Two recent reports have highlighted the desperate state of mental health among blue collar workers in Australia.
TIACS, an alliance of businesses that helps fund accessible mental health counselling to blue collar industries, announced on Wednesday, July 19, that it had experienced a “concerning surge” in the number of apprentices seeking counselling across the country.
“My strong advice to workplaces across the country is to take extra note of the wellbeing of your apprentices,” TIACS.org head of partnerships Jason Banks said.
“Many are on-site learning on the job without a lot of support around them. Our statistics show that they are in need of help and someone to talk with.”
A day later, the University of South Australia, in collaboration with mental health charity MATES, a charity established to reduce the high level of suicide among Australian construction workers, reported the strain of working in a sector that is often transient, requires hard physical labour and assumes self-reliance and risk-taking attitudes, is pushing some workers to unendurable distress.
“These factors are contributing to the 190 cases of suicide within the Australian construction industry every year, equating to one worker taking their life every second day,” the report found.
Research shows construction workers are six times more likely to die from suicide than an accident at work.
There are places workers can find help, though, and they include:
- For emergencies call 000
- Lifeline 13 11 14
- MATES Helpline is available 24/7 — 1300 642 111 or mates.org.au/contact-us
- TIACS is not a crisis support service, but provides counselling to support mental wellbeing — www.tiacs.org/how-it-works/ or phone or text 0488 846 988 Monday to Friday, 8am to 10pm
Growing regions grants available for infrastructure projects
Incorporated non-profit operations, First Nations Community Controlled Organisations, local government agencies and community groups have been urged apply for grants under the $300 million first round of the Australian Government’s new Growing Regions Program.
Regional Development Australia Hume Committee chair Eliza Brown said the program would provide individual grants of between $500,000 and $15 million for community-led infrastructure projects across regional and rural Australia.
“It is an opportunity for grants that groups across the Hume region should not ignore,” Ms Brown said.
RDA Hume covers the Goulburn and Ovens Murray regions, including the local government areas of Benalla, Greater Shepparton, Mitchell, Moira and Strathbogie.