Mates in Manufacturing Suicide Awareness Pilot Program Final Evaluation Report

This report incorporates the qualitative evaluation of the implementation of the MATES in Manufacturing Pilot Suicide Prevention Program, as funded by SIRA, and delivered in conjunction with Australian Manufacturing Workers Union and MATES in construction. The research sought to examine the extent to which a peer-to-peer suicide prevention project could be translated from the Construction industry across to the Manufacturing industry, and whether the program would enhance mental health literacy, reduced stigma around mental health and suicide, increase the different dimensions of helping behaviours (help-seeking, help-offering and help-acceptance), increase in social connections in the workplace, and catalyse a shift in industry culture towards more mentally healthy work environments

Men's Lived Experience of Mental Health during COVID-19: Research Report to Australian Men's Health Forum

A mixed-methods study of men in Australia explored their lived experience of mental health during COVID-19 from 2020 to 2021. An online survey and semi-structured interviews found that social determinants of health such as the nature of employment, financial stability, quality of relationships, mental illness diagnoses and access to support services had varying impacts on reported levels of psychological distress. Isolation, slowing down, help-seeking and cumulative stress were identified as major themes, and men employed a range of coping strategies that were both helpful and harmful to their ongoing mental wellbeing. The study has implications for (1) understanding men’s lived experience, (2) challenging previously uncontested stereotypes about male attitudes and behaviours, (3) developing male-friendly support services, and (4) contributing to mental health policies in the event of future pandemic situations. The study was commissioned by the National Mental Health Commission and funded by Australian Men’s Health Forum and Western Sydney University

Situational approach to suicide prevention among Australian males : the role of unemployment

This article contends that the prevention of suicide, particularly in Australia, needs to be re-imagined, by expanding a medical/crisis response to take into account social factors that contribute to the incidence of suicide and suicidal ideation. The particular area of unemployment/underemployment provides one such example of the social determinants of suicide, and argues that the nuances of gender and Aboriginality need also to be accounted for in research and program delivery. This analysis has been dubbed the ‘Situational Approach to Suicide Prevention’

Mental health experiences of National Rugby League (NRL) athletes : a phenomenological study

This article explores the mental health lived experiences of fifty-five Australian National Rugby League (NRL) contracted top 30 players. It focuses on the risk and protective factors that impact on athletes’ experiences of mental health, patterns of help-seeking behavior, prevalence of self-reported mental illness, and an evaluation of common supports available to athletes within high-performance systems. Through a phenomenological survey of quantitative and qualitative means, this study provided athletes with a platform to critically reflect and share their mental health experiences within the academic domain, making a unique contribution to the literature as one of the few studies giving voice to NRL athletes’ own perceptions of the stressors and pressures of elite sport. Key findings emerging from the study highlight athletes’ overrepresentation in self-reported mental illness (35% of participants self-reported living with a mental health issue), the encouragingly high help-seeking rates of those athletes (56% had sought support for their mental health issue; 78% indicated that they accessed support internally within their club; 22% had accessed support externally from their club), the need for culturally responsive well-being support practices, the impact of contract duration on the mental health experiences of athletes during the latter stages of their careers, and athletes’ view of the relationship shared between well-being and performance

Wesley Mission Financial Literacy Training-Program Operated for The Office of Responsible Gambling

The Wesley Financial Literacy Program's evaluation In Charge of My Money was conducted as a collaborative project between Wesley LifeForce Suicide Prevention Services and Western Sydney University. Australia has the most significant losses per capita in the world due to gambling; it also causes significant economic and social harm to the gamblers, their families, and the local communities. Wesley Financial Literacy Program tries to adjust people’s relationship with money and educate and empower them to make better decisions with their money, hoping to limit gambling harm in the future. Financial literacy is the ability to understand and effectively use financial skills, including personal management, budgeting, and investing. Having adequate financial literacy is the basis of a healthy relationship with money. The study involved a survey of the In Charge of My Money Wesley Financial Literacy Program participants. Participants were surveyed pre-program and at a three month follow up. Response rates at the pre-program were strong; however, difficulty was had to gain access to the post-program follow up due to the transient nature of the participants and the COVID-19 pandemic, which made follow up difficult without face-to-face contact. The program had many interruptions due to the lockdowns in NSW; the program was developed to be delivered face-to-face and needed to be adapted to be delivered in an online environment. Whilst the program was still effective, this caused many different disruptions and distractions as people could not focus on the program due to other distractions at home. Surveys were optional; however, there appears to be a good response rate during the pre-workshop period (n= 267), whereas the post-workshop numbers were substantially lower (n= 99). The majority of participants are reportedly from low socioeconomic or vulnerable circumstances. This is thought to have had a compounding effect on the likelihood of follow up responses (i.e., post-survey), particularly within the context of needing to move all aspects of the program to an online platform during the COVID-19 pandemic. The workshops appear to positively affect participant knowledge and awareness about gambling risks and financial challenges in society. Further evidence developed from the survey has shown that significant risk factors impact the individual's ability to control their spending. Factors such as level of education and gender play a role in the person's ability to manage budgets, stick to goals, and pay bills. As a result, attendees are more likely to make a conscious decision about their spending practices in the context of gambling. However, this presumption would require further follow up (i.e. focus groups or subsequent surveys) to be valid. Future endeavours may seek to capitalise upon this burgeoning behavioural change by designing a targeted approach to workshop delivery. The Wesley Financial Literacy Program, In Charge of My Money, has been shown to be an effective and beneficial educational program through the data analysis. It enhances people's understanding of their financial situations and empowers them to seek support if they feel they cannot cope. Further implementation of the program and ongoing data analysis through Western Sydney University and the Wesley LifeForce Suicide Prevention Services would provide longitudinal data and robust information regarding the program's long-term outcomes

Evaluation of a workplace suicide prevention program in the Australian manufacturing industry : protocol for a cluster-randomised trial of MATES in manufacturing

Males are at higher risk of death by suicide than females in Australia, and among men, blue-collar males are at higher risk compared to other working males. In response, MATES in Construction developed a workplace suicide prevention program for the construction sector in 2007 that has been widely implemented in Australia. In the current project, this program is being adapted and trialled in the manufacturing sector. The common aims of MATES programs are to improve suicide prevention literacy, help-seeking intentions, and helping behaviours. The program will be evaluated using a cluster randomised-controlled trial design with waitlist controls across up to 12 manufacturing worksites in Australia. We hypothesise that after 8 months of the MATES in Manufacturing program, there will be significantly greater improvements in help-seeking intentions (primary outcome) compared to waitlist controls. The project is led by Deakin University in collaboration with the University of Melbourne, and in partnership with MATES in Construction and a joint labour-management Steering Group. Trial registration: The trial was registered retrospectively with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry on 25 January 2022 (ACTRN12622000122752)

"Sport’s me life" : the role of sport in developing core, gender and civic identity in Australian young males

Australians have often been described as being obsessed with sport. Whether this is true may be uncertain, but it does raise sport's role in how young males view themselves and their place in the world. Similar doubt exists about the cliche: 'Sport builds character', although it does allude to sport's role in young males' identity development. Current media and academic attention on sport's relationship with aggression, misogyny and anti-social behaviour is not entirely consistent with the author's sports experiences of playing, coaching and administration. Indeed, it could be considered at odds with his youth work experience utilising sport as a method of engaging with young males and developing pro-social attitudes and behaviours. This chapter will outline some of the key factors in literature connecting sport and the identity of young males, describe the research undertaken in relation to sport and civic engagement - with particular focus on identity, and disc11ss its implications for understanding identity development and valuing the strengths of young males in contemporary society

The Voices They Send

Music inspired by social work practice and engaged research. Released via the Internet on August 22, 2015. Genre: blues; tracks: 6. Can be accessed: https://www.reverbnation.com/neilhall/album/120358-the-voices-they-sen

Social Work

This chapter discusses the role of the social work profession in contributing to global public health. Drawing on principles of human rights and social justice, social workers act to minimize distress, promote health and well-being, and actively work to redress inequities that contribute to poor health outcomes around the world. The chapter identifies antecedent knowledges and approaches including Indigenous knowledges, critical antidiscriminatory practice, intersectionality, strengths-based practice, gender and culturally responsive practice, the social determinants of health, and situational approach to suicide prevention. With these knowledge bases, the chapter then explores some key focus areas in social work such as Indigenous communities, disadvantaged/marginalized communities, mental health and suicide prevention, pandemics, the environment, and politics. Following on from these focus areas, the chapter outlines a range of practice approaches at individual, group, community, research, and policy/political levels that enables the profession to act on global issues. It concludes with a debate about the parallels, challenges, and apparent (but surmountable) contradictions between social work and global public health

Second Time Around the Block

Music inspired by social work practice and engaged research. Released via the Internet on March 31, 2014. Genre: blues; tracks: 6. Music can be accessed: https://www.reverbnation.com/neilhall/album/120357-second-time-around-the-bloc