KUCHING – Over 480 staff and students of Swinburne were treated to a variety of cupcakes, apples and ice cream at the recent R U OK? event held on campus.
Organised by Swinburne’s Student Development and Support unit, the event was held to commemorate World Mental Health Day which is observed on 10 October every year. It aims to raise awareness of mental health issues around the world and mobilise efforts in support of mental health.
R U OK? is a national day of action in Australia dedicated to reminding people to ask family, friends and colleagues the question “Are you ok?” as a way to connect with those who are emotionally distressed, to address social isolation and to promote togetherness among the community. R U OK? is a non-profit suicide prevention organisation founded in 2009 in Australia.
On top of distributing the sweet treats, the organiser also conducted a talk via Microsoft Teams titled ‘Understanding Self-injury/Self-harm’ by Dr Rosliwati Md Yusoff, Specialist Psychiatrist and Director of Hospital Sentosa. In her talk, Dr Rosliwati spoke about myth and fact about self-injury, self-injury behaviour, warning signs, risk factors, understand why people self-harm, and interventions.
Swinburne’s senior counsellor Evelyn Liew said as the international branch campus of Swinburne Australia, the Sarawak campus is honoured to celebrate the annual event.
“Connecting regularly and meaningfully with one another makes a world of difference to anyone who might be struggling with life. Through this programme, we hope that by reaching out to our loved ones and fellow colleagues, and having open and honest conversations, we can help build a more connected and healthier Swinburne community,” said Liew.
The Student Development and Support unit under the Student Engagement department regularly organises events such as the annual R U OK?, Mental Health Awareness Week and Swinburne Wellbeing Week (by Safer Community), as well as provides tips and advices that support the well-being of the campus community. Last year, the Safer Community organised a talk on ‘Tuberculosis – What You Need to Know’ to raise awareness of TB, its risks, symptoms, and treatment and prevention methods.
The counselling team at Swinburne can be reached via email at ecounselling@swinburne.edu.my.
For more information about Swinburne, visit www.swinburne.edu.my or its Facebook page (@swinburnesarawak), Instagram (@swinburnesarawak), Twitter (@Swinburne_Swk) or YouTube channel (Swinburne Sarawak).