Date: Thursday 11 September 2025
Contents:

 

• Overview
• The History of R U OK? Day
• How to ask if someone’s ok
• R U OK? Day Keynote Speakers 2025

 

R U OK? Day is more than a date on the calendar — it’s a chance to turn awareness into action. Hosting an event brings people together, creates space for honest conversations, and gives your team, community, or clients the skills to check in all year round.

At ICMI, we work with speakers and facilitators who combine professional expertise with lived experience. They don’t just inspire — they train people to recognise the signs, ask the right questions, and respond with care. That way, your R U OK? Day event leaves practical tools behind, not just a good feeling on the day.

Why hold an R U OK? Day event?

• Break stigma and normalise conversations about mental health.
• Equip people with tools they can use daily, not just once a year.
• Boost workplace culture and client relationships by showing genuine care.
• Improve wellbeing and productivity by creating safer, more connected teams.

Event formats that work

• Breakfast or toolbox talk — a short, impactful start to the day.
• Workshops and training sessions — practical guidance on asking and responding.
• Working lunches or panels — mix shared meals with meaningful discussion.
• Podcast-style recordings — create content your team or clients can revisit.
• Client or community events — network with purpose and a lasting message.

Whether you’re planning something small and intimate or a large-scale gathering, ICMI can match the right speaker to your format and audience.

The History of R U OK? Day

In 2009, after losing his father to suicide, Gavin Larkin founded R U OK? Day to make sure fewer families experienced the same pain. His vision was simple: “A conversation could change a life.” Since then, the movement has grown nationally, reminding us all to keep checking in.

How to Ask if Someone’s OK

• Pick the right moment and be ready to listen.
• Ask open questions (e.g. “What’s been going on?”).
• Listen without judgement and give time.
• Encourage next steps towards support.
• Check in again to show ongoing care.

Training people to use these steps every day is key. With the right speaker, workshop or event, you can make R U OK? Day the moment your team, clients, or community take those skills into everyday life.

Browse our roster of mental health and wellness speakers here at ICMI

 

 

 

Jelena Dokic

A former world number 4 tennis player, popular commentator and best-selling author of her autobiography ‘Unbreakable’, and her recent release ‘Fearless’, Jelena Dokic’s story of survival on and off the court is truly remarkable.

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Tom Boyd

Tom is a beacon of courage, on and off the field. A star AFL premiership player and former number 1 AFL draft pick at the age of 18, Tom saw a higher calling that transcended football, and invested his time and effort into his own mental health and wellbeing, in turn helping others struggling with their own mental health issues.

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Jeremy Macvean

Jeremy Macvean is a communications expert and keynote speaker who blends personal insight with evidence to spark bold conversations on gender, mental health, and workplace equity. Known for his warmth and authenticity, he invites audiences to lead with compassion and clarity in a changing world.

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Dr Dinesh Palipana OAM

Award-winning doctor, disability advocate, and co-founder of Doctors with Disability Australia, Dr Dinesh Palipana OAM is a truly inspirational figure with an incredible story that highlights the importance of resilience, wellness, perseverance and persistence through hardship.

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For this year’s R U OK? Day, we hope we can all work together to create space for important conversations around mental health. Together we can build a new culture of openness and resilience. You can browse our full range of R U OK? Day speakers here or browse based on location if you’d like to find a speaker near you:

• mental health speakers Perth
• mental health speakers Canberra
• mental health speakers Sydney
• mental health speakers Brisbane
• mental health speakers Melbourne

If you’d like a more personal touch you should get in contact with us for a tailored speaker recommendation.

 

Browse RU OK? Day speakers Blog: What we do when we R not OK