2018 Mowlem Award winners case study

Mates in Mind

Please tell us a little about Mates in Mind and what you do.

Mates in Mind is a leading UK industry charity, founded in September 2016 in collaboration with the Health in Construction Leadership Group (HCLG) and British Safety Council. Together, we’re improving mental health and wellbeing across construction and related industries.

Mates in Mind supports organisations in creating, communicating and delivering coherent, bespoke approaches to mental health and wellbeing. We do this by raising awareness and improving understanding of mental wellbeing, enabling workers to understand how, when and where they can get support. We give confidence to employers wanting a more joined-up approach, which is essential in overcoming the silence and stigma associated with mental ill-health.

What does winning the Mowlem Award and the grant mean to you and your organisation?

Mates in Mind are delighted to be recipients of the Mowlem Award. It has helped us provide the support and resources we need to expand the reach of our work to improve workplace mental health, and in particular, with young people.

Without the support we receive from our partners across the industry, it would not be possible for us to help organisations develop the frameworks they need to create a positive culture of workplace mental wellbeing.

Winning the Mowlem Award has enabled us to drive forward our charity’s vision to have a meaningful and long-lasting impact on mental health in the construction industry. And we’re grateful to B&CE’s Charitable Trust for their support.

How will the funding help you and/or your organisation? What will it allow you to achieve?

Using the funding from the Mowlem Award, Mates in Mind are developing mental health training and support for apprentices in construction. The funding provided by the Mowlem Award will enable us to launch our apprentice initiative – this will reach over 300 apprentices and in doing so increase awareness of mental health, including where to seek support and how to manage a conversation with a co-worker.

We know that half of all mental illnesses begin by the age of 14, and three-quarters by mid-20s. We also know that poor mental health can have an impact on future generations, contributing further to cycles of inequality and ill-health that run through some families. We’re running a national survey, the results of which will provide us with further insight and an evidence base which will further inform the development of our programme, some of which is tailored to the needs of apprentices.

The Mowlem Award will help Mates in Mind deliver a dedicated programme that takes into account the pressures apprentices face in tackling mental health in the workplace.

Anything you’d like to say about the service and support you’ve received from us?

We have been delighted by the enthusiasm and support we have received from B&CE’s Charitable Trust. The team have been encouraging, helpful and friendly.

The support and advice provided by the Trust has been invaluable to Mates in Mind in taking this next step in our charity’s journey and we look forward to seeing the results of our work together.