Since taking over its new location in Welchman Street, the Tradies In Sight Insight Shed has welcomed an increase of men.
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Tradies In Sight founder Bruno Efoti said having a home for the mental health and wellbeing charity has already proven to have been a 'powerful' step forward.
"We're in the process of renovating, but people have already been coming into the shed because they've heard about it - without an invitation- and I thought 'how good is this?'. It's already serving its purpose.
"A lot of people who have come here that I've never met before, so it's been really powerful.
"I had a guy come in last week actually, he would have been 65 and I had never met him before but he had a story to tell me and it was just like a normal thing to do, and I thought, 'oh my goodness, this should have happened a long time ago'."
Mr Efoti has already installed a lounge area, an office and a counselling room and hopes to, in the future, turn the shed into a trades school.
"I wanted the counselling room so that if there is a lot of people about and someone wants to have a chat, we have a one on one space that we can go to," he said.
"It's a really good location for the shed and we're really grateful for it. It's a safe space and it's out of the way and in an area where we are surrounded by a lot of great professional services.
"Eventually it will be a trades school, so if students in year 11 and year 12 aren't academic then there's a place for them to do something else, which is a trade. It gives them another option, but today, it's hard because kids have to deal with compounding layers of childhood trauma. Dysfunctional homes, fatherlessness..."
People have already come into the shed because they've heard about it- without an invitation. I thought, how good is this- it's already serving its purpose
- Bruno Efoti
Mr Efoti said the shed has been an enormous step forward in reaching his end goal, which is to achieve a brighter future.
"Having a place like a shed is such a big thing, especially for blokes who find it hard with the stigma around men seeking help," he said.
"Being a Tongan myself, I grew up in a different environment where community just happened every day, so I understand what it should look like. When I came over here I noticed a disconnectedness in the way the community functioned. It's not like it once was, where communities did things together.
"That kind of connection gets neglected these days and as a result of the isolation, we adopt negative ways of coping.
"What we're doing is dealing with that.
"I think if we start now, then the future is bright.
"We want to model to our community and show it what it can look like when we can confide in each other.
"It's a big job, but one I'm excited about.
"It's dangerous, I feel, where we are headed in society."
Mr Efoti is working towards expanding the charity to be further inclusive and will eventually change its name as he hopes to help all men, within the trade industry or not, and, at some point, women as well.
But, at present, his efforts remain on men.
"A lot of men struggle to open up," he said.
"Men won't deal with their emotions, they find unhealthy ways to cope and most of them think things will just work themselves out later on down the track, but they won't work themselves out.
"Instead, what ends up happening is he ends up dragging his problems with him, and the weight continues to grow until it gets too much - that's when they snap."
Mr Efoti said signs a person was struggling could be easy to spot depending on how well you knew the person.
'If you know those people very well it's easy to spot, you can see the withdrawal. Withdrawal is the first thing, you can see them not enjoying the things they once enjoyed. Maybe they're not hanging around anymore, they're not laughing the way they used to," he said.
Mr Efoti said, unfortunately, it's often easier for men to confide in other men, however, there were steps you coud take as a partner to offer encouragement.
"Create that safe environment where he can trust you- a lot of men lie when you asked them straight out because it's too hard to deal with," he said.
"Listening is such a good skill to have. If they open up you can say, 'ok sounds like you need to see a doctor, would you like me to go with you?, or, 'I have some numbers I can call for you if you like'.
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"A bloke wants to know that you've got his back by being interested in the things he's going through," he said.
"If they feel judged, or belittled by you, they won't listen to you.
"He has to know that it's safe for him to open up.
"My grandpa told me when I was little, and at the time I didn't understand, but he said; you have to love people with no agendas."
Mr Efoti said most people who call him are calling on behalf of their mates which is good see, however, the shed is always open to any men, tradie or not, who is looking to confide in someone or who needs help.
"The door is always open," he said- and he means it quite literally, the door is propped open.
- Lifeline: 13 11 14.
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