Ventia has been announced as the winner for the 2021 'Best Mental Health Program' in the National Safety Awards of Excellence, for our Healthy Minds program. 

The Healthy Minds program is a Ventia designed and developed program, helping to raise awareness, reduce stigma and support those with mental health conditions across our business. 

The program taps into the power of personal connections, through a mental health peer support network known as the Healthy Minds Champions. We currently have over 120 Healthy Minds Champions across Australia and New Zealand whose passion and commitment help drive the success of our program. 

Meet some of our Champions 

Kat Griffiths is a Risk and Asset Coordinator in New Zealand, based about four hours north of Auckland and works in a depot of largely male employees. When Ventia launched our Healthy Minds Program and put the call out for Champions, she jumped at the opportunity to help her colleagues.

It's important that we encourage all our employees to consider their mental health, as seriously as they do their physical health," says Kat. 

Ben Coles is a Talent Acquisition Specialist for our talent engagement business, Skout Solutions, based in Brisbane, Queensland. Ben says he's passionate about reducing stigma around mental health, especially in male dominated industries like the ones he works with. He says that being a Healthy Mind Champion has given him extra purpose, and he's having more constructive conversations with people as a result. 

The training helped me feel more prepared, know how to unpack conversations better and to steer people in the right direction for help," says Ben. 

Safety, Health, Environment & Quality Advisor Jen Lloyd, works in Ventia's Defence sector and lives and works on the Puckapunyal Army Base in central Victoria. Jen became a Healthy Minds Champion when the program launched last year, and in addition to the training and support provided to her as a Champion, she has also undertaken at lot of independent study and training over the years.

My role in health and safety has always been about talking to people and helping them, particularly as I look after the injury management process," Jen says.

Soroosh Mirzaee is a Quality Advisor for our Defence and Social Infrastructure sector, working with local government contracts in NSW, Victoria and New Zealand. Joining the business in March, it didn't take long before he also put his hand up for Ventia's Healthy Minds Champion program.

If someone wants someone to listen to them, I am here," says Soroosh. 

Training and support

Kat, Ben, Jen and Soroosh plus all our other Champions have undertaken professional training over two days with an external psychologist on how to identify the signs and symptoms of mental health, how to have supportive conversations and how to refer people to the right support services that are available.

The Champions also receive ongoing support and coaching from external psychologists beyond the training so they can continue understand the signs and symptoms of mental health issues in the workplace and know how to best refer employees to additional services and support.

Group Executive Safety, Health, Environment & Quality Christian Frost says that our commitments to safety go beyond physical harm.

"People are the heart of our business, and safety and health is our number one promise, to them and the communities in which we operate,' says Christian.

"We care deeply about helping our teams build resilience, self-esteem and coping skills.' 

This year has been like no other and I am incredibly proud of our Healthy Minds Champions who help connect and support our geographically dispersed workforce and amplify the key messages and elements of our Healthy Minds program.

^{Pictured: Richelle Neish, Emir Kapetanovic, Soroosh Mirzaee, Khan Morris, Megan Connell and Christian Frost}