MATES in Manufacturing

MATES in Manufacturing is an initiative modelled after the successes of MATES in Construction, a charitable organisation established in 2008 to combat the high suicide rates among construction workers in Australia.

MATES in Manufacturing provides suicide prevention through community-based programmes at manufacturing sites, offering support to workers with case management services and a 24/7 help line. Our focus extends throughout the manufacturing industry nationwide, aiming to improve mental health and reduce the risk of suicide among workers.

The programme was launched in response to the alarming insights from the ‘AISRAP Report’ on suicide within the Queensland Commercial Building and Construction Industry, which revealed that suicide rates were significantly higher than the national average for Australian men, and exceptionally high among younger workers.

The core philosophy of MATES in Manufacturing is that ‘suicide is everyone’s business.’ This ethos emphasises the need for a collective effort within the manufacturing industry to bolster the well-being of its workforce. It asserts that the responsibility to improve mental health and prevent suicide extends beyond mental health professionals to include every participant in the industry.