliant idea to help spread awareness about this often taboo subject. Students and staff came dressed in yellow, which is the designated colour for this event.

The high school joined together for a BBQ lunch where Mrs Matteo shared some information with us on signs that someone might be struggling and how we can be a good mate to them. She also stressed the importance of ensuring we are okay first before we try to help another.

Each student received a bookmark with contact details of where to go for help which was a great resource. We played card games and R U OK bingo, which set the tone to have conversations about mental health together. Mr Redman and grade 10 students cooked a BBQ which was thoroughly enjoyed by all students and we were given special R U OK day cookies.

We would like to say a special thankyou to the following businesses who supported our special event: Woolworths Moonah, Banjos Bakery Moonah & Ally’s Sweet Treats. The atmosphere was very relaxed and gave students the option if needed to talk about some of our struggles. It was a fantastic event and we hope to continue this at Hilliard each year to create awareness and as a reminder to check in on one another as a conversation could change a life.

Grace Matteo, Year 8 Student, Hilliard Christian School