MATES helping mates

LEAD Alliance is a committed and accredited supporter of MATES in Construction – a not-for-profit focused on workplace mental health. Founded in Australia in 2008, MATES came to NZ in 2019 at the invitation of the construction industry that was determined to do something about the unacceptable suicide rates in our sector.

Between July 2007 and June 2019 there were 5,814 suicide cases in NZ. 2,542 of these were working at the time of death, with 583 employed in the construction industry. The construction industry has the highest rate of male suicide among all occupation groups. The New Zealand construction industry has twice the risk of dying by suicide come to industries outside the sector.

At LEAD we support the MATES Asist and Connector programmes to build our skill to spot someone struggling and to increase our resilience, competence and capacity to support our community. Recently a group of LEAD staff completed the SafeTALK programme - ‘Suicide Alertness For Everyone’, learning how to:

  • Identify the ‘invitations’ of someone who may be having suicidal thoughts: these may be someone’s behaviour change, withdrawing, negative speech and feeling desperate or hopeless.
  • Connect people to appropriate resources and keep them safe.
  • Listen effectively and create a safe space for someone going through a hard time.

It’s helpful to:

Talk about suicidal thoughts, recognise that they are more common than you might think and to know that you are not alone. Asking someone if they are suicidal will not make them suicidal. It is better to consider the worst and connect them with help quickly. If they are not at that point, you can still listen and connect with them.

It’s not helpful to:

  • Give advice or try fix the problem.
  • Evaluate or judge behaviour.
  • Interpret or counsel.
  • Rush or be impatient.
  • Used closed or negative body language.
“Sometimes when people are missing work, worrying about things and withdrawing from friends and family, they are thinking about suicide.”

MATES in Construction – 0800 111 315 for free and confidential help and support  

MATES helping mates

LEAD Alliance is a committed and accredited supporter of MATES in Construction – a not-for-profit focused on workplace mental health. Founded in Australia in 2008, MATES came to NZ in 2019 at the invitation of the construction industry that was determined to do something about the unacceptable suicide rates in our sector.

Between July 2007 and June 2019 there were 5,814 suicide cases in NZ. 2,542 of these were working at the time of death, with 583 employed in the construction industry. The construction industry has the highest rate of male suicide among all occupation groups. The New Zealand construction industry has twice the risk of dying by suicide come to industries outside the sector.

At LEAD we support the MATES Asist and Connector programmes to build our skill to spot someone struggling and to increase our resilience, competence and capacity to support our community. Recently a group of LEAD staff completed the SafeTALK programme - ‘Suicide Alertness For Everyone’, learning how to:

  • Identify the ‘invitations’ of someone who may be having suicidal thoughts: these may be someone’s behaviour change, withdrawing, negative speech and feeling desperate or hopeless.
  • Connect people to appropriate resources and keep them safe.
  • Listen effectively and create a safe space for someone going through a hard time.

It’s helpful to:

Talk about suicidal thoughts, recognise that they are more common than you might think and to know that you are not alone. Asking someone if they are suicidal will not make them suicidal. It is better to consider the worst and connect them with help quickly. If they are not at that point, you can still listen and connect with them.

It’s not helpful to:

  • Give advice or try fix the problem.
  • Evaluate or judge behaviour.
  • Interpret or counsel.
  • Rush or be impatient.
  • Used closed or negative body language.
“Sometimes when people are missing work, worrying about things and withdrawing from friends and family, they are thinking about suicide.”

MATES in Construction – 0800 111 315 for free and confidential help and support  

MATES helping mates

LEAD Alliance is a committed and accredited supporter of MATES in Construction – a not-for-profit focused on workplace mental health. Founded in Australia in 2008, MATES came to NZ in 2019 at the invitation of the construction industry that was determined to do something about the unacceptable suicide rates in our sector.

Between July 2007 and June 2019 there were 5,814 suicide cases in NZ. 2,542 of these were working at the time of death, with 583 employed in the construction industry. The construction industry has the highest rate of male suicide among all occupation groups. The New Zealand construction industry has twice the risk of dying by suicide come to industries outside the sector.

At LEAD we support the MATES Asist and Connector programmes to build our skill to spot someone struggling and to increase our resilience, competence and capacity to support our community. Recently a group of LEAD staff completed the SafeTALK programme - ‘Suicide Alertness For Everyone’, learning how to:

  • Identify the ‘invitations’ of someone who may be having suicidal thoughts: these may be someone’s behaviour change, withdrawing, negative speech and feeling desperate or hopeless.
  • Connect people to appropriate resources and keep them safe.
  • Listen effectively and create a safe space for someone going through a hard time.

It’s helpful to:

Talk about suicidal thoughts, recognise that they are more common than you might think and to know that you are not alone. Asking someone if they are suicidal will not make them suicidal. It is better to consider the worst and connect them with help quickly. If they are not at that point, you can still listen and connect with them.

It’s not helpful to:

  • Give advice or try fix the problem.
  • Evaluate or judge behaviour.
  • Interpret or counsel.
  • Rush or be impatient.
  • Used closed or negative body language.
“Sometimes when people are missing work, worrying about things and withdrawing from friends and family, they are thinking about suicide.”

MATES in Construction – 0800 111 315 for free and confidential help and support