The Mental Awareness, Respect and Safety (MARS) Program Workshops

As Premium Sponsor of the International Mines Health and Safety Conference 2024, the Mental Awareness, Respect and Safety (MARS) Program is pleased to provide a full day of pre-conference workshops for attendees. WorkSafe Mines Safety is also offering workshops covering current hot topics within the industry. All workshops are subsidised by WorkSafe Mines Safety and include catering. A full day pass will give you access to all sessions listed below.

Approaches to the prevention and management of incivility and bullying in the mining workplace (9.00am – 10.30am)

Presented by the MARS Centre, Edith Cowan University

• Prof Irene De Pater
• A/Prof Kate Blackwood
• Dr Azadeh Shafaei
• Prof Tim Bentley

The presenters will discuss different approaches to the prevention and management of workplace incivility and bullying. First up, Professor Bentley will overview the international evidence for effective approaches to prevention of workplace bullying. Next, Professor De Pater will present lessons from her research on workplace incivility/rudeness, with implications for its management. Finally, A/Professor Blackwood and Dr Shafaei will outline the development of a capability maturity approach to enhancing organisational capability to prevent and manage workplace bullying and harassment in the mining sector. The three presentations will be followed by a period of audience questions and discussion.

This workshop will be of interest to those tasked with developing intervention and organisational policy and practices for the prevention and management of bullying and harassment in the workplace, along with researchers and practitioners in the field.

Thriving in Mining: Resources to raise awareness and strengthen mental wellbeing in your workplace (11.00am - 12.30pm)

Presented by Thriving in Mining

• Sue Crock

The free Thriving in Mining resources have been developed specifically for the mining industry to raise awareness of mental health and wellbeing. They cover challenging subjects including psychological safety, respect and diversity, and how they relate to mental health and wellbeing. The resources include:

• A series of 12 short face to face training sessions suitable for use on sites and in any mining workplace
• Nine online modules incorporating bite-sized microlessons that can be used by individuals and teams
• Trustworthy sources of support including helplines

This workshop will provide an overview of the Thriving in Mining resources and how they can be used by frontline managers, HR, WHS and others in mining industry workplaces.

Suicide Prevention - General Awareness Training (1.30pm - 2.30pm)

Presented by Mates in Mining

• Damien McVeigh

This training introduces workers to the nature of the problem, that it’s okay to talk about mental health and provides practical guidance as to how they can assist.
This workshop is designed for everyone in the workplace and inducts the workforce to become aware of mental health and encourages questioning of established stigma. The training discusses the issues of suicide, mental health and suicide risk tipping points, recognition of risk and ability to offer help to individuals experiencing suicidal ideation.

Designing healthy work through good work design (3.00pm - 4.30pm)

Presented by Future of Work Institute, Curtin University

• Professor Karina Jorritsma

How our work is designed has an opportunity to motivate us, improve our performance, promote our learning and growth, and directly impact on our mental health and wellbeing. We hear an increasing focus in the workplace around psychosocial risks, but not a lot around what aspects of work that psychologically matters or why it can result in psychological injuries. In this workshop we will provide an overview of what work design is and its impact on your well-being, engagement, and productivity. We will introduce an evidence-based and highly practical SMART work design model, unpacking each of the key elements of Stimulating, Mastery, Agency, Relational, and Tolerable Demands. You will walk away with some practical tips to ‘craft’ SMARTer work for yourself and to proactively support workplace mental health and wellbeing.

This workshop is suitable for all levels and professions and no prior knowledge of work design is needed.

Register for International Mine Health and Safety 2024 to attend the conference workshops

If you have already registered to attend the International Mine Health and Safety Conference and wish to add this workshop to your registration, or you wish to attend the workshop only, you can register seperately with the following link: ausimm.eventsair.com