Mental Health in Construction | Simon Tyler and Richie Welch

Men in construction have a history of struggling particularly badly with managing their mental health and as graduate psychologist and former construction worker Simon Tyler says, that’s due in part to the stereotypical hyper masculine culture that exists on work sites - now the focus of his PhD. Simon’s good mate Richie Welch has been in the construction game for more than two decades and both men have lived experience of going through immense struggle and surviving - becoming stronger and more sensitive to the need to reach out for help. After recently enduring a devastating spate of suicides within their tight knit community, they decided enough is enough and have gone above and beyond to create a new service called ‘the next step’ - a messaging service run through instagram that connects men who are struggling to the help they need. Having personally witnessed so much need for more mental health help and awareness within male dominated industries,  they’re now dedicated to serving that cohort that’s notoriously tough to reach. There was a time that both men were saved by a single conversation and they know as well as anyone the power of speaking up and being heard.