R U OK Day at Maccabi Victoria

By Caren Lubofsy, All Abilities Program Officer 

This year R U OK? Day falls on Thursday 12 September, but as we all know, “a lot can happen in a year, a month, a week.” We all go through life’s ups and downs every day – and so do our friends, family, colleagues, partners, and teammates.

We encourage you to reach out and have regular, meaningful conversations to help prevent small things from becoming big things. Checking in regularly helps to build trust and talk about what’s really going on, and it reminds people that there’s always someone to talk to.

As part of the Maccabi Victoria community, we are surrounded by people who care. If you’re struggling, we encourage you to reach out to someone in your team, pull your coach aside for a chat, reach out to your club’s president or integrity officer, or even call the Maccabi office. We take the wellbeing of our members very seriously; there is always someone who will listen.

It’s a hard thing though, for many people, to speak from your heart and have real conversations. It’s so important that we surround ourselves with people that genuinely care about us. Those that are there for the bad times as well as the good. We all have dark moments, but we need to remember that we are never alone, and we need to reach out to others during their time of need.

And it’s not just talking. It’s well known that “people who exercise regularly have better mental health and emotional wellbeing, and lower rates of mental illness.” Want to know more? Check out this article from Victoria State Government.

The Maccabi Victoria community reaches far and wide. We encompass athletes, coaches, volunteers, families and supporters. Whether you’re already involved in one of our clubs or programs or looking to get started, we have options for everyone. We have competitive sporting options for junior, open, and masters athletes, as well as introductory programs for juniors, and more social programs such as Walking Football. For those suffering from mental illness, who are looking for something more supportive and social, and less competitive, consider our All Abilities programs and events.

We challenge everyone to start those conversations often and early. You never know what difference you might make. Consider this as a conversation starter from us and please reach out if you need to talk to someone. If you need professional support, please see here for more information: www.ruok.org.au/findhelp