Peer Support

Alana Phegan

LEADER - DAY SHIFT

I started at Bell Bay in 2007, in potlines as process operator, then went to carbon spending most of my time on the floor there before becoming the first female PC. For the last couple of years I switched to crew leader in carbon and recently became superintendent in services and scrubbing.

Outside of work I enjoy my family – I have adult daughters, and my other passion is home renovating – seeing possibilities, getting on the tools and feeding my creative outlet. I should get Bunnings frequent flyer points.

I joined the peer support team because I’m a people person. I like listening to people and supporting people when I can. It’s important that people have that available to them when they need it.

Adrian Hinds

LEADER - DAY SHIFT

I’ve been around now for 20 years starting in potlines, then RTDC, rodding room, CBF, metal products, and maintenance, before starting relief crew leading. I’ve been made permanent the last 12 months. I’ve just finished an adult apprenticeship, in fitting and turning.

Outside of work, I’m hitting the gym, and I’m part of the Hawthorn football club crew as a sports trainer. My partner and I have two kids 10 and 6, I and enjoy catching up with mates at footy.

I became part of the Peer Support Team mainly because I’ve had a few family and friends close to me with things like anxiety and I’ve seen how it affects people. I’m approachable and people generally feel comfortable talking to me.

Aleesa Shepheard

LEADER - DAY SHIFT

Hi my name is Aleesa, I have been working at Bell bay site for 18 months. I am a Crew leader in reconstruction and work predominately on Pink shift.

I joined the Peer Support team because of my own experience being diagnosed with anxiety. My recovery from that came through making dietary changes, journaling, taking time to re-charge and having a support network with whom I could chat with. I got so passionate about understanding mental illness that I became a qualified health coach.

I am a wife and a mother of 4 children which makes life pretty hectic at times.

If you resonate with some of my own prior experiences or if you would like to just have a chat to just get some things off of your mind, I’m keen to listen.

Belinda Gerke

GREEN SHIFT

I’ve been working for over 3 years in potlines as process operator. Before that I owned my own business hair dressing for 18 years.
My partner and I have 3 boys - twins aged 11 and a 7 year old. Being a mum is pretty flat out so there’s not much time for myself but I do love to travel and I pretty much had to take up mountain bike riding to keep up.

I joined the peer support team because close friends had experienced real life changing challenges and I learned a lot from supporting them through it. There’s a fair bit of pressure in our area of the plant and I want to be able to be there for team mates who need someone to bounce things off.

Brendan Sherriff

LEADER - DAY SHIFT

I’ve been working on site now for 6 years starting in the Pot Rooms, moving to Carbon and currently I’m in Recon in the role of Superintendent.
I’m married with two kids and they’re a big part of my life. In my own time I enjoy working on the farm, hanging out at beach, riding dirt bikes and camping with mates.

I became a Peer Support Team member, because I had friends and people close to me who suffered from mental health challenges and I felt unable to really help them but wanted to make a difference. I am a good listener so I upskilled with the training we were given and I’ve been surprised at how common it actually is.

It’s really important that we get comfortable around mental health and understanding its impacts and to talk early. I’ve been able to assist people to access services in our area because a lot of people don’t know what’s available.

Darren Moore3

WHITE SHIFT

I started as an operator in Carbon then got an opportunity to do an adult apprenticeship and became a sparky in Carbon and Metal products. All up I’ve racked up 25 years.

I’m a dad of six, three big ones (adults now) and three little ones including toddler twins. I also have one grandchild and one on the way. Family is huge for me. The other big part of my life is being a drummer and singer with the band Acoustix. We perform at Irish Murphy’s, and do corporate gigs, mainly covers from 60’s to now, pub rock style.

One of my boys became a quadriplegic in a bike accident and he’s become a massive inspiration the way he’s handled it. I’ve learned a lot about it so I can better support him.

I joined the peer support team because I’ve experienced some challenges to my own mental health and seen others debilitated by it and I’ve always like to talk, listen and help others. I’ve found that it really makes a difference to people when you can understand and empathise.

David Allen

LEADER - DAY SHIFT

I came here eight years ago after a career in the automotive industry on the mainland. I started in Business Improvement working on things like the Energise Work project, Take 5 revamp and workflow optimisation. More recently I moved to superintendent maintenance.

Outside of work, I’ve gone from being a squash player to table tennis, I keep fit in the gym, and enjoy attending major events around Tassie with my partner. Travel to Melbourne to visit family is tricky at the moment but I get across when I can.

I took on the role of peer support team champion to assist with the roll out. While working in Victoria I got a phone call from colleague on wrong side of the road and no reason to keep living. I kept him on the phone and fudged my way through but realised I needed some training to know what to do. I’ve seen lots of friends with work stress causing relationships to falling over, and being human basically 100% of us will experience difficulty and need some input. I enjoy making a difference to people in that situation.

Matthew Stuber

DAY SHIFT

Hi, my name is Matt Stuber and I have worked at Bell Bay for 23 years. I started in the pot lines and have worked in recon, metal products and I am currently working in L & D in a day work role.

Between my wife and myself, we have 5 kids although there’s only one 18 year old living at home now and I have 2 grandchildren (and im only 45). When im not at work I enjoy a bit of DIY (I have been renovating the house forever), going to the gym and unwinding to music no one else likes and getting out for a cruise in my early model Holden.

I got involved with the peer support group voluntarily as I felt it was something I could do to assist people who might need some support, just as I did. Maintaining good mental health is critical for everyone. I have experienced my own struggles with mental health due to a string of stressful events, excessive workload, death of a family member, supporting the family, self-imposed pressure and physical diagnosis of a mental health condition. We all believe we are bullet proof…… until we find ourselves struggling, I would tell myself “it will be fine once………...!”, “It’s just a patch I’m going through!” “I’m just tired it will be OK tomorrow!” But it’s not.

When you’re telling yourself I hope it’s a heart condition, rather than anxiety then we can help with the options available.

Once you open up to someone who will listen without judgement, that’s a great relief on its own.

If you can relate to any of this then perhaps, you could talk to someone (in confidence) on the peer support team. The training and skills I have picked up from the RAW team have given me the confidence to step forward and help others who may be struggling with their own mental health problems.

I love a coffee and a chat so feel free to contact me.

Robert Kaye

LEADER - DAY SHIFT

I can’t believe I’ve been working here for 28 years but I have! I started in the Pot Rooms then moved across to Recon and now I’m now crew leading in SCL and wharf.

I’m married and together we have three adult children, one grandchild and one on the way. I love water skiing, and working on projects at home. My latest is renovating a caravan so I can travel around Australia one day.

As a child I grew up with family members who experienced significant mental health challenges and I learned a lot from that experience and when the opportunity to get involved on site supporting others through the peer support program I jumped on board.

The workplace can often really challenge people’s wellbeing and in this role I’ve met many people on site who go through a lot of situations that they struggled with and I’m glad to have been there to listen and support.

Rod Deacon

LEADER - RED SHIFT

I’ve been here all up 15 years starting in carbon as an operator, then training up to PC in carbon and currently over in metal products crew leading.
I have four adult kids and my big outlet is weight training and fitness working out in my own gym I put together. My other passion is cars and football, and most weekends I’m following the boys around the North to watch them play.

I joined the peer support team because I wanted to improve my skills talking to people so people can make changes and know what options are available. I like seeing people get through challenges and have had times when I’ve experienced stress and saw how much it can affect your whole life.

Shaun Muller

LEADER - WHITE SHIFT

I’ve been at Rio Tinto for 12 years starting in carbon operations, then rodding room. I became a process controller before moving to relief crew leader, came back then moved to full time crew leader and now across to recon as superintendent, specialist and contractor management.

I have two primary school age kids, am married, and a big part of my life is keeping fit and healthy, by running and mountain bike riding (which I love as long as I’m upright). My other passion is for Royal Enfields and classic EH Holdens.

My motivation to join the peer support team is my lived experience of mental health challenges and I want to be part of the change and to learn skills required to cope with life and support others.

Simon Olden

DAY SHIFT

I worked for 16 years in a meat works team leading where I eventually burned out so I moved across to Bell Bay. I’ve been here now 25 years, starting in the pot rooms operating and doing some fill-in crew leading. I really needed a role that could help me recover and ended up in the vac truck for a decade which I loved because I got to meet people right across site. From there I spent time in the rodding room, CBF and now I’m in Carbon Services. It’s all a bit of a blur.

Over time I’ve seen a slow improvement in the way we handle mental health issues and we still have a ways to go, but we’ve got pretty good leadership now. I wanted to be part of that change with the Peer Support program.

A few years ago I lost my temper at work and I realized that I like a lot of people have stuff going on and bring it to work. I learned a lot from that experience and the training we have had helps me to support others going through those challenges.

I have two adult children, and my passion outside of work is being a masseuse, working out in the gym and loud obnoxious music!

Tim Wilson

DAY SHIFT

I started here four years ago as a mechanical maintainer in recon then moved to maintenance in PSM. I Like the team environment at work, being able to have a laugh and being able to ask for help if I need it from some of the really experienced guys.

Outside of work I’m a stepdad to our daughter, and very excited to have one on the way. When I’m not working I enjoy camping, fishing, getting down to the beach, running my German shepherd, and through online gaming I’ve made friends all over the place.

I joined the peer support team because I’ve experienced my own mental health challenges and had a difficult upbringing, and draw a lot from that. Sadly I’ve had too many friends lose their life to suicide. Often people come to me and offload and I’ve found I really enjoy listening and supporting people going through stuff life throws at them.

Timothy Jacobs

WHITE SHIFT

I’ve been in Metal Products on white shift as process operator for 2 years now but before that I was with Inalco for 5 years and have previously done plumbing maintenance on site, so all up on and off for 12 years with a short stint across at the timber mill. I like the culture here and find it a really supportive work environment.

I grew up in Sydney and I’m dad to two boys who are mad on hockey. My wife coaches hockey too so I’m a hockey dad and husband. I was a volley with the ambos but it’s been hard fitting in in so now I’m limiting myself to the ERT, and enjoy hanging out with mates giving them a hand.

I was motivated to be part of the peer support team because I’ve cared long term for a close family member with anxiety and depression and learned a lot about it and how hard it is. I want to be able to lend that experience to workmates here and contribute to making this a healthy work environment.

William Reay

WHITE SHIFT

I take the cake here because I’ve been around for 40 years. I started as an apprentice fitter, then process operator in metal products. For the last four years I’ve been in scheduling which can be challenging at times doing lots of juggling.

All my kids are adults now and I love being involved with the grandkids so they keep me busy outside of work. I’m keen to do more caravan camping around the state. It’s great to get away with my partner.

I can spot when people are struggling and I really feel for them. I like to steer them in the right direction if I can. I know from my own experience with a marriage bust up that shift work is tough at the best of times, and that can really stretch family life and relationships.

I never judge people. I’m easy to talk to and enjoy being able to take 5 or 10 minutes to have a quiet chat. It can make all the difference.