Mental health in spotlight around the region

Published date16 June 2022
Publication titleCentral Otago News
Statistics from University of Otago research revealed on average 53 people within construction had taken their own lives each year since 2017

To highlight this, Dunlop Builders employee Glen Thurston will be hiking Corner Peak consecutively for 53 days from December 1.

‘‘It’s time to crank up the conversation surrounding mental health, break the silence, break the stigma and make some noise about mental health in construction,’’ Mr Thurston said on his website, Turn the Corner.

Mates in Construction senior field officer Slade McFarland acknowledged that mental health challenges within construction were not new.

‘‘It’s always been there and we’ve never talked about it. We talk a great game about safety, but when it comes to mental health, it’s behind closed doors,’’ Mr McFarland said.

Mates In Construction hosts on-site trainings, focused on equipping construction staff with the skills to navigate unfamiliar conversations.

These conversations are referred to as ‘‘invitations’’ and are based on observing behavioural shifts.

‘‘Sometimes we know our work colleagues better than our own families. We may notice a change in behaviour on one day, but when there’s changes in behaviour over a period of time that’s when we need to invite these kind of conversations,’’ Mr McFarland said.

Dunlop Builders won the 2021 Site Safe’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Award on April 6.

Beyond the construction industry, community groups providing emotional education have been initiated.

After COVID-19-related events, Anna Dorsey was inspired to co-found Southern Wellbeing Trust.

‘‘I was motivated to take action after seeing first-hand the huge impact that COVID-19 had on our community’s collective mental health and wellbeing.

‘‘Because of my background in public health, I knew that there was so much more we could do at a local level to help people to stay well, build support for mental wellbeing and empower our community members to support each other through times of stress,’’ Ms Dorsey said.

Since May 2021, the trust has delivered 31 mental health education workshops to 220 participants across Queenstown and Wanaka.

Feedback showed participants felt empowered and equipped with the skills to talk to friends, family or someone in their workplace if they felt worried.

Ms Dorsey said half the attendees were from migrant communities.

‘‘It’s great to see that this programme is effective in bringing mental health...

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