THE Construction industry training board (CITB) is investing £90,000 to fund a pilot scheme which will provide mental health support for apprentices from the start of their construction industry careers.
Optima UK will train further education construction tutors to be Mental Health First Aiders in order to support apprentices during their learning. Apprentices will also be given mental health awareness training in ‘bite size’ four-hour sessions.
The UK-wide pilot will aim to understand how mental health education and support can contribute to improved retention for individuals during their apprenticeship in construction, as well as reducing their likelihood of experiencing mental health issues.
The courses will be delivered to colleges across the UK. In the space of a year, 464 tutors and 464 apprentices will have been trained, with one-to-one support also offered to around 100 apprentices.
The CITB investment comes after a study compiled by the Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity and CITB, which highlighted the toll poor mental health is taking. Research showed 26% of construction workers had experienced suicidal thoughts and 91% felt overwhelmed. Tragically, two construction workers take their own lives each day.
CITB CEO Tim Balcon said, “We need to make sure everyone is at ease talking about their mental health and this comes down to a culture of making it OK to speak up… giving apprentices the confidence to do that from day one, will hopefully make them feel supported in the industry. When staff are supported and happy in their work, and in my view, they will stay in the industry longer.”
Larraine Boorman, CEO of Optima UK, said, “Optima is so proud to be involved in this ground-breaking project. The CITB is to be congratulated, first for its research into a major issue in the industry, and secondly for then taking action by launching this pilot project. As we can see, the statistics show there is a real problem in the sector, but with the right training, education, and support, we can make a real difference to people’s lives.”
Working with CITB, Optima UK will be rolling out an awareness campaign aimed at colleges, tutors, and apprentices, with materials based around the questions: Are We Ok? Are You OK?
