OzHelp Tasmania: a New Building and Construction Industry-Based Suicide Prevention Initiative
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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Project overview
OzHelp Tasmania is a workplace-based early intervention and social capacity building program for the Tasmanian building and construction industry. The project delivers training, support and awareness raising activities to building and construction workers, with a particular focus on apprentices. The project won a Tasmanian LIFE award in 2008 - the 'Red herring surf healthy workplaces award' - for its work 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!'
Location and origination
The OzHelp Tasmania project was launched in January 2007 and operates throughout the state.
Aims
The project’s primary objective is to use the OzHelp model to establish an effective suicide prevention initiative for the Tasmania building and construction industry.
Activities
OzHelp Tasmania's two main activities are training and counselling.
Training
The training programs OzHelp Tasmania conducts are:
- safeTALK, which aims to increase suicide alertness by educating workers on warning signs and ways to connect those at risk of suicide with further suicide intervention help.
- ‘Life skills Toolkit’ training for apprentices, which provides apprentices with the skills to face life's challenges and build resilience.
- Industry Leadership and Mentoring, which gives supervisors and mentors the skills and resources to work with young apprentices. Includes guidance on communicating between generations, handling confrontation and relationship building.
Support and awareness
OzHelp Tasmania provides face-to-face counselling sessions with industry workers and their families. OzHelp staff also make presentations to the industry about depression and suicide, and how these issues affect men in the workplace.
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.
Challenges
- Changing male attitudes and gender stereotypes to emphasise to men that it is OK to ask for help.
- Convincing middle management of the value of the program (eg losing a few man hours can prevent hours of lost labour in the future).
Lessons learnt
One size does not fit all and one model cannot be seamlessly applied in different states. The fundamentals can remain, but details must be adapted to suit the location and participants.
Future plans
OzHelp Tasmania hopes to expand its work into other industries and is planning two pilot programs in 2009, in the hospitality and civil engineering industries.
Evaluation information
An external evaluator from the University of Tasmania’s Department of Rural Health is employed to monitor the OzHelp Tasmania project.
Umbrella organisation
The OzHelp Foundation.
Project partners
Contact
Email
Doug Vautier, project coordinator, or call 03 6343 3122.