The programme, from Barratt and David Wilson Homes North Scotland and Scottish Action for Mental Health (SAMH), is scheduled to launch Autumn 2025
Barratt and David Wilson Homes North Scotland have joined forces with Scottish Action for Mental Health (SAMH) to create a new suicide prevention training programme tailored to the Scottish construction industry. The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) is backing the bespoke training and resource programme, currently scheduled to launch Autumn 2025, with £239,000 in funding from its Industry Impact Fund.
The programme will be designed specifically for the unique pressures faced by construction workers, aiming to equip companies and individuals with the tools necessary to identify colleagues facing mental health challenges and provide meaningful support. It will be available to individuals and companies across Scotland, ensuring the whole industry has access to help.
The programme will be designed specifically for the unique pressures faced by construction workers, aiming to equip companies and individuals with the tools necessary to identify colleagues facing mental health problems and thoughts of suicide, and provide meaningful support and suicide interventions. It will be available to individuals and companies across Scotland, ensuring the whole industry has access to help.
Since 2020, CITB has supported nearly 52,000 people to complete mental health first aid and awareness training through its short courses and is vocal about the need for greater access to mental health support in the construction industry.
Vanessa Freeman, CITB Head of Grant & Funding Products, said: “We’re proud to be supporting such an important initiative for the Scottish construction sector. We believe the programme will play a vital role in tackling mental health challenges in the construction industry and wish everyone involved every success in the developmental phase of this programme and its resources.
“Too often people in construction feel like they can’t talk about their mental health issues, and it’s imperative we improve the poor understanding of mental health in the industry.”
CITB’s Industry Impact Fund launched in April 2023 and is the first fund of its kind. It gives employers the power to design and develop training solutions that don’t already exist – ensuring they are scalable, sustainable and make a lasting impact.
Find out more about CITB’s Industry Impact Fund, and how to apply, on the CITB website.
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