OzHelp Tasmania: Providing Workplace Mental Health and Wellbeing Promotion, Prevention and Early Intervention Services Incorporating Suicide Prevention and Social Capacity Building Programs
OzHelp Tasmania testimonial
This testimonial was provided by apprentice builder Damien Newman, a participant in OzHelp Tasmania’s young apprentice program.
'I was just going downhill, I didn’t know what I wanted to do or where I was going. OzHelp lets you know that help is out there, that you’re not on your own. Now I’m 10-out-of-10 and life couldn’t get any better.'
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OzHelp Tasmania provides workplace based early intervention suicide prevention and social capacity building with a vision to enhance the resilience of apprentices and workers. Since the program’s creation in 2007 OzHelp Tasmania has broadened its vision and scope based on:
- the success of the program within the construction industry;
- requests for training and support from other industries; and
- recognising that overall workplace mental health and wellbeing was not being fully addressed.
Programs have been undertaken in the hospitality, motor trades and civil engineering industries with great success.
It is OzHelp Tasmania’s vision that Tasmania will have resilient, resourceful and productive workforces that are able to confidently face life’s challenges and provide measureable benefits throughout the Tasmanian workplaces and the community. OzHelp Tasmania comes under the umbrella organisation of The OzHelp Foundation.
Aims
OzHelp Tasmania works passionately to ensure the provision of training and support services designed to build confidence, resilience and wellbeing throughout Tasmanian workplaces.
The program seeks to:
- provide training and health promotion services that remain relevant to industry in order to raise awareness of mental health and wellbeing and reduce the risk of suicide or self-harm amongst Tasmanian workers;
- build innovation around the delivery of core and other services designed to build resilience and resourcefulness amongst Tasmanian workers;
- encourage and receive referrals of workers whose circumstances place them at risk of mental health problems including suicide, and provide them with appropriate early intervention services;
- increase access for at-risk workers to appropriate support and resources in order to reduce the risk of suicide or self harm;
- improve industry’s awareness and understanding of mental health and wellbeing including suicide issues and engender more supportive attitudes to those in the workforce at most risk;
- build strong resilience of new (mostly young) workers in the industry (apprentices and trainees) to protect against suicide;
- engender a workplace environment that fosters good mental health and wellbeing and discourage the stigma attached to mental illness;
- raise awareness of mental illness, its causes and associated factors; and
- educate the workforce in techniques that encourage early recognition of mental health and wellbeing issues and that seek appropriate interventions.
The project targets apprentices, workers and employers / managers in Tasmanian industries in order to:
- foster good mental health and wellbeing in Tasmanian workplaces;
- provide proactive suicide prevention services;
- provide mental health and wellbeing education and social capacity building programs;
- provide mental health and wellbeing prevention and promotion activities; and
- provide early intervention services including linkages to established professional service providers, community mental health services and NGOs.
Background
Based on the success of the OzHelp Foundation in the ACT, the OzHelp Tasmania Foundation was established in 2007 to support the Tasmanian building and construction industry.
It operates throughout the state.
About the project coordinator
Doug Vautier spent 20 years in the New Zealand Defence Force in training and logistics before he moved to Tasmania with his family. He then worked as volunteer trainer for the SES and later became CEO of OzHelp Tasmania. Vautier says working with people is the most rewarding part of his job.
'My passion is doing something that can make a difference,' he says.
'You can see the apprentices grow personally over the training period, in their resilience and ability to solve problems. I can work with trainees and at the end of the day walk out and say 'this is what I’m doing it for.' I’m lucky because I actually want to go to work every morning!'
Model
OzHelp Tasmania is based on the OzHelp Foundation project in Canberra, which has been in operation since 2001. The principals of the OzHelp Canberra model remain unchanged, but the program has been adapted to suit Tasmania and the local building and construction industry.
Activities
OzHelp Tasmania's two main activities are training and counselling.
OzHelp Tasmania provides training and support services for workplace mental health and wellbeing promotion, prevention and early intervention, incorporating suicide prevention and social capacity building programs.
The Training service includes:
- the OzHelp Workplace Life Skills Tool Box Program. This program is specifically designed to provide the ‘life skills’ for young workers to assist their transition from school into the workplace;
- Industry Supervisor Training. Providing the ‘practical skills’ for supervisors and mentors to assist them support the workers that they are responsible for;
- Workplace Mental Health and Wellbeing Awareness. An introduction to mental health and wellbeing including dispelling myths and how to look after your own mental health; and
- Suicide Alertness. Educating workers on the warning signs and ways to connect those at risk of suicide with further intervention assistance.
Based on the success of providing life skills to young apprentices and workers OzHelp Tasmania has set itself a goal to see the incorporation of Life Skills training as a compulsory part of all apprenticeships.
The Support Service includes:
- apprentice, trainee and young worker support;
- employer support;
- worker support; and
- advisory and counselling support.
Challenges
- Changing societal attitudes and misunderstanding about mental health.
- Changing male attitudes and gender stereotypes to emphasise to men that it is OK to ask for help.
- The lack of relevant and practical mental health and wellbeing policies / procedures within workplaces.
Evaluation
An external evaluator from the University of Tasmania’s Department of Rural Health is employed to monitor the OzHelp Tasmania project.
Lessons learned
Incorporating suicide promotion and prevention within a mental health and wellbeing and workplace skill set context has made it more applicable and acceptable when introducing the subject to workplace environments.
Project partners
More information
If you would like to find out more please visit the OzHelp Tasmania website http://www.ozhelptasmania.org.au/ or email admin@ozhelptasmania.org.au