Carpenter-cum-counsellor Bruno Efoti has been stepping up his bid to save lives because of an "alarming increase" in suicide among young men in Dubbo and district during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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The founder of not-for-profit Tradies in Sight is looking for funding to secure a shed for a drop-in centre where people will be able to seek help without feeling "ashamed or judged".
"We're in a dire situation at the moment," he said. "We can't stop.
"We've lost more young people to suicide in this pandemic than other times."
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On the advice of others, he is declining to identify the number of suicides but is not shying away from the enormity of the problem.
"There's been an alarming increase in suicide since this pandemic," Mr Efoti said..
He said young people were struggling because of changes to their work, "social isolation and disconnection".
"A lot of tradies have lost their jobs and that's impacted at home and on their relationships and finances obviously," Mr Efoti said.
Launched in April 2018, Tradies in Sights was the result of the "heartache and pain" Mr Efoti witnessed on work sites across a 20-year career as a carpenter.
He set about helping tradesmen open up and seek help.
"Tradies in Sight is all about equipping them with the social skills and life skills that they need," Mr Efoti said.
"A lot of of these young men and women have come from dysfunctional homes and therefore have underdeveloped life skills.
"We're teaching them skills to be able to face hard times."
Tradies in Sight has reached more than 3000 men and women in Dubbo through about 30 events, including breakfast at hardware stores.
Participants are offered one-on-one support before being referred to "better-resourced" organisations if need be.
Mr Efoti said an inability to manage money was the "biggest issue" facing them before the pandemic hit, followed by gambling, troubled relationships, and drug and alcohol use.
"Before you know it, suicide is just down the road," Mr Efoti said.
"It has become unfortunately more of an option for young people nowadays which is sad."
The Tradies in Sight founder has now begun visiting and cooking lunch for "heavy vehicle" TAFE NSW students in Dubbo while running a weekly 10-person men's group in the outdoors at night.
He wants to run more programs but needs a shed to do so.
The Tradies in Sight team of volunteers led by Mr Efoti includes a life coach, role models and chaplains.
It has a website, Facebook page and Instagram account.