Identify your audience and collaborators

Who should be involved in developing your initiative

Workers  

You need to understand what they currently experience, and what is practical and relevant. Workers from across the industry can identify common problems, needs and solutions. They need to feel safe to share their experiences, and that engagement is genuine and will be acted on.   

People with living experience of mental ill health or suicide and carers

They can help ensure your approach is compassionate and non-stigmatising. They can share a unique perspective on what is likely to work and what may not be helpful.  They can also provide powerful industry specific experiences that can create support for the initiative and act to break down stigma.

Volunteers  

Some industries have a shadow volunteer workforce. They can have a different experience to paid workers and offer different insights. They can often feel left out of formal industry supports despite their valuable contribution. 

Business owners and leaders 

Engaging decision makers early is often critical for success, especially if your initiative needs money, time or other resources. This group also has legal responsibilities related to areas such as work health and safety that must be reflected in your initiative.  

Managers, human resources, workplace health and safety and legal professionals  

These people influence the activities of workers in many organisations. They design policy, manage risk or manage and support workers. These are often the people that create the day-to-day experience of work across Australia. Consider also involving relevant state based or national regulators specific to your industry.

External service providers  

Organisations with strong connections and influence in your industry can be part of a shared solution. Examples include peak associations, unions, chambers of commerce and mental health service providers.  

External experts  

You may benefit from involving experts in areas such as mental health, occupational health, suicide prevention, organisational design, communication and organisational change.  

Involve the right people from the start. Think about how to involve people in a wide range of roles (e.g. workers, managers, experts) and from a wide range of backgrounds (e.g. vulnerable workers, people with living experience, people in different locations). The more inclusive your approach, the more likely it will work. 

Tips about consultation 

These tips can help you get the most from consultation and engagement about your initiative: 

• Consider how to include the voice of groups such as small businesses, those in regional and rural locations, people from diverse backgrounds or vulnerable workers. 
• Consult and collaborate widely to find a solution that works for everyone. Your initiative needs to balance the needs of management as well as workers. 
• Remain neutral, by explicitly stating your initiative is not aligned with a specific audience or group. It can help get all parties onside.  
• Create safe spaces so people feel they can talk freely about their needs and experiences without facing negative consequences.  
• Engage champions to build on existing knowledge and passion within your industry. Champions often have a strong awareness of needs and the current state of mental health in your industry. They can also help engage and connect with others.  
• Engage an external facilitator to help manage power imbalances or tensions between groups.  
• Follow up on feedback. 

Some questions to help identify the right people  

These questions can help you identify who to engage with when creating your initiative: 

• Who are the key people we are trying to reach and what can they bring to the initiative? 
• Who needs to be involved in designing our initiative? 
• What are the needs, barriers and behaviours of our key audiences? 
• How do our different audiences interact? 
• How are we considering living experience of mental ill-health and suicide? 
• Who do we need to engage and co-design with? 
• Are the groups we need cohesive? 
• How can we facilitate trust and openness during consultation? 
• Who is already an active supporter of mental health in our industry? 
• How can we leverage great work already happening?