WHO WE ARE
Josh is Australia’s first FIFO Site Counsellor. Before Josh began working in this role, there had not been a counsellor working on one site, week in and week out in a FIFO capacity. This called for the development of a new approach to mental health engagement, onsite counselling and a reduction of stigma. Josh provided these services during the pandemic – an unprecedented situation that placed great strain and pressure on employees, supervisors and managers across the globe.
Prior to providing counselling and mental health services to mine sites, Josh was part of Western Australia’s first Family Domestic Violence perpetrator intervention program. This is a specialist intervention program working within prisons and with community offenders. Josh’s background also includes drug and alcohol rehabilitation counselling, sexual assault counselling, mental health crisis care and prisoner reintegration casework.
Josh loves to see individuals overcome challenges and to see them better off than before.
WHO WE ARE
Josh is Australia’s first FIFO Site Counsellor. Before Josh began working in this role, there had not been a counsellor working on one site, week in and week out in a FIFO capacity. This called for the development of a new approach to mental health engagement, onsite counselling and a reduction in stigma. Josh provided these services during the pandemic – an unprecedented situation that placed great strain and pressure on employees, supervisors and managers across the globe.
Prior to providing counselling and mental health services to mine sites, Josh was part of Western Australia’s first Family Domestic Violence perpetrator intervention program. This is a specialist intervention program working within prisons and with community offenders. Josh’s background also includes drug and alcohol rehabilitation counselling, sexual assault counselling, mental health crisis care and prisoner reintegration casework.
Josh loves to see individuals overcome challenges and to see them better off than before.
WHY WE EXIST
Mental health incidents in the mining, construction, and energy sectors are 80% higher than in the general Australian population, with around 190 suicides reported each year. Research shows that remote mining workers experience three times more psychological distress than the average Australian. Additionally, more than a third of FIFO (fly-in, fly-out) workers deal with depression, anxiety, or stress that exceeds clinical levels, and 10% face a combination of these issues.
We prioritise a ‘boots on the ground’ approach to our work and focus on building connection (across all levels) to facilitate engagement.
Our FIFO Counsellors work with employees (and their families), supervisors and managers to decrease mental health distress on site and increase employee wellbeing.
WHY WE EXIST
Mental health incidents in the mining, construction, and energy sectors are 80% higher than in the general Australian population, with around 190 suicides reported each year. Research shows that remote mining workers experience three times more psychological distress than the average Australian. Additionally, more than a third of FIFO (fly-in, fly-out) workers deal with depression, anxiety, or stress that exceeds clinical levels, and 10% face a combination of these issues.
We prioritise a ‘boots on the ground’ approach to our work and focus on building connection (across all levels) to facilitate engagement.
Our FIFO Counsellors work with employees (and their families), supervisors and managers to decrease mental health distress on site and increase employee wellbeing.
WHAT WE DO
FIFO Counsellors provide onsite mental health crisis care and coordination, individual counselling, referrals to support services, assistance to middle management who may be supervising staff in circumstances of mental health concern, and insight to senior management regarding general employee wellbeing.
This is completed through building onsite rapport across all levels of the site, providing toolbox and prestart presentations, providing individual counselling and support to employees and their family, and liaising with supervisors, middle managers and senior managers.
WHAT WE DO
FIFO Counsellors provide onsite mental health crisis care and coordination, individual counselling, referrals to support services, assistance to middle management who may be supervising staff in circumstances of mental health concern, and insight to senior management regarding general employee wellbeing.
This is completed through building onsite rapport across all levels of the site, providing toolbox and prestart presentations, providing individual counselling and support to employees and their family, and liaising with supervisors, middle managers and senior managers.