NEW digital training aimed at increasing awareness and reducing suicide amongst sole traders and self-employed construction workers has launched ahead of World Suicide Prevention Day on September 10.
The training has been designed to address the challenges of this hard-to-reach group of construction workers who are often most at risk of mental ill-health and who might otherwise be unable to engage with mental health interventions.
Nearly two thirds of construction workers regularly experience stress and half experience anxiety. Nearly a third have experienced thoughts of suicide at some point, findings from the Chartered Institute of Building revealed. This underpins the reality that workers in construction are at some of the highest risk of suicide in the country – at 3.7 times higher than the national average.
While working in construction provides many with great opportunities, the statistics regarding the mental health of those working in this critical sector are the reason Mates in Mind, in partnership with the Baton of Hope, developed this suicide prevention training.
Mates in Mind is a partner of The Royal Foundation’s National Suicide Prevention Network, a four nations initiative launched last year to strengthen access, collaboration and innovation across suicide prevention. The project is funded by The Royal Foundation of The Prince and Princess of Wales.
Karen Hodgson, associate director at The Royal Foundation, said, “This initiative is an excellent example of how collaboration can drive meaningful change. We are proud to support two of the National Suicide Prevention Network partners as they work together to create and deliver this innovative training. Improving awareness and education around mental health and suicide prevention are important aims of the Network. This work will make a real difference to those working in such a critical sector.”
Mates in Mind research found that the mental health of self-employed construction workers and those working in small firms show that intense workloads, financial problems, poor work-life balance, and pressures on the supply of materials, are combining to significantly raise stress and anxiety to severe levels.
The new digital training is free to access and modules can be accessed anywhere, at any time, via a mobile phone or laptop.
Mates in Mind has been advocating for a prevention approach to mental health since 2017 and this new intervention is part of that ongoing work. The training, consisting of two modules (suicide awareness and suicide prevention), is part of a package to increase mental health literacy, improve help seeking, and end the stigma of mental ill-health.
Samantha Downie, Mates in Mind MD, said, “By training workers to recognise the signs of mental ill-health, as well as when someone might be experiencing thoughts of suicide, in both themselves and those working around them, it will empower workers with the skills and confidence to start conversations and signpost support before someone reaches crisis point. And this is at the heart of our charitable mission: supporting organisations, whatever their size, in higher risk sectors to create environments and cultures that promote positive mental health because everyone matters.”
Co-founder of the Baton of Hope, Mike McCarthy, added, “The focus on physical safety over many years has brought about significant improvements and undoubtedly saved lives. This initiative aims to do the same for mental wellbeing and psychological safety. Workers will learn how to maintain their own mental fitness and to recognise how to identify workmates who may be feeling suicidal. Many people are uncertain or afraid when it comes to helping others who may be going through emotional trauma. There should be no mystery about this. Learning about how to deal with it might well save someone else’s life or even your own.”
The free training can be accessed here.
