MATES History & Vision

MATES provides suicide prevention through community development programs on sites, and by supporting workers in need through case management and a 24/7 help line.

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Need support for yourself or someone else, click here to find out how MATES can help you.

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MATES Services

Looking for a different kind of support? MATES provides a variety of services and training for individuals and businesses across our four supported industries.

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Suicide is everyone's business

MATES is a not for profit charity established in 2008 to reduce the high level of suicide among Australian construction workers.

Making a Real Impact Together

We engage with construction workers and industry partners through newsletters, events, and networks. Our goal is to ensure everyone in the industry receives essential mental health information, fostering a more connected and supportive construction community.

Building Strong, Resilient and Supportive Worksites

We focus on strengthening the construction industry with programs like General Awareness Training, Connector, and ASIST courses. These initiatives aim to boost self-reliance and create supportive work environments that prioritize mental health and prevent suicide.

Connecting Workers with Support

Through our case management services, we link construction workers to practical help. We also collaborate with research institutions to gather valuable insights, guided by the MATES in Construction Board. Our values—proactive, supportive, committed, and respectful—drive our efforts to support mental health and prevent suicide in the construction industry.

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How MATES Works

Our Vision

Utilising the capacity of our members and franchises, we achieve our vision by focusing on:

Raising Awareness

Effective and direct communication with all levels of the industries in which we operate through: newsletters; general awareness; Connector and ASIST worker networks; MATES events; and Tool Box talks.

Capacity Building

Actively engaging the industry in sustainable programs such as the MATES programs including General Awareness Talks (GAT), Connector and ASIST courses, which are aimed at building self-reliance and resilience with the industry, and developing networks, links and communities within workplaces.

Providing Help

Case Management that connects workers to help by using existing services, ensuring that help is both practical and useful.

Research

Gathering data and partnering with research institutions to provide useful, insightful and practical information for application in the industry, under guidance of the MATES in Construction Board.

Our Impact

Workers Trained

Workers trained across MATES programs, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to identify mental health challenges and offer vital support, creating safer workplaces .

306,030

MATES Inducted

29,547

Connectors Trained

3,977

ASIST Trained

15,789

Cases Managed

"Construction workers are nine times more likely to die from suicide than an accident at work."

Become a MATES Connector

Learn how to recognise when a mate is doing it tough and connect them to the help they need. Connector Training gives you the skills to make a real difference on site and in life.

You don’t need to be an expert — you just need to care

Training Events