The construction industry has been plagued with terrible outcomes in mental health and financial stability, far worse than the average in our country. The long hours, unreliable contract-based work and the emphasis on isolation and stoicism in the face of severe mental health crises have caused unacceptable losses and terrible outcomes for the many talented professionals in our field.
BuildUp is a response to these terrible, isolating experiences, feelings of hopelessness, and lack of support networks. We aim to unite our industry to learn from, support, and mentor each other, and create a solution for these severe challenges together.
All throughout our culture, we are taught to put on a brave face, and pretend nothing is wrong – the stress is never too much, and we can survive anything with enough grit and determination. Through school, team sports, our apprenticeship and work, we’re taught to hide our fears and pain. And stepping up to run businesses, we go out on our own, leaving our support networks behind.
We learn to believe that our failures are due to our weaknesses, but the statistics tell a different story. Mental health requires work, and business owners suffering in silence and isolation need support. Together, we need to overcome the culture of isolation that pervades our industry to prevent any more of these incredible people from becoming yet another statistic.
As no stranger to the benefits of a business network, Adrien Mamet and his group of nine peers have shared in collaborative professional development for more than four years. It was only in April of 2022 that they faced the shared struggles that each member had been dealing with alone. When a peer, for the first time, spoke up about their mental health struggles, they were met with openness and empathy, each having dealt with their own version of similar problems in silence.
Adrien left that meeting with a new insight into the culture of silence and isolation that’s deeply ingrained in our industry. He saw peers struggling in silence, some of whom are barely a step away from danger. Speaking to his peers in the field, he found men and women with immense mental, relationship, and financial stresses, expertly hidden from years of training. Strong, resilient people who were at the end of their tether, relieved to finally speak about their problems.
The most incredible people, resilient, innovative, charismatic, and proud – still suffering from a learned culture of isolation. With the road ahead clear – support networks to combat these dire challenges – BuildUp was born.
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