No Talk Day: Radio Hauraki's initiative to get men talking about mental health

On World Suicide Prevention Day, the Radio Hauraki team will stay silent to encourage others to make a noise about mental illness. Photo / NZME

Talking is what radio announcers do for a living.

But tomorrow on World Suicide Prevention Day, the Radio Hauraki team will stay silent to encourage others to make a noise about mental illness.

Al advertising, traffic, weather and news on the day will be silenced. Radio Hauraki's announcers will symbolically create space for listeners to talk, by not talking themselves.

No Talk Day

On average, one Kiwi male will take their own life each day. Thursday September 10 is Radio Hauraki's No Talk Day. No shows, no announcers, no ads, no news, no traffic, no weather. We're not talking, to urge you to start.

Posted by Radio Hauraki on Sunday, 30 August 2020

"We ran our first "No Talk Day" last year and were stunned at the positive feedback we received," says Radio Hauraki content director Mike Lane.

"The backing from prominent New Zealanders and Kiwis involved in suicide prevention and mental health support was incredible. The Black Caps even created and shared their own No Talk Day video."

This year, Radio Hauraki is once again partnering with Movember Foundation NZ, a charity addressing some of the biggest health challenges facing men, aiming to raise the topic of men's mental wellbeing with the network's predominantly male audience.

Last month New Zealand's Chief Coroner advised that in the year to June, 654 people died by suicide in New Zealand. 471 of those deaths were men.

"While it's great those numbers are down on 2019 – each of the 654 deaths represents a tragic loss to so many New Zealand families," says Movember NZ country manager Robert Dunne.

"We need to continually do all we can to raise awareness, get people talking, get men to seek help from mates, from family, from professionals."

WHERE TO GET HELP:

If you are worried about your or someone else's mental health, the best place to get help is your GP or local mental health provider. However, if you or someone else is in danger or endangering others, call 111.

If you need to talk to someone, the following free helplines operate 24/7:

DEPRESSION HELPLINE: 0800 111 757
LIFELINE: 0800 543 354
NEED TO TALK? Call or text 1737
SAMARITANS: 0800 726 666
YOUTHLINE: 0800 376 633 or text 234

There are lots of places to get support. For others, click here.​