Our commitment to the construction sector
In our first year of action we partnered with organisations across the construction industry, building a community of 185 Supporter organisations, reaching more than 187,000 individuals across the sector.
Whilst we are delighted to be supporting organisations across additional sectors, we remain committed to supporting construction and achieving our initial target of reaching 75% of the industry by 2025 and we will continue our mission to transform the construction sector, spreading our message and providing the ongoing support needed for organisations to take action.
We recognise that one of our biggest challenges will be in reaching small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) – but by working collaboratively with supply chains and trade bodies, we are confident that we will be able to achieve our aims and success will be shared by all.
Find out how we can help you.
The challenge
Although mental ill-health is a pervasive challenge across all UK workplaces, its negative impacts within the construction industry have become undeniable.
In 2017, Randstad reporting showed that 34% of construction workers surveyed have experienced a mental health condition in the last 12 months, and that 73% felt that their employers do not recognise the early signs of mental health problems.
The confronting human cost of mental ill-health could not be ignored with suicide rates amongst construction workers more than 3 times higher the national average.
Successes in the industry
During our first two years of action, we enabled hundreds of organisations within construction to transform the mental health culture of their workplaces.
This translates to over 331 Mates in Mind Supporters, over 690 days of training delivered and countless industry events attended to open up the conversation about mental health in the construction sector.
Our Establishment
Following a summit hosted by the Health in Construction Leadership Group, attending CEOs and leaders from across construction sector, voted overwhelmingly to improve the mental wellbeing of the industry.
Mates in Mind was the product of this vote and has since been reaching out across the UK construction sector, with our vital message. Since our establishment, Mates in Mind has been focussed on addressing the stark and shocking impact that mental ill-health is having on the sector.
Looking to the future
As our services evolve, our ever-growing suite of tools and materials has developed with them. At the start of 2020 we launched our new Site Pack materials, which includes a range of our branded materials and support literature. These packs are enabling Supporter organisations to start the conversation and raise awareness about mental health in the workplace.
Looking to the next 12 months and beyond, we will be working closely in partnership with our friends at the British Safety Council to continue to develop our programme of support. Together we will work to make the tools, guidance and support we offer around mental health and wellbeing more easily accessible to our Supporters.
Become part of the Community
As a Mates in Mind Supporter, you will have exclusive access to a range of resources, training and support, designed to help you organisation implement their workplace mental health program.
- Access an annual assessment of their programme and a tailored recommendations report to help identify any gaps in their approach
- Free access to our 'Start the Conversation' course, an all-employee general mental health awareness programme
- Access to a dedicated Support Manager to act as a guide through your organisations mental wellbeing journey and offer any new resources as they become available
- Access to a suite of courses to ensure that all levels of management are confident and equipped to fulfil their duties in looking after employee mental health.
- Benefit from counselling through the National Counselling Society at a discounted rate, to help staff members who may need a little extra support
We look forward to welcoming you to our community.
Continue reading - Transport and Logistics
With the high-risk nature of mental ill-health beginning to be widely addressed across transport and logistics, it was a natural move for our organisation to start supporting organisations within this sector to step up and take action.
Learn more about our work in Transport and Logistics