Hey there ReachOut Community Team!    I thought I'd make a space to introduce our Mod team so you can get to know them all a bit better :)    Moderators are members of the online community who volunteer to help out with the running of the forums. You will see Mods replying to posts and offering support, leading discussions and conversations, and generally spending time in all sections of the forums to make sure there are conversations here for everyone :)    All our Mods started off as community members and builders, and have done training with ReachOut to grow their skills in peer support and building a sense of community. They are all legends!   Every 3 months we will be welcoming more Moderators, so this is a space for you to get to know them all better.    For our Mod team:   How long have you been a member of the ReachOut Community?   Why did you become a Mod?   What are your 3 favourite things to do when you have down time?    What are you most looking forward to in your Moderator role in the next year? ... View more

Hi there online community!   All the feels today, as I have some news-  after two and a half years of posting, supporting and getting to know this amazing community, my journey with ReachOut is coming to an end I am so incredibly grateful to be part of such an amazing, supportive, kind, compassionate and all round awesome community! You are all such an inspiration to me and my time with ReachOut is something I will treasure forever.    One thing that makes this community special is the willingness of every person to be a support and listening ear for each other. Over my time at ReachOut, I have seen thousands of people in our community take brave steps to seek support, offer kind words to one another, and be there for each other through some of the best and the hardest parts of life. I am truly blessed to have been a part of this community!   I will be around for a couple more weeks to give me a chance to say goodbye and handover to my team. Although I will be leaving, I will still be in the online space as I head over to SANE to manage their online community :)   This community has been such an incredible place to work and I have loved getting to know each and every one of you!  I hope to chat more and say goodbye before my last day at ReachOut, the 27th of November. Thank you for letting me share the journey!     ... View more

R U OK day: Checking in with our communities, and checking in with ourselves   In 2020 we have seen more than ever the importance of staying connected, and the value of the people and relationships in our lives. Our lives can all get busy at times, and staying connected to others is hard to do. So, R U OK day is all about making the time to check in with the people we care about and start a conversation with "R U OK?"   R U OK may be the start of a bigger conversation, or it may just be a check in to remind someone else that you are thinking of them today. If you are asking "R U OK?" today, here are some helpful hints from the R U OK team:   For some of us, R U OK day can be a tough day that brings up a lot of big feelings or invites a lot of big conversations. If you are feeling a bit overwhelmed today, that's okay- you are not alone! Make sure to do what you need to do to look after yourself today. That might be engaging your self care (our wellbeing threads have heaps of ideas), using some distraction, or reaching out for help if you need it    Activity: Did you ask someone R U OK today? And if you would like to share what that conversation was like you can write about it here   ... View more

Hi there ReachOut Community! ReachOut is making a move to improve physical and mental wellbeing during October for Mental Health Month! Make A Move is a campaign where you can join us in d edicating 15, 30 or 60 minutes a day to moving your body and  raise money for ReachOut, Australia's leading digital youth mental health service!    If you are interested in joining us in October, you can register here!   We will be leaving this thread up as a place for those who are making a move with us to update on how you are going with your daily goal and fundraising target!  So what's involved? Once you’ve   signed up , you can move any way, and anywhere, you like. You can run, swim, rollerskate, rock climb – you can even hula hoop! Change it up, or stick to the same activity every day.   Just make sure that whatever you do, you do it for the amount of time you’ve dedicated each day. Getting started is easy. Sign up: Sign up as an individual, with your colleagues, family or friends. Set your goal: Become a Mini (15 minutes/day), Mega (30 minutes/day) or Master Mover (60 minutes/day) and make a difference with the minutes you dedicate to improving your own mental health. Get sharing: Spread the word and start raising money for youth suicide prevention. Make your move: On 1 October, start moving. You can move anyway, anywhere, you like. Track your progress: Log in daily to record your mental health minutes and keep your sponsors up-to-date!   If you want to learn more, you can also visit the Make a Move website here   ... View more