A new app-led Mind Fitness training solution built by and for the construction industry to help tackle its mental ill health issues, officially launched last month.
Ownminder, is the first industry-specific proactive psychological health solution, created to help address the sector’s stark mental health situation, that sees a suicide rate three times more than the national average, equating to two people per day in the UK construction industry taking their own lives (ONS).
Founders Dr Vanessa Moulton, a Chartered Psychologist and expert in the field of Mind Fitness and Tom Storey, a strategic consultant in the construction and property sector, created Ownminder based on their supported belief that prevention is just as important as reactive only mental health strategies. Founding partners include key industry figures Danny Lucas (Lucas UK), Danny Chaney (blu-3), Brian Morrisroe (Morrisroe Group) and David Darsey (The Erith Group), who have combined their knowledge, experience and insights to help develop, build and shape the initiative.
Ownminder enables organisations within the construction industry to provide all their employees and supply chains with Mind Fitness training, which includes accessible tools and strategies to enable them to take a positive, proactive and preventative approach to their psychological health and wellbeing. It provides them with a deeper understanding of the factors underpinning their own psychological health and allows them to take ownership of their Mind Fitness, which can in turn help mitigate the risk of mental ill health in the future. All this is achieved through senior leadership training, as well as on-site training and an app accessible to all. Across these different platforms, Ownminder provides industry tailored on-demand modules, as well as personalised tools, strategies and techniques that can be easily incorporated into everyday life to help strengthen Mind Fitness.
Anonymised reports, that include user engagement levels and regularly updated mental wellbeing scores to validate progress, will provide businesses with insights and data, relevant to certain health and safety compliance, public procurement and other ESG requirements related to proactive psychological health.
Dr Vanessa Moulton, Co-founder of Ownminder commented: “There has never been a more important time to launch Ownminder to the construction industry, with our sole mission to create a highly targeted solution fit for a digital age. There is a lot of focus on how we respond to mental ill health and not so much on how to prevent it. We can all positively impact our psychological health if we understand how our minds work and armed with the right tools. Right now, psychological health and mind fitness should be given as much focus and priority as physical health and fitness.”
Founding partner Danny Lucas, Exec Chairman and Managing Director of Lucas, said “Being a founding partner is something that really empowers me. It’s been a privilege to be involved with the development of the product and be able to help shape its roll out across the industry.”
CEO and Founder of the Morrisroe Group, Brian Morrisroe, also a founding partner commented: “We all care for our workforces and the opportunity to get involved with Ownminder to do something more for them is invaluable. I’m pleased to be part of this journey that is striving for better mental health across the sector.”
Managing Director of the Erith Group and founding partner of Ownminder, David Darsey said, “Allowing employees to be able to own their mind and be in control of their psychological health and fitness is incredibly important. As employers, we have a responsibility and a duty of care to ensure our staff across all levels are not just physically safe, but mentally safe too.”
Founding partner Danny Chaney, Chairman of blu-3, went on to say, “It’s an honour to be part of Ownminder. Very much driven by my own personal experience, I have been championing mental health and wellbeing in the sector for years. Ownminder is with you 24 hours a day to tap into when you need it, with the end goal being a psychologically healthier, happier and more productive workforce within the construction industry.”
The advisory board for the initiative includes David Richmond CBE, Damon Brown (Portfolio Lead for Construction Legal and General), Professor Neil Greenberg (Professor of Defence Mental Health and Chair of the Occupational Psychiatry Special Interest Group at the Royal College of Psychiatrists). Paul Flexney-Briscoe (Construction Director of Sellar), Vicky Fairhall (ex-Senior Vice President, Brookfield Properties UK) and Matt Evans (Fund Manager Investec Asset Management).
For more information, as well as a demo, please email engage@ownminder.com.
