UNE staff made the most of a beautiful sunny Monday morning to gather on the lawns of Trevenna to enjoy a delicious SafeTea high tea and engage in some powerful conversations around Mental Health and workplace safety.

The high tea marked World Mental Health Day and kicked off a series of activities to create awareness around and promote National Safe Work Month (October) with the aim of fostering a safer workplace.

Also in attendance where staff from Estate & Built Environment, dressed in colourful high vis shirts that encouraged colleagues to start a conversation with the wearer.

The past couple of years have been especially tough for EBE with crews coming in to work on campus during the lockdowns followed by having to deal with the fallout from the tornado almost one year ago.

“It was a very stressful time and a heavy workload for a lot of us but we stepped up to the challenge, exploring how we can support each other,” Operational Services Manager Kathy Little said.

As a result, a number of the EBE team members completed Mental Health First Aid training and embraced the TradeMutt shirts whose bright patterns and logos are designed to be conversation starters.

EBE team member, Mark McClelland, said the shirts provided a really good talking point.

“If the shirt does catches someone’s eye, they’ll start talking to us about it. Mostly it is just chatting but because of the mental health first aid training we have a rough understanding of what to look out for and can give people information about the support available on campus and in town.”

Staff who missed out on Monday’s high tea will have another opportunity to attend on Wednesday, 26 October.

Other health and wellbeing activities:

• Wednesday, 19th:
  • Taking time out for you. Therapy dog session on the grassy area next to TDS Building & C013 Pat O’Shane Building from12.30pm to 1.30pm; and
  • Free Online Meditation Session from 12.30pm to 1.30pm. Register.
• Thursday, 20th: 
  • Free Pilates Class for UNE staff at SportUNE, 1pm-1.45pm; and 
  • Free Benestar webinar: How to contribute to a mentally safe culture as an individual. Register.
• Tuesday, 25th: 
  • Mental Health First Aid Training. Register via Web Kiosk.

• Wednesday, 26th: 
  • Trevenna Open Gardens with SafeTea High Tea, 10.30am-12.30pm; and
  • Mental Health First Aid Training. Register via Web Kiosk.