Mental Health in Construction
Understanding Mental Health in the Built Environment
In May 2020, we published our report on Understanding Mental Health in the Built Environment. The report, which surveyed 2000 people across the globe, presented harrowing statistics of high numbers of workers experiencing extreme levels of stress over a prolonged period, with a large number of people reporting that they had considered taking their own life in 2019.
The report calls on professional bodies to do more to encourage mental health and wellbeing awareness among members, to develop globally-applicable mental health resources that will increase understanding and reduce stigma within the construction industry.
The Anxiety UK Partnership
In January 2020, the CIOB Benevolent Fund partnered up with Anxiety UK, a charity dedicated to helping those affected by anxiety disorders, stress and anxiety-based depression.
This partnership means that all CIOB members, past and present, and their dependent family members can receive free support from Anxiety UK.
Find out more
Presidential Focus on Mental Health
Charles Egbu, President of the CIOB from June 2019-2020, made wellness and mental health a primary focus of his Presidency. During this time, the Understanding Mental Health in the Built Environment report was published and a partnership between Anxiety UK and the CIOB Bevenolent Fund was established. Charles has written a selection of blogs discussing mental health and it's impact within the construction industry.
Working with Alzheimer's Society
The CIOB is working with Alzheimer’s Society to support the construction sector in becoming more dementia-friendly. All CIOB members can gain access to the Dementia Friends programme resources to help them understand how dementia affects people’s lives, and as a result what considerations can be put in place within the built environment to have a positive impact on those with such conditions.
Members can become Dementia Friends in two ways:
- Complete the short CIOB Academy e-learning module on Dementia Awareness.
- Go to www.dementiafriends.org.uk/dforganisations and watch the videos using the code CIOB123
Find out more
Read more about the partnership with Alzheimer's Society and they work they do.
Mental Health MOOC
On 12 October 2020, the CIOB launched a new massive open online course (MOOC), entitled ‘Mental Health in Construction’.
On the course, participants will learn to understand signs and symptoms of poor mental health and understand how to manage their own mental wellbeing as well as that of their colleagues. They’ll hear from people in the industry about how to change construction’s culture to end the stigma around mental health.
To find out more, or to register for this course, visit the Academy website.
Labour Party Conference: Debate on Mental Health in Construction
The CIOB attended both the Conservative and Labour Party Conferences in 2019. At the Labour Party Conference, held in Brighton, we held a debate called 'Breaking the Silence: The Building Blocks on Mental Wellbeing'.
This debate, held on 23 September 2019, highlighted some of the causes of such conditions among construction workers and examined what can be done to reduce the impact of mental ill health.
Some of the speakers included Former CIOB President Charles Egbu, Alex Cunningham MP, Gail Cartmail and Barbara Keeley MP.