On Wednesday 5th February 2020, Identity Consult sponsored the first monthly Generation 4 Change Pool & Social night aimed at promoting and maintaining well-being within the construction industry. Statistics on mental health within the industry reveal a significant problem as currently, stress, depression or anxiety accounts for a fifth of all work related illness and every single working day, two construction workers take their own life within the UK.
Alistair Henderson (Vice-Chair of the G4C) created the event on the following basis:
‘The aim of our night is to try and improve, even if it’s in a small way, our work life balance and give people a chance to blow off steam over a couple of games of pool. Mental health and well-being is a hugely important issue within the industry and something that I would suggest affects us all at one point or another.
This event doesn’t try to tackle the more serious mental health matters that unfortunately some of us may have faced, are going through or will be affected by in the future. There are amazing organisations and individuals out there who are trained in how to provide support regarding this and I hope that if you need it, you’re able to get in touch with them and talk things through.
However, I would be really proud to think that for those short term stresses or worries we may be facing, a couple of games of pool and a chat with friends may help go some way to help lift that stress and make us feel that little bit better.’
The first event wasa great success with attendance from consultants, contractors and university students starting their career in construction and Identity Consult would like to thank everyone who came down and said ‘hi’. Talking to each other genuinely does matter and can be the first step in overcoming some of the stresses and worries we all face.
The next event is on Wednesday 4th March at Lane 7, St James’ Boulevard, Newcastle from 6-8pm.
Further events are planned the first Wednesday of each month.
