We know the industry is facing challenges right now, and this is affecting the mental health of everyone – not just workers and staff, but business owners too.
The media has also shone the spotlight on mental health in our industry – with numerous articles and news pieces discussing the issue.
Feedback from our members is that some of you are doing it tough. You might need assistance with relationships, financial pressures, depression and anxiety or you might just be struggling generally.
We know that everyone is not the same, which means that the best support for everyone will not be the same.
With all of this in mind, Master Builders has created this page to connect members with help and support.
Directory
Mates in Construction
MATES provides suicide prevention to the construction industry in Queensland through community development programs on sites, and by supporting workers in need through case management and a 24/7 help line. | TIACS
TIACS is a free and confidential counselling service for truckies, tradies, rural, blue collar workers and those who care about them. Give TIACS a call or text to speak with a counsellor from 8.00 am to 10.00 pm Monday to Friday AEST. |
BuildUpBreaking down barriers to better mental health, and building peer support networks for construction business owners and bringing our industry together. | Beyond Blue
Free telephone and online counselling service is open 24/7 for everyone in Australia. No matter who you are, or how you're feeling, reach out to free counselling services for support – they'll point you in the right direction so you can get the help you need. |
Lifeline
Every 30 seconds, a person in Australia reaches out to Lifeline for help. Lifeline is a national charity providing all Australians experiencing emotional distress with access to 24 hour crisis support and suicide prevention services via call, chat or text. | New Access
NewAccess for Small Business Owners is a free and confidential mental health coaching program, developed by Beyond Blue to give small business owners, including sole traders the support they need. |
MensLine Australia
MensLine Australia is a telephone and online counselling service offering support for Australian men anywhere, anytime. | 1300 MH CALL
1300 MH CALL is a confidential mental health telephone triage service available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and will link to the caller’s nearest Queensland Public Mental Health service. |
HeadspaceProvides early intervention mental health services to 12 – 25 year old’s. Headspace can help young people with mental health, physical health, alcohol and drug services, and work and study support. | Head to Health
Australian Department of Health service that assists in finding digital mental health services from some of Australia’s most trusted mental health organisations. |
GOTCHA4LIFEGOTCHA4LIFE deliver mental fitness programs that engage, educate and empower. They focus on early intervention and the power of prevention through connection. | Griefline
Griefline supports anyone experiencing grief, including loss of a loved one, relationship loss or financial loss, by providing access to free telephone support. |
Rural Financial Counselling Services North Queensland (RFCSNQ)RFCSNQ provides a range of free financial services and counselling to a variety of business types throughout Northern Queensland. RFCSNQ provides services to help understand financial risks, stressors, managing debt and helps business create a plan. | Dynamic Duos in BusinessDelivering training, education, workshops, and private consulting services for trades and partners. Master Builders members will receive their first consultation free of charge. |
Mental Health Calendar
Some important dates throughout the year that bring further awareness and education to all aspects of mental health.
| What | When | Information |
|---|---|---|
| Early September annually | R U OK day is a day to encourage everyone to ask people around them if they are OK. It is also a reminder to continue the conversation year-round and gives advice on HOW to ask someone if they are okay in the most effective way. | |
| 10 September annually | The 10th of September each year focuses attention on suicide prevention, aiming to reduce stigma and raise awareness that suicide can be prevented. | |
Second week of October annually | Queensland Mental Health Week is an annual awareness week that aims to shine a spotlight on individual and community mental health and wellbeing. It encourages all of us to think about our mental health and wellbeing, regardless of whether we may have a lived experience of mental illness or not, and encourages help seeking behaviours, when needed. | |
| November annually | Movember is an annual event involving the growing of moustaches during the month of November to raise awareness of men's health issues, such as prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and men's suicide. | |
| Managing the risk of psychosocial hazards at work Code of Practice 2022 | From 1 April 2023 | The code has been developed to provide information on how psychosocial hazards and risks can be controlled or managed and can be used to help decide what’s reasonably practicable to reduce risk. From this date, organisations will need to implement measures to ensure compliance with managing psychosocial risks, per the code. |
MATES Apprentice Resilience Program (ARP)
Mates in Construction's Apprentice Resilience Program (ARP) was designed to be a short, positive intervention that would be attractive to employers and apprentices. The program sees MATES get a small group together, introduce them to MATES and their research, and facilitate a group discussion on the findings/topics of the 2006 Australian Institute for Suicide Research and Prevention (AISRAP) Report.
The sessions can be catered to each specific audience and participants are provided with some simple but robust tools and templates for navigating some of the identified challenges are discussed. The sessions cover a broad scope, and the approach is kind of like a buffet, participants are free to engage with and take away whatever speaks to them.
The messaging is simple, mates helping mates, there's no secret sauce – the MATES point of difference is having the research behind them, and their framework, helpline and brand as supports. To find out more contact MATES in Construction.
Psychosocial Hazards at Work
Need help implementing it in your workplace? Our Managing Psychosocial Hazards at Work course equips employers, principal contractors and PCBU’s to comply with their obligations in regards to regulations and Code of Practice coming into effect, and keep people mentally healthy and safe at work.
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