Armidale Regional Council (ARC) staff will be adding a touch of colour to their uniforms this week while drawing attention to mental health issues.
ARC’s new collaboration with TradeMutt – a social impact workwear brand – will see staff pull on the new colourful and funky shirts in the hope of sparking connection as well as conversations about mental health among workers.
TradeMutt is an Australian workwear brand founded by two tradies, Ed Ross and Daniel Allen, who wanted to make a difference in the mental health space with 50 per cent of annual profits donated to not-for-profit mental health support service TIACS.
The idea for TradeMutt was born out of a personal tragedy when one of Daniel’s best mates took his own life. Following that tragedy they launched TradeMutt. After the initial success of the shirts Daniel and Ed founded TIACS a professional mental health chat, text and callback service provided for free to the Australian Blue-Collar Community.
The service was initially funded by half of TradeMutt shirt profits and has provided countless sessions to the community since its launch in 2020.
“Our goal is for anyone who wears a TradeMutt shirt to take an empathetic, compassionate, and non-judgmental approach to any conversation they end up in,” said TradeMutt co-owner Ed Ross.
“We all ride the ups and downs of life every day and sometimes an understanding conversation is all anyone needs.
“TradeMutt shirts are designed to be a light-hearted, colourful approach to an otherwise dark conversation.
“Conversations about mental health don’t need to feel scary. These shirts are a simple icebreaker to help two people connect and relate to each other about the challenges we all experience day to day.
“That’s why every shirt says This Is A Conversation Starter across the back. Because that’s exactly what they’re designed to do.”
Annie Harris, ARC’s Executive Manager People and Culture, said Council was incredibly proud to partner with TradeMutt.
“We believe that open conversations about mental health can truly make a difference,” said Ms Harris. “This initiative is especially meaningful as it was championed by two of our own staff members, Jerome and Josh, who saw it as a fantastic way to encourage our workforce to start talking about mental health.
“We know that prioritising health and wellbeing in the workplace isn’t just important – it’s essential. This initiative perfectly embodies our commitment to supporting our people and fostering a culture where everyone feels safe to speak up and seek support when needed.”
