Mental health organisation Healthy Heads in Trucks and Sheds has announced a new partnership to offer support services to people working within the transport sector.
The partnership is between Healthy Heads, TradeMutt and free counselling service TIACS and aims to raise awareness about mental health issues faced by workers in the sector.
Through a custom design TradeMutt high-vis shirt that features a QR code under the pocket, people can be linked directly to the TIACS free counselling service.
“In our industry, people turn up to work in their high-vis shirts to make sure they can be seen and stay safe,” Healthy Heads CEO Naomi Frauenfelder says.
“TradeMutt high-vis shirts make our mental health visible every day – the bright and fun fabric design draws attention and the shirts include a message on the back that says ‘this is a conversation starter’.
“What a great way to make psychological safety just as prominent as physical safety.”
Frauenfelder says Healthy Heads was established to provide everyone in the sector with what they need to support their mental health.
“By promoting TIACS, we’re encouraging early help seeking and connecting people to the professional support they need,” Frauenfelder says.
A bonus of owning TradeMutt shirts is that the purchase of one contributes to the free counselling services, with 50 per cent of TradeMutt profit going to support TIACS.
TIACS provides up to eight free counselling sessions via text or phone for blue collar workers including truckies, rural tradies and blue-collar workers.
“It’s so exciting to see this collaboration come to life. The reach that Healthy Heads has within the trucking and transport industry is one we’re so pumped to link up with and drive our message of starting conversations about mental health and reaching out to mental health professionals earlier,” TradeMutt co-founder Ed Ross says.
TIACS co-CEO Jason Banks says he’s very enthusiastic about the partnership, saying it will make a positive impact on the mental wellbeing of people working in the nation’s transport, warehousing and logistics industry.
“The team at TIACS cannot wait to see the limited-edition Healthy Heads TradeMutt conversation starter work shirts out and about,” Banks says.
“These funky shirts will be a conversation starter among truck drivers in warehouses, distribution centres, workshops and in all areas of transport and logistics operations.
“Healthy Heads, TradeMutt and TIACS are closely aligned when it comes to purpose and mission, so it is an obvious collaboration. Together we can let all hard-working Australians know they do not have to tough it out alone.”