OnePath and Zurich renew support for Mr Perfect mental health BBQs

Continuing a strategy of mental health awareness and advocacy

OnePath has renewed its 12-month partnership with Mr Perfect, the grassroots men’s mental health network encouraging conversation and connections through informal BBQs across Australia.

Commencing this month, this second 12-month partnership has OnePath and Zurich Financial Services Australia adding their weight behind Mr Perfect to expand the BBQ program to more than 300 BBQs.

Over the past 12 months, the number of BBQs grew from 120 per year to over 200 per year across QLD, NSW, Victoria, Canberra and more recently Hobart in Tasmania.

OnePath Life was acquired by Zurich Financial Services Australia in June 2019, and the Mr Perfect initiative is one of many in the mental health arena that Zurich and OnePath are promoting as part of its MindFIT program, to de-stigmatise mental health issues and to play its part in bringing insurance practices in line with contemporary thinking around mental health. Zurich and OnePath hope to engage their respective networks of financial advisers, as part of the expansion of the partnership.

According to Zurich’s Head of Mental Health and Wellness, Maria Falas, the large customer footprint of both OnePath Life and Zurich presents a significant opportunity to give Mr Perfect an even bigger boost.

“We want to spread greater awareness within our people as well as our broad customer networks including group insurance, retail and direct customers,” said Falas. “OnePath’s approach to mental health and wellness aligns with Zurich’s strategy to be market leading in delivering mental health solutions to customers with a focus on service, customer wellness and prevention.

“In helping Mr. Perfect to expand its operations, we hope to support more people – and particularly men – to open up to each other, to support connections at a grassroots level.  This includes in the financial advice industry where we hope to facilitate many small business, financial advice owners to build their own social and networking communities,” she said.

Mr. Perfect Founder Terry Cornick said the renewed partnership is both welcome and significant, allowing the network to spread to specific areas such as the Gold Coast and Central Coast where the positive impact of such a simple Australian BBQ has been significant, but also regional towns across NSW, QLD and VIC.

“Rural and regional areas have been on our radar for some time that are clearly in need of support. We are finding people are slowly turning their lives around because they know they can count on a group of guys who will turn up each week to listen, have a BBQ and connect with.” 

Both insurers have focussed on external and internally-facing mental health and wellness initiatives since 2017.  This includes other grassroots initiatives such as the Tackle Your Feelings mental health training program for community AFL clubs and coaches, which Zurich runs in partnership with the AFL Coaches Association and AFL Players Association. 

For more information on the initiative, please visit mrperfect.org.au
 

ENDS