R U OK advocates learn about empathy and active listening

By Secondary School Counsellor Amornrat Sachdev

The ‘R U OK’ programme, simply put, encourages students to initiate simple conversations with students they feel are not doing so okay. This is to help provide opportunities for communication and support for students by students.

Too many a time, students feel isolated and deal with their issues alone. Peers and other students can have more access and thus more reach into a student’s world – so by asking one question, help can also be accessed more easily.

On June 14th and 16th, I had the opportunity to teach our Year 12 ‘R U OK’ advocates about the empathy and active listening – two very important skills every student mentor should embody.

All students were enthusiastic, avid learners who easily could apply the lessons and skills of the activities to real-world situations. Most of them used this new knowledge to refine their own ‘lessons’ about ‘R U OK’ to younger Secondary years.

It truly has been a pleasure to be involved in some way in this great programme.

For more information, please contact Amornrat Sachdev: asachdev@bkkprep.ac.th