DRIVER WELL-BEING

Our goal is to create a holistic approach that addresses both physical and mental health challenges faced by drivers. By leveraging partnerships with established wellbeing organisations and providing practical resources, the project aims to offer a multi-faceted support system that is easily accessible to both drivers and company owners

Be a Mate

A nationwide mental health and wellbeing programme for people working in the forestry industry.

VITAE

Professional employee assistance provider that offers access to a nationwide team of independent counsellors, psychologists and trauma responders.

My Everyday Wellbeing

Find accurate, science-based advice and information on healthy eating, exercise and general wellbeing.

Get Real Behind the Wheel

Check out this fun and creative way at wrapping up well-bing among the log truck driver industry.

The Blokes Books

A resource for a positive step in supporting local families and communities through Men’s health and well being.

Be a Mate

Be A Mate – Hei Hoa Te Ngāhere is a nationwide mental health and wellbeing programme for people working in the forestry industry. It is designed collaboratively with A-OK New Zealand, a recognised provider of mental health and suicide prevention programmes; and forestry stakeholders, managed and led by people in the industry, looking out for their mates.

A critical success factor of Be A Mate – Hei Hoa Te Ngāhere is that it brings all stakeholders from across the forestry supply chain together – corporate managers, forestry owners, forestry company employees, to contractors, their crews and employees. Companies involved in the pilot (Hawke’s Bay, 2022) saw how the programme provided a pathway to accessing their Employee Assistance Programmes (EAP’s), other community support organisations and providing tools internally to support your “Mate”, noting an increase in employees making use of the programme.
At a time when forestry in the Cyclone impeded regions of Tairawhiti and Hawkes Bay face a loss of their social licence to operate, the economic uncertainty that global conditions bring, the very real impact of climate change, the post COVID world, financial and business pressures, there are also personal and whanau stresses, it is time critical to implement this programme – it is not an overstatement to say that lives are at risk.
Forestry workers and personnel will have the tools, skills and confidence to identify, and respond to symptoms of mental health and wellbeing that impact on work, wellbeing, work mates, and whanau. The Programme ensures sustainability of the programme by training trainers in regions, and larger companies to continue to deliver the programme and provide support for those that need it.It will create a national network of support for forestry worker mental health and wellbeing. The positive effects will include reduced absenteeism, increased work output and production, increased health and safety, and a happier workforce.

BE A MATE PROGRAMME PACKAGES

HeyMate / Awareness
(1 hour)

Providing information about the impact of distress and suicide on organisations and communities within forestry, recognising signs of someone in need, know how to respond safely and where to find existing support services.

This programme is suitable for anyone interested in gaining awareness

CoMate / Connector
(3 hours)

Connectors are individuals designated to assist colleagues in times of need. Following a comprehensive 3-hour training session, Connectors gain the ability to recognize signs of distress in others. They are equipped to initiate conversations that allow individuals to safely express their concerns and share pertinent information. Connectors also identify key support resources within the organization to which a colleague may be connected if additional assistance is required. If a situation requires escalation, Connectors are trained to securely link individuals with appropriate safety and aid support.

This programme is about increasing and sustaining wellness in your team.

HelpMate / Safety Aider
(6 hours)

A strong ratio of staff trained with Suicide First Aid skills including how to intervene if a person is struggling to cope with their mental wellbeing and is also thinking about suicide, by recognising signs, providing a skilled talking intervention that leads to a robust safety plan that keeps the persons in distress safe from suicide, but also the helper and the overarching organisation.
This programme is suitable for those who want to take the next level in identifying and supporting those who might be at risk.

GrowMate / Grower
(6 hours)

Recovery and support back into the workplace after a mental health experience. Growers are HR managers or equivalent staff that sit in pastoral care, supervisory, or wellbeing support roles within a business. After a one day training session they will be able to manage and support an employee returning to work after an experience with suicide or mental distress.
The Grower’s role is to facilitate their personal recovery and to ensure that the work environment supports their ongoing growth and safety.

VITAE

Vitae is New Zealand’s fastest-growing, nationwide provider of workplace wellbeing and employee assistance services. We focus on enhancing the productivity and success of your business by enhancing the wellbeing of your staff.

Safetree has teamed up with Vitae services to help forestry employers access professional counselling services for their workers at a discounted price. The arrangement means forestry businesses are eligible for special corporate rates when one of their workers uses Vitae services.











My Everyday Wellbeing offers staff and families global access to over 9,000 content pieces, including expert advice, videos, podcasts, recipes, and shopping tips. Topics range from mental fitness, exercise, and nutrition to sleep, immunity, financial wellness, and sustainability. All content is evidence-based, aligned with World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, and created by experts. Users can explore thousands of medically sound recipes, with filters for ingredients, dietary needs, costs, and preparation time. Additionally, a bespoke meal planner tool helps simplify meal preparation. Users can save and organize their favorite content with individual logins, and the platform can be customized with company branding. My Everyday Wellbeing is accessible via a web-based, mobile-responsive site, usable on desktops, mobile devices, and tablets.

The program includes weekly health tip emails that promote sustainable behavioral changes by providing staff with bite-sized, actionable advice. Each month starts with a new challenge, allowing individual or organizational participation, with a one-month heads-up given to wellbeing managers. Support is available for organizing these challenges, and staff receive challenge details via email. The platform offers access to a library of past challenges, alongside comprehensive 4, 6, and 12-week challenges focused on healthy habits, movement, and healthy weight management, complete with leaderboards, posters, and weekly updates to engage teams. Organizations also receive a one-month notice for upcoming themes and occasional competitions to increase participation. To assist in planning, a yearly wellbeing calendar is provided. If requested, the platform can display company-specific Employee Assistance Program (EAP) details on the ‘Where to Get Help’ page.

For those opting for the GOLD package, My Everyday Wellbeing includes monthly 30-minute live expert sessions with real-time Q&A, and the ‘Ask Us’ feature, which allows staff to submit confidential questions to a panel of experts.

Get Real Behind the Wheel

Get Real Behind the Wheel was developed as a way of packaging up driver fatigue in a creative way. Looked to cover three main topics that were brought to the forefront as being very real concerns for operators, in the contribution to the state of fatigue.

– Unhealthy Eating
– Lack of exercise
– Poor quality of sleep

Fatigue is a very real consequence, Get Real Behind the Wheel project looks to promote that it is OKAY to talk about daily struggles, issues that contribute to a fatigued state and be able to provide real, tangible solutions.

’Cab Confessional’ videos were developed with real talk from drivers of all age, and gender. Check these out alongside with some ‘tips and tricks’ from our health guru.