Armstrong a good mate at work gate
Attending a seminar on suicide prevention prompted Dave Armstrong on a quest to encourage his colleagues, especially males, to speak out about depression.
Armstrong, a health and safety manager at Alliance’s Smithfield plant in Timaru, said Professor Annette Beautrais’ research and practical focus on suicide prevention in the workplace seminar he attended in 2018, resonated with him deeply, and he came up with the Mates at the Gate programme.
The programme encourages staff to ask for support at an early stage and also educates employees on recognising the signs their colleagues might be depressed or distressed.
On Thursday, Armstrong’s work with Mates at the Gate was recognised when he received a LifeKeepers award for his contri
bution to suicide prevention.
The national awards celebrate ‘‘ordinary people doing extraordinary things to save lives in their communities’’ were celebrated online this year, on World Suicide Prevention Day.
Mates at the Gate was developed by Armstrong, and Beautrais of the University of Canterbury and the South Canterbury District Health Board (SCDHB). It introduces staff to the nature of mental health and provides practical advice about how they can assist and support workmates.
Volunteers are also trained as ‘connectors’, whose role is to link colleagues experiencing problems to the best source of help. ‘‘It changes the culture within an organisation. It just goes back to 75 per cent of suicides is men in the forestry, farming and freezing works industry,’’ Armstrong said.
‘‘We have a lot of men working for us, many in physically demanding jobs, and some men are not so good at asking for help around mental health.’’
He said the award was ‘‘a recognition of the partnership between Beautrais and Alliance, and the work that Alliance plants have undertaken for a long period of time.
Since the programme had been introduced to the co-operative’s executive team in November 2018, there had been many tangible examples of assistance.
Armstrong said the programme encouraged discussion around mental health and showed, especially among men, it was fine to ask for help.
Chief executive of Alliance Group David Surveyor said Mates at the Gate was testament to the dedication and passion of Armstrong and the team at Alliance.
‘‘Mental health is an issue that affects all New Zealanders, and we wanted to do something meaningful to ensure our people had access to
the right support if and when it was required. It’s also about mates helping mates and giving our people the tools to intervene early and link people to help.’’
Smithfield plant manager Karen Morris said many employees would know someone who had experienced mental health issues, and through Mates at the Gate, the company had seen more people seeking help. ‘‘Dave Armstrong and Dr Annette Beautrais of the South Canterbury District Health Board, who has worked internationally on suicide prevention programmes, deserve a lot of credit for developing and delivering this excellent programme.’’
LifeKeepers senior manager Tiana Watkins said Armstrong was a great example of what everyone could do to play a role in preventing suicide in New Zealand. ‘‘It starts with having brave conversations and having the courage to show you care,’’ she said.