Students ask peers "R U OK?"

Students at Busselton Senior High School will be asking peers how they feel as part of R U OK? Day this week.

The new school suicide prevention program has been launched to work in conjunction with the national day of action to encourage honest conversations about emotional wellbeing.

BSHS psychologist Erin Pratt said you did not need to be an expert to identify if someone was having a tough time.

“All you need is an awareness of what is normal for a particular person to notice if their behaviour changes,” she said.

Suicide is the leading cause of death in youths between 15 and 24 years old and the dedicated mental health program delivered educational support for students and teachers and included advice on how to manage pressure at school.

R U OK? Day on Thursday aims to inspire all Australians to take responsibility for people in their lives and help build strong resilient communities.

Information and resources are available at www.ruokday.com.

Those in need of immediate assistance should contact Lifeline at 13 11 14.