G’day legend,
We wanted to share a story we recently received from the amazing Carpentaria Shire Council team after introducing a custom design workwear run across their workforce.
NEEDLESS TO SAY, WE GET CHILLS READING THIS:
“Since the changeover and introduction of the new uniforms at Carpentaria Shire Council and the constant message about mental health, this has allowed me to be more open and unembarrassed about my dealings with depression, and more recently, anxiety.
Depression is a dark place which seems like there is no escape; you start to distance yourself from family and friends, withdrawn from activities, lose all your interest and start to contemplate your own existence.
Because of my own dealings and understandings, I was able to notice a change in a previous employee. I kept letting him know if they needed to talk, I’m here. After a few times he eventually sat down with me and spoke about what was happening.
I asked him to see a doctor and he was diagnosed with severe depression.
During the recovery he would sometimes contact me around midnight asking if he could sleep over which he did. Before he left to take up another job, he gave me a bag and said thank you and, “Can you get rid of this for me, I won’t be needing it.”
The bag had items he was considering using to take his life.
Sharing this message lets people know they’re not alone, but I’ve also realised it’s hard for people who haven’t experienced a mental illness to understand.
Help is available”
It’s rare to be given the gift of seeing the value of the work you do, but we’re lucky here at TradeMutt. We get stories like this from all corners of Australia.
Thanks again to the team at Carpentaria Shire Council for their commitment to the mental health & wellbeing of their team and community, for sharing this story, and for reminding us what a privilege it is to be able to do what we do.
Thanks also to the legend who wrote this, for reminding me, personally, why I love my job.
Cheers,
Shannen and the TradeMutt team.
