Over 1000 employees in workplaces across Hawke’s Bay have participated in Awareness Talk, part of the region’s unique Mates4Life workplace suicide prevention programme.
According to the latest Ministry of Health statistics, Hawke’s Bay continues to be nearly double the national average in suspected suicides with 31 recorded in the last financial year.
Mates4Life was set up a year ago in Hawke’s Bay as a response to this grim reality and is celebrating its first year with significant milestones and achievements. As well as 1,000 employees doing the Awareness Talk programme, 230 employees are being trained as safety aiders, which is an internal support role for businesses.
HB Mates4Life Trust Chair, James Truman says workplaces now have much needed tools “to give workmates the courage and confidence to check in on each other, as well as providing wider support services to keep those in distress safe”.
“Mental health has a deep impact in the home and at work, and our team that delivers our programmes are making a positive impact, as are those within workplaces that provide ongoing support to their workmates.”
The success of HB’s Mates4Life programme has led to co-ordinator Bronnie Coory being named a 2022 LifeKeepers Award recipient from the National Suicide Prevention Training Agency. She was one of only eight nationwide to receive the award.
Bronnie’s involvement in suicide prevention began following the loss of a TUMU Timbers employee. She works with the TUMU Group on Health and Wellbeing and helped the company embark on its own suicide awareness and prevention training programme.
“Suicide doesn’t discriminate. It affects everybody and we decided we needed to do something about it at a grassroots level,” says Bronnie.
“We knew this type of programme worked with our staff, so we wanted to provide this for all of Te Matau a Māui, Hawkes Bay, and really make a difference,” she said.
Along with A-OK NZ, and with funding assistance from the Ministry of Social Development (MSD), the Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI), Royston Health Trust and support of the TUMU Group, the Mates4Life four-stage programme was developed and is now delivered to workplaces and organisations across Hawke’s Bay from Wairoa to Dannevirke. Importantly, it’s done at no cost to the employer.
Bronnie says the aim of Mates4Life is to provide a long-term sustainable no barriers suicide awareness and prevention training approach – created and delivered by Hawke’s Bay people for Hawke’s Bay people.
Bronnie has no doubt Mates4Life is helping to save lives. “It was two years of hard mahi to get it up and running, but we knew after we had run the pilots it was going to be a success.”
While the programme is focused on preventing suicide, it can also help workplaces to reduce harm and increase health and safety for their employees.
Some of Hawke’s Bay’s largest employers have run the programme, including TUMU Group, Bostock, Napier Port and PanPac.
The Mates4Life Hawke’s Bay Trust is a finalist in the NZME community contribution category of the Pan Pac Hawke’s Bay Business Awards.
“We are thrilled with the mahi Mates4Life is doing in our community, “ says Chair Truman. “It’s always good to get accolades, but more importantly, we are about making a difference and saving lives.”
The Mates of Hawke’s Bay Charitable Trust is James Truman, Damon Harvey (Hastings District Councillor and Attn Marketing director), Conrad Waitoa (Inspire in Education founder) and Bronnie as trustees. Along with steering group members Kerry Gilbert (Suicide Prevention Coordinator, Te Whatu Ora – Health New Zealand), Prue Younger (chief executive of Forest Industry Contractors Association) and Mates4Life Kaiwhakahaere Tyson Ataera, they have been fundamental to the organisation’s success, sharing their passion, commitment, and knowledge for its kaupapa.