Authors: Jacqui Tibbits
Year: 2019
Event: 2019 TheMHS Conference
Subject: Codesigning: Resource Sector Mental Health & Wellbeing - A Proactive Initiative in WA
Type of resource: Conference Presentations and Papers
Abstract:
Biography:
Jacqui Tibbits, Director of Consultivation. Jacqui, has over 20 years’ experience and qualifications in business management, community services; and training and evaluation She established Consultivation with the belief that by helping organisations and people flourish she improves the experience of the end-user contributing to safe, inclusive and viable communities.
In September 2018 the Centre of Transformative Work Design report on the 'Impact of FIFO work arrangements on the mental health and wellbeing of FIFO workers' produced for the WA Mental Health Commission was released.
The report highlighted amongst other things:
1. psychological distress, including feelings of anxiety and depression, scores were significantly higher for FIFO workers compared to the benchmark group and than males in an Australian norm sample
2. burnout was found to be significantly higher
3. transitions were difficult times with family wellbeing and functioning being negatively impacted during the phases of the FIFO worker leaving and returning home
4. 26% of FIFO workers could not recall any available mental health support options on-site
In response to this report the Chamber of Minerals and Energy (CME) and Lifeline WA formed a partnership to collaborate and codesign resources, products and activities specifically designed for the FIFO workforce, their families and on-site supervisors.
Codesign is gaining recognition as a best practice approach to designing mental health services. Consultivation is proud to be involved with this project as the codesign facilitator with Lifeline WA and the Chamber of Minerals and Energy who are working with industry and other stakeholders to better support mental health and wellbeing of people in the resources sector.
Consultivation has incorporated design thinking processes into a codesign methodology to support Lifeline WA, CME, industry and families to generate ideas and initiatives together. A series of engagement activities are being held with relevant stakeholders across the industry to help identify and design a range of support options fit for purpose.
The first forum held on 18 February 2019 with Lifeline WA, CME, their members, Beyond Blue and Mates in Mining was an interactive, discussion-lead session helping to prioritise what the CME-Lifeline WA partnership will focus on, generating interest and ideas in how to better support workers and families.
In May we are due to travel to regional locations to engage with OSH managers on-site before holding forums with resource industry workers and their families which will most likely include engaging with children.
The outcome of this process is an industry-lead and whole-of-industry approach to improving mental health and wellbeing of sector workers with a focus on fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) and drive-in drive-out (DIDO) workers and their families. The second outcome will be identification of or development of resources codesigned with all levels of the industry to better support mental health and wellbeing of workers and families.
This presentation will provide an overview of the co-design methodology used, successes, challenges, lessons learned and outcomes to date.
Learning Objectives
Learning Objective 1: Understanding how codesign can be flexible to meet the needs of stakeholders.
Learning Objective 1: Awareness of the successes, challenges and lessons learned to applying codesign methodology to a whole-of-sector initiative.
Learning Objective 2: Recent research indicates:
1. psychological distress, including feelings of anxiety and depression, scores were significantly higher for FIFO workers compared to the benchmark group and than males in an Australian norm sample
2. burnout was found to be significantly higher
3. transitions were difficult times with family wellbeing and functioning being negatively impacted during hte phases of the FIFO worker leaving and returning home
4. 26% of FIFO workers could not recall any available mental health support options on-site
This is the latest research (2018) which supports previous research in WA, Queensland, South Australia and other regionas nationally and internationally. Rates of psychological distress, workplace bullying, stigma and burnout are often found to be higher in FIFO workers than their non-FIFO counterparts. Codesigning strategies and supports with FIFO/DIDO workers, their families and other stakeholders may help to improve the mental health and wellbeing of all workers in the resources industry.
References
Centre for Transformative Work Design (2018). Impact of FIFO Work Arrangements on the Mental Health and Wellbeing of FIFO Workers, Mental Health Commission WA.
Education and Health Standing Committee (2015) The impact of FIFO work practices on mental health. Legislative Assembly, Parliament of WA
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