An independent charity will visit Mount Gambier this week to provide suicide support and training to a number of companies in the construction and allied industries.

Mates in Construction will spend three days in the region following requests for support from local companies, after a spate of suicides in the Limestone Coast in recent months.

Mates in Construction is an independent charity that exists to reduce the high level of suicide in the Australian construction and allied industries.

The integrated program of training and ongoing support is designed specifically for the construction industry and is based on “the simple idea that suicide is everyone’s business”.

It provides ways for the Australian construction and allied industries to take an active role in improving the mental health and wellbeing of workers which means everyone plays a part, rather than leaving it to mental health professionals.

The program receives support from the Primary Health Network to provide its free services, training and support to the area.

Mates in Construction has trained around 30,000 construction workers in South Australia since inception in 2012, reducing stigma and developing a community-supported approach to early intervention and suicide prevention.

The program focuses on building a community of people who look out for each other – “mates looking out for mates”.

This means it equips people to offer help to others, rather than providing a service people need to go looking for.

This then has a ripple effect as the people who complete the training take the skills beyond work to their family, friends and wider community.