March on Stress and Human Rights at Sea have joined forces to provide psychological support options to the maritime industry.
The two bodies seek to help build resilience and support the psychological wellbeing of maritime personnel. This includes working together to provide a bespoke package of Trauma Risk Management (TRiM) for the maritime industry.
TRiM is described as a peer-support system which seeks to build resilience by keeping staff functioning after traumatic events by providing support and education to those who require it. By training practitioners at an operational level, TRiM aims to identify those who are not coping after potentially traumatising events and ensure they are sign-posted to sources of help.
Professor Neil Greenberg, pictured, Clinical and Managing Director of March on Stress, said: “We are delighted to work together with Human Rights at Sea (HRAS) and the maritime community to safeguard the psychological wellbeing of maritime personnel.
“While only about 3pc of the UK population are likely to suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), personnel working in high-risk or trauma exposed organisations experience much higher rates of PTSD.
“We recognise that whilst HRAS works to promote the fair and humane treatment of individuals who work as seafarers, unfortunately there will inevitably be times that mariner’s mental health will be adversely affected by their work. The important association between March on Stress and HRAS will help to build resilience for individuals and the maritime industry through the prevention, detection and treatment of occupational and operational stress, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).”
And David Hammond, Founder of HRAS, said: “The HRAS partnership with March on Stress is yet another step forwards in further developing the expanding scope of HRAS support services within the maritime environment and specifically for seafarers who have been the victim of abuses during their employment. This new service also prepares maritime businesses in identifying, training for and dealing with emerging psychological issues.
“I am delighted once again to be working closely with an internationally recognised partner whose pedigree and experience intimately supports the HRAS aim and objectives. Without such collaborative partnerships HRAS would not be able to expand its services to seafarers and deliver tangible support to them on a global basis.”
Visit www.marchonstress.com.
