Svitzer Builds Capacity in Mental Health Training

Last year, 47 Svitzer Australia employees located from Cairns in Queensland to Albany in Western Australia took part in online mental health first aid training. 

The initiative to drive mental health awareness and support for employees involved colleagues from all parts of the business including office employees and crew.

The course provided participants with the knowledge and skills for early identification, prevention, and the ability to provide support to a friend, family or co-worker potentially experiencing mental health conditions.

Chief Strategy and People Officer for Svitzer Australia, Vivian Faraj said the training will help to raise awareness about the importance of mental health within the organisation and provide an invaluable tool for employees.

“This training for our people is a very simple step which provides enormous value to our organisation – it is part of recognising that mental health issues can be as acute and serious as physical injury.

It equips the people at the heart of our business with tools to support colleagues and recognise people in need – and in some cases, maybe even save a life.”

Vivian Faraj
Chief Strategy and People Officer for Svitzer Australia

Employees who have completed the training are also accredited to provide help to a person who is developing a mental health problem, experiencing a worsening of a mental health problem or in a mental health crisis and are able to give first aid until the appropriate professional help is received or the crisis resolves.

Svitzer Tug Master, Isaac Kneipp based in Svitzer’s ports of Cairns, Mourilyan and Lucinda in Far North Queensland, said that there’s no greater feeling than being able to help a person in need.

“We spend such a large percentage of our time at work and quite often our colleagues get to know us better than other friends and family members.

We are in such a beneficial position to observe when our crew mates aren’t in the best state of mind if we choose to pay a little attention to others each day.”

The training was conducted by Mental Health First Aid Australia accredited trainers from AON.