Media Release for R U OK?Day 9/9/21 & World Suicide Prevention Day 10/9/21
8 September 2021
Hope Assistance Local Tradies (HALT) is a health promotion organisation working to reduce suicides in the trades and construction workforce. HALT’s vision is for every tradie in Australia to know how to look after their mental health and have the tools, information and confidence to talk about mental health with their mates.
Since 2013 HALT has spoken to nearly 10,000 tradies. We share the message of help-seeking and help-giving, direct tradies to local and national support services, and build organisational capacity to understand health and wellbeing and become more suicide aware.
For R U OK? Day (9/9/2021) & National Suicide Prevention Day (10/9/2021) HALT is launching a campaign to get the message of help-seeking out to tradies on building sites nationwide. This campaign centres on a sticker for the back of toilet doors on work sites, using QR code technology that links directly to a curated list of mental health resources and support services.
HALT Partnerships Coordinator Alison Jones says “A tradies life is lost to suicide every other day. More than 45% of all tradies that HALT has spoken to have identified they either currently or have recently struggled with their mental health, that’s more than twice the national average.
Tradies tell us they are impacted by relationship breakdowns, financial issues, gambling, drugs & alcohol and bullying and we know traditional tradie culture makes it hard to talk when times are tough. There are supports and services available, but not everyone knows where to find them, or feels comfortable using them.
COVID-19 means it’s more important than ever to get the help-seeking message to tradies. “While restrictions mean we can’t come out and reach everyone in person, we are using methods like this sticker, to remind tradies that help is there when they need it and are there for them,” said Alison.
Castlemaine Hire Service have 47 port-a-loos that they hire out to trades and construction sites & events. CHS Manager Craig McGregor says, “We think this is a great initiative, and are proud to be the first business to put these stickers up in all of our loos, to help our community access support when they need it and support the work of HALT”.
If you would like to be involved send an email to info@halt.org.au and HALT will send you a pack of stickers for your work site.
