It's ok not to be ok: R U OK? Resources available every day of the year

Published

10 Sep 2026

A woman wearing a yellow t-shirt which says Every day is R U OK? Day. A group of people are in the background linking arms.

For veterans and the families who stand behind them, the ups and downs of everyday life don't wait for a ‘good time’ to show up. And life after service can bring its own challenges such as a career change, finding a new community, and sometimes a heavier load you think you must carry alone.

That's why R U OK? the national suicide prevention charity behind Australia's biggest conversation-starting movement wants veterans and families of veterans to know that support isn't just available one day a year. It's there every day. Its Everyday Resources hub brings together free, practical tools to help people ask, listen, and support the people in their lives whenever they need it:

Among the resources veterans and their loved ones may find useful:

When Life Happens: practical tips for supporting someone through life's ups and downs, big or small, not just moments of visible crisis
Rural & Remote: Mateship Manual — guidance tailored to people living outside major cities, where support services can feel further away, and isolation can creep in
Community Resources: tools to help build a culture of checking in across clubs, associations and local groups, including RSLs and veteran networks
How to Ask: R U OK?'s signature four-step conversation guide: ask, listen, encourage action, and check in again.

Military life builds close bonds and a strong instinct to look out for your mates. That same instinct doesn't have to end at discharge. Partners, parents, children and old service mates are often the first to notice when someone they love is doing it tough — and R U OK?'s resources are designed to give everyday people the confidence and the words to start that conversation, and to keep having it. They're resources built for real life — the car ride home from school, a conversation around the kitchen table, or a phone call to someone you trust.

As the charity puts it, a conversation could change a life, and it can happen any day.

Additional support: