MATES in Construction - Givemas Day Ten

Interview, Givemas

https://www.kosmagazine.com.au...

Whilst mental health awareness has been on the rise over the last decade, there are still industries where these conversations can be difficult. Through male-dominated workforces and patriarchal status quo often taking precedent, there are many that struggle that go unnoticed.

To discover what work can be done to support and improve mental health outcomes in the construction, mining and energy industry, we spoke with National CEO of MATES in Construction Chris Lockwood.

MATES in Construction is an industry backed, research-based, suicide prevention and support program since 2008, operating in the Construction, Mining and Energy industry to better health outcomes and raise awareness of how suicide can be prevented.

Chris, thank you so much for chatting to KOS about MATES. Given we’re talking about mental health and having real conversations perhaps we should start with the basics. How are you doing?

Great question, and I ‘m pleased to say, stepping out of lockdown in Melbourne, that I'm grateful for the simple things. Family, friends, and fresh air!

I imagine the last two years have been an intense period of time for your team at MATES. How have you found your leadership and support teams step up to the challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic?

Through what have been genuinely challenging times, I'm really impressed with the ingenuity and drive of our teams across the country and across the Tasman. Building new ways to stay connected with our workers across our key industries. That includes things like Zoom and online meetings, catching up with our volunteers and connectors to make sure they are well placed to support workers in our key industries, as well as stepping up our phone lines to be sure we're available to help people 24/7, if needed.

Opening up about the suicide rates of those in male dominated workforces must have been a gradual process. How did Mates in Construction come into existence?

When MATES kicked off in 2008, it was a really novel idea to be talking about suicide prevention in the workplace and what we could do but once we started having those real conversations face-to-face, it was amazing how quickly the industry took it on.

Once people see the MATES program in action, they take it on organically. In some ways it has been a gradual process, but it has been a consistent process.

MATES could not have started without the industry recognising the problem we had to deal with. The BERT Redundancy Fund in QLD, the unions, the employer associations, all saw that we could do something, that we didn’t have to accept what was happening. It was from that point forward that MATES, with industry backing, worksite by worksite, could face suicide prevention head on and make a real difference. So, it was that mindset that allowed MATES to come into existence and forge ahead to where we are today.

You’ve researched how suicide rates in the construction, mining and energy sectors are significantly higher compared to other Australian populations due to the transient nature of the work in industry, as well as the stigma around emotional expression in men. What specific approach does MATES take to address suicide and preventative care?

The big difference with MATES has been the way we look at and deliver suicide prevention training. By making a shift from expecting people to seek help, to encouraging everyone to notice the signs that someone is struggling and offer help. Our research showed that not only were there issues there, but by sharing that knowledge and information from the research, it helped address the stigma, and also helped people realise that this was something we could do something about. We all have the capacity to step in and help a mate that’s struggling - and that’s the secret sauce with the MATES program.

Have you found the construction, mining and energy industries have specific needs to be met when addressing mental health. How do you work to tailor your training and support programs to these groups?

We have found that the industries have specific needs and we’ve also found that there are some real commonalities across the industries we work with. Understanding how our industry works has been key to the MATES program being successful. Where possible we try to employ people who come from the industries we work in. It’s because they can connect directly, speak the language, know how it works, build connections, and it allows an authenticity when they’re talking to the workers. There are also commonalities across our three industries; like long working hours and irregular hours. These factors can add distinct pressures, be it FIFO, contracts ending, contracts starting. We work with our volunteers in the industry, GAT, Connector and ASIST volunteers to make sure everything we are doing speaks to the needs of the industry.

Do you think there is a pattern of specific stressors that increase the likelihood of depression and anxiety for those that work in this field?

There are some very specific stressors that can impact in these ways. And that relates to less control - so people in jobs where they have less control over what their work is on a day-to-day basis, when people have extended time away from home, or FIFO/DIDO roles. The impacts that can come from those kinds of stressors can mean they’re more likely to be disconnected from family and friends and community, and those groups would normally be a protective back up in relation to any issue that might arise.

Many workplaces undertake professional development days or training programs that seek to address issues/experiences felt in their industry. What does MATES do to ensure that support and conversations continue after the training is complete?

That’s one of the key elements that makes the MATES program work. They way that it grows and gets built into the culture of the workplace. By encouraging people to take on the Connector and ASIST roles, those people that step up and become active drivers of the MATES program in their workplace – and across the industry more generally. So, by supporting the Connector and ASIST volunteers, to be there, to be the connection points, the active representatives on site and in workplaces, is how we make sure the program continues to grow after our training is complete.

Since establishing yourselves back in Queensland of 2008, what direct impact have you seen for those in the sector and how have you seen the workplace culture change?

We’ve noticed a significant shift to people becoming more comfortable having honest conversations around mental health and suicide – really anything that could be going on with them. The workplace cultures where we see the MATES program is really embedded, encourages more trust and openness, in terms of how the whole workplace comes together. And we’ve had anecdotal feedback that’s shown that not only is the workplace supported with better mental health and reducing the potential for suicide, but also broader cultural changes around safety culture. Things that are built around having honest conversations to drive better communication in the workplace. We’ve also had an 8% drop in suicide within the industry since kicking off the MATES program, while the suicide rate in the general population has not had the same results.

Do you think government, funding bodies or other orgs appropriately fund programs like MATES to protect and nurture the mental health of people working in this industry?

I know everyone at MATES is incredibly grateful for the funding we have received; it’s allowed us to progress the program and have the foot print we have across the industry. But, I also know there’s a lot more work for us to do. There’s a lot more workplaces that need our program and the support we’re able to offer via MATES. So, I am actively working with government bodies and the industry more broadly to get those funding levels stepped up, so I look forward to having a conversation with anyone to help support the funding of MATES because without that funding, we won’t be able to meet the needs of the industry. It’s really important the industry is offered our training FOC to make sure everyone gets access to the program, not just those in big business - we do need to grow that funding base.

What do you believe is vital for the success and sustainability of suicide prevention initiatives?

We see the piece that’s most important here as building trust and starting from an authentic position where people can have open and honest conversations - where it moves beyond tick-a-box compliance exercises that are often rolled out and even with the best of intentions don’t actually build trust.

So, a key piece that’s allowed MATES to step forward and build a sustainable model of suicide prevention within the industry, is the fact that it’s delivered on a whole of industry basis. The employers, the unions, the employer associations, everyone on the same page. It allows the workers, the project managers, the whole business from the shop floor to the corporate office to have the confidence that this is actually a genuine program that not only meets the needs of us here in this workplace, but when we go to the next workplace it’s the same again.

What can friends, family and readers do to better support those working in the key industries?

I think this is the same thing we can all do to better support each other in terms of recognising the signs and understanding when someone is struggling. We need to be willing to have an honest conversation, be willing to have an open conversation where we step back from judgement and move forward to listening. That’s the key piece the MATES program tries to build across the industry - that we all have those skills. We all have them in our tool kit, but we just need to remember that they’re there. We can take the time to listen and we can take the time to ask a question – it’s something we can all do. Be it as a friend, a family member or for our communities. Once we have that awareness, we have an incredibly powerful tool at hand, and that tool can change someone’s life.

To find out more about MATES and get involved, visit https://mates.org.au/ or follow them on socials @matesinconstruction