CLARK Contracts has invested in training 33 employees as qualified Mental Health First Aiders.
Employees ranging from office staff to site users have completed a course, delivered by St Andrew’s First Aid. The course covers a range of subjects including identifying mental health conditions, providing advice, and learning how to start a conversation about mental health, stress, drugs and alcohol.
Clark Contracts first provided mental health training to all employees in 2016 in partnership with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, and since then the business has continuously delivered training and awareness sessions.
The construction, refurbishment and fit-out contractor also operates a 24-hour employee assistance programme, provided by MetLife, which is staffed by trained counsellors and gives all employees access to a confidential counselling and information service.
MD Gordon Cunningham said, “Around one in four people in the UK experience a mental illness each year, with this figure reaching over one in two within the construction industry and over two thirds of construction workers believe there is a stigma surrounding mental health.
“With stark statists noting that each day, the equivalent of two construction workers are taking their own lives as a result of poor mental health, it was important for us to continue to take steps towards tackling this and providing our employees with further support regarding mental health.”
Clark Contracts’ nominated company charity is Scottish Action for Mental Health, which also provide support and information throughout the year. Employees across the business have raised over £15,000 for the charity through a variety of fundraisers, physical events, and raffles since launching the partnership in 2022.
