MATES North America Pilot

Construction and energy infrastructure has one of the highest suicide rates of any industry. Our mission is to change that, through training and support that shifts culture on our sites at ground-level, making it okay to talk openly about our mental health.

Engagement

We show up where work happens – on sites, in yards, at inductions and industry events – to make MATES visible and trusted. Through regular Field Officer visits, we build relationships that prepare companies, crews and unions to embed the program as part of everyday site life.

Raising awareness

We share clear, practical information about suicide risk in construction and the realities facing workers in North America. By talking openly about the issue and mapping simple pathways to support, we help workers, supervisors and leaders see that suicide is preventable and that help is available right now on and off site.

Capacity building

We deliver MATES General Awareness Talks (GAT), toolbox talks and site-based conversations that build mental health literacy and challenge stigma. Workers learn to spot invitations for support, talk safely about mental health and play an active role in creating safer, more supportive crews and workplaces.

Connecting to help

We train volunteer Connectors and ASIST workers and back them up with Field Officers and Case Managers. Together, they form a network of safety that offers help early, supports workers through tough times and links them to the right services, not just in a crisis but for ongoing care.

Advocacy & leadership

We partner with industry leaders, unions, clients and safety bodies to position suicide prevention as a core part of doing business safely. Through sector briefings, standards, policies and public leadership, we support the industry to take ownership of the problem – and the solutions – at company, project and industry levels.

Research & evaluation

We collect and analyse data on what we do and what difference it makes, guided by a clear evaluation framework aligned to the MATES logic model. By working with academic and industry partners, we turn real-world learning into evidence that improves the program over time and informs policy and practice across the sector.