We are delighted to welcome Rebecca Dickson as the new Chair of the Board of Wellness in Infrastructure (WII). Jill Hennessy led this organisation through its early growth, including becoming a registered not-for-profit with ACNC, and we are grateful for Jill’s incredible efforts and proud that she will now be moving into a Patron role within our organisation. Jill’s leadership has been instrumental in shaping WII, and we are thrilled that she recommended and endorses Rebecca as our next Board Chair role, ensuring the organisation continues its vital mission.
Rebecca, a Special Counsel at Pinsent Masons, Senior Fellow at the University of Melbourne, and PhD Candidate at Monash University, is an advocate for mental health in the construction and infrastructure industry. Since March 2024, she has served as a Director for WII, using her legal background and research expertise to champion better mental health practices in the sector.
Rebecca’s commitment to addressing structural issues and challenging outdated workplace cultures makes her a natural fit to lead WII into its next chapter. Under her leadership, the organisation will continue to prioritise mental health as an integral part of workplace safety and industry reform, ensuring that the conversation around psychological wellbeing remains at the forefront of infrastructure and construction.
Rebecca Dickson commenced her postgraduate research into mental health challenges in the construction industry and contractual risk allocation in 2019. Her original research topic was sparked by a groundbreaking 2018 study published by Luke Downey and Con Stoddart, which highlighted alarming mental health statistics among white-collar professionals in Australia’s Tier 1 construction companies.
“I remember being struck by the rate of return on Luke and Con’s survey; so many people participated in this study, and the results were eye-watering,” Rebecca recalls. Becoming a Director at WII felt like a natural progression, providing her the platform to contribute directly to addressing these systemic challenges.
Rebecca’s motivation and dedication to redress the high instances of poor mental health among Australia’s construction workers is deeply personal. Rebecca shared the story of a female colleague whose extreme work stress left a lasting impact. “She felt compelled to adopt alpha male behaviours and work long days (at the expense of seeing her children). I remember a coffee catch up in which she shared how these workplace practices impacted her. She didn’t feel genuine to herself. Most unfortunately, she was killed in a road accident. Her experience lives in my mind and drives me to volunteer as I do.” Rebecca said. This motivation fuels her commitment to ensuring no one endures similar challenges and that those working to deliver exciting building and infrastructure projects go home (mentally) safe.
For Rebecca, the construction industry holds immense potential, marked by teams coming together to shape cities through the creation of new large-scale infrastructure. However, the dismal rates of suicide and mental health struggles cast a shadow over these achievements.
“The construction industry is an exciting place. There is a lot to celebrate, but the rates of suicide and poor mental health are dismal and – so far – not attracting the alarm that they should. I’d like to see a significantly more effective response to this state of affairs than we have seen to date and a marked reduction in the rates of suicide and poor mental health among white and blue-collar workers.”
Rebecca envisions an industry where mental health is prioritised and celebrated alongside project successes.
Rebecca identifies several barriers to improving mental health in construction. One major issue is the tendency to blame poor mental health on factors outside work, despite work often being a contributing factor. Additionally, a culture of silence persists, where workers fear being labelled as “weak” or facing repercussions for speaking up. While legal protections have historically fallen short, Rebecca is optimistic about the potential of new psychosocial safeguards to create meaningful change.
For Rebecca, wellness is about “the space and freedom to be a whole person who is safe and healthy.” She prioritises her own wellbeing by maintaining clear boundaries and ensuring she gets enough sleep, simple yet vital practices that help her stay grounded.
Rebecca’s message to potential volunteers in the mental health space is clear: “It may feel that you’re getting nowhere … but do it anyway!” Her unwavering dedication reflects the importance of persistence in driving change, even in the face of systemic challenges.
As Rebecca continues her work with Wellness In Infrastructure, she remains a passionate advocate for creating a construction industry where mental health is safeguarded, voices are heard, and individuals thrive. Her efforts remind us that every step toward wellness counts, no matter how small it may seem.
Post Tags :
Share :
