Building a Healthier WA Construction Workforce
Construction workers are at significant mental health risk compared to workers in other industries. The construction industry is primarily comprised of small businesses who employ a small number of workers who may not have access to support services in this area.
CTF has partnered with providers to deliver mental health awareness, support, suicide awareness and prevention services to assist the WA construction workforce and create a healthier and more sustainable construction industry.
There are four categories of support available that aim to give workers and businesses the skills needed for mental health awareness, prevention and risk management. Programs can be accessed directly with the providers and are free of charge to all eligible employers, construction workers and apprentices in Western Australia.
Suicide Awareness and Prevention Training
The MATES Program (Delivered by MATES in Construction WA) provides a WHO-recognised best practice approach to suicide prevention within the construction industry. The program is facilitated through a series of trainings aimed at building a suicide aware peer support structure within the construction community.
The available training provides the construction workforce with an understanding of suicide and its contributing factors, workers with the skills to recognise when others are struggling and teaches them how to facilitate safe and proactive discussions ultimately leading to intervention and support.
Mental Health Awareness, Wellbeing and First Aid
Training available from MATES in Construction WA to improve mental health awareness, wellbeing and mental health first aid training among the construction workforce.
This training also includes training in mental health first aid for construction workers to be first responders to co-workers experiencing adverse and mental health challenges.
Apprentice Resilience Program
A 4-hour workshop developed by MATES in Construction aimed at providing education to apprentices to address key factors contributing to the psychological, social and vocational challenges experienced by the cohort when entering the industry.
The workshop covers key topics such as how to respond to bullying, basic financial literacy, workplace rights, mental health and suicide prevention education, alcohol and other drug awareness, and industry supports and services information.
Psychosocial Risk and Management Training
Training delivered by the Australian Psychological Services (APS) that focuses on building practical capability to identify, assess and manage psychosocial risks in the workplace, supporting organisations to meet their obligations to provide a safe and mentally healthy workplace. The training translates psychosocial risk requirements into practical approaches for leaders and workers, with a focus on building safe workplace cultures, managing workplace behaviours and applying effective controls in day-to-day work.
From 2026-27 APS will offer additional workshops:
- Managing Job Demands for Frontline Leaders
- Critical Conversations: Managing People Risk On Site
All workshops use construction-based scenarios and group problem-solving to help participants apply concepts to real workplace situations.
Financial Literacy and Wellness Training
The Building Healthy Money Habits financial wellbeing workshop is delivered by Centrecare and focuses on financial literacy for construction workers and their overall financial wellness.
The training identifies what positive and healthy financial wellbeing looks like and strategies for how to achieve it, mitigate financial risk and manage finances throughout their career.
Training previously delivered under AWS continues to operate within Centrecare.
If you have questions about the mental health support services available to you or your staff, please contact CTF using the form below.
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