HALT Hope Assistance Local Tradies

What HALT Hope Assistance Local Tradies does

HALT (Hope Assistance Local Tradies) is an Australian nonprofit suicide prevention charity founded in 2013 by trade qualified painter Jeremy Forbes and visual artist Catherine Pilgrim in Castlemaine, Victoria. The organization addresses disproportionately high suicide rates among tradies and blue-collar workers by delivering community-based mental health outreach through a portfolio of free programs: the signature "Save Your Bacon" brekkies at hardware stores and workplaces, HALT Talks, Toolbox Talks at construction sites, Tough Conversations sessions, and the HALT-Friendly Clinics referral network. Services are delivered across at least 17 geographic markets in Victoria and NSW by approximately 8 paid staff and volunteers, with documented reach including over 500 tradies at KANE Constructions sites and nearly 1,000 TAFE students across seven Sydney campuses.

HALT does not operate proprietary technology. Its "platform" is a community ecosystem anchored by partnerships with healthcare providers, TAFEs, corporate sponsors (Toyota, Mazda, Mitre 10), federal and state government funders, Rotary clubs, and academic researchers (Swinburne University for program evaluation). Distribution relies on physical community presence backed by donated vehicles and a YouTube channel for supplementary content. The COVID-19 period triggered a digital pivot to telephone/Zoom consultations and a four-page mental health toolkit.

The business model is donation and grant funded. The largest single commitment is a $2 million Federal Government grant over four years (announced March 2019 by Health Minister Greg Hunt), with additional funding from the Mazda Foundation, Frances and Harold Abbott Foundation ($44,408), Westpac Foundation ($10,000), and corporate sponsors. All services are provided free of charge to tradies. Revenue is not publicly disclosed but the operating budget implied by documented grants and 8-person headcount is in the low single-digit millions AUD range. HALT has received the WorkSafe OHS Achievement Award (2017) and Australian Men's Health Award — Victorian section (2019).

Name

HALT Hope Assistance Local Tradies

Legal name

Hope Assistance Local Tradies (HALT)

Website

https://thehaltbrekky.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

HALT (Hope Assistance Local Tradies) is an Australian nonprofit suicide prevention charity that delivers free community-based mental health outreach, including breakfast events, workplace talks, and clinic referrals, to tradies and blue-collar workers across Victoria and NSW.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Frankston

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: HALT operates as a nonprofit charity funded through donations from individuals, businesses, and charitable foundations, as well as government grants. Services are provided free to tradies.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

HALT is a non-profit, community-based suicide prevention charity that delivers the 'Save Your Bacon' brekky program and related mental health outreach (toolbox talks, tough conversations, HALT-friendly clinic referrals) to Australian tradies and apprentices. HALT is not a clinical service but acts as a connector between tradies and existing support services such as Beyond Blue, Lifeline, GPs and psychologists. Programs are provided free of charge to participants.

Product overview

HALT (Hope Assistance Local Tradies) is a national grass-roots suicide prevention charity offering a portfolio of community-based mental health support programs for tradies. The core offering centers on the 'Save Your Bacon' Brekky — free breakfast events combining community connection with mental health education. These are complemented by HALT Talks, Toolbox Talks, and Tough Conversations sessions delivered at worksites, TAFEs, and community venues. HALT has developed a HALT-Friendly Clinics network providing faster access to GP and psychology services for tradies. Supporting materials include HALT Showbags with mental health resources and a COVID-19 Tool Kit. The organization also maintains a YouTube channel for mental health video content. Programs are delivered by trained HALT Workers and Project Workers deployed across various Victorian regions and beyond.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Save Your Bacon: The signature breakfast event program that provides free breakfasts for tradies with mental health information and support services. Features HALT talks, 'Tough Conversations' sessions, and community connection opportunities.
• HALT- Friendly Clinics
• HALT Toolbox Talks
• Partners of Tradies

Products and services

• Save Your Bacon Brekky HALT's signature free breakfast event for tradies — bacon and eggs cooked by Rotarians, coffee, fruit and pastries, plus a free goodie bag containing mental health resources from Beyond Blue, Lifeline and local health services. Designed to bring tradies together in non-clinical settings and connect them with support.
• HALT Talks Educational presentations delivered by HALT workers to tradies covering mental health awareness, suicide prevention and available support services. Hosted at hardware stores such as Fagg's Mitre 10 in South Geelong and similar community venues.
• Toolbox Talks Brief mental health awareness sessions delivered at construction worksites and trade environments during regular toolbox meetings, reaching workers where they already gather.
• Tough Conversations Sessions Follow-on sessions after Save Your Bacon brekkies that teach tradies and apprentices how to have difficult conversations about mental health with their mates, families and colleagues.
• HALT-Friendly Clinics Network Network of medical clinics (including Mount Martha Village Clinic and Keilor Village Medical Centre) that partner with HALT to provide faster, more accessible mental health care for tradies, with extended appointments and tradie-friendly GPs and psychologists.
• Partners of Tradies Events Dedicated events for partners, friends and family members of tradies to learn about mental health support services and resources available for their loved ones and themselves.
• COVID-19 Mental Health Tool Kit A four-page mental health toolkit created during the COVID-19 pandemic containing links to online support resources, tips on supporting loved ones and taking care of your own mental health.
• HALT Showbags Information bags distributed at every HALT event containing wellbeing and suicide prevention resources, stress management guidance and details on where to seek help, sourced from local health services plus national organisations Beyond Blue and Lifeline.
• HALT YouTube Channel HALT's YouTube channel hosting mental health videos and resources supporting tradies and the broader community, including COVID-19 toolkit content.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 3,000 people in Australia lose their lives to suicide each year, with 75% being men
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Fagg's Mitre 10 South GeelongminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 17 July 2020$5,000 donation for HALT to work with four Mitre 10 stores in the Geelong region over 12 months to deliver HALT talks to staff and tradies that shop there.
• Keilor Village Medical CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 February 2020First HALT-friendly clinic in Keilor and North West Melbourne region providing faster and more effective access to support and mental health care for tradies. Will provide GP and Psychology consultations for tradies referred through HALT.
• Mornington MazdacoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 20 November 2019Donation of BT-50 ute for Mick Simmons to use in the Frankston-Mornington Peninsula area. HALT crew visited Mornington Mazda to pick up the vehicle and ran a HALT session for their workforce.
• HALT-Friendly Clinics (Mornington Peninsula)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 October 2019Seven HALT-friendly clinics throughout Mornington Peninsula including Mount Martha Village Clinic (Dr Mark Sujecki). Each clinic has capacity for tradies who attend HALT events to make double appointments for holistic care plans.
• Castlemaine, Bendigo and Maryborough ToyotacoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 22 July 2019Toyota HiLux donation as HALT's first major business sponsor. The HALT-branded HiLux travels hundreds of kilometres across the state to reach tradies, farmers, apprentices, sporting clubs, and community. Castlemaine Toyota New Car Sales Manager Alex DeAraugo stated the partnership fits well with their Toyota demographic.
• KANE ConstructionscoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 23 February 2019Partnership to attend 6 construction sites over 2 days for toolbox talks. Presented to over 500 tradies at Barwon Health North Hospital, Point Cook School, University of Melbourne, Melbourne East Police Station, Geelong Performing Arts Centre, and Royal Melbourne Hospital.
• Murray PHNcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Contract to work with building and construction apprentices across regional Victoria, including TAFEs in Shepparton, Wangaratta, Mildura and Swan Hill. Holding Save Your Bacon brekkies followed by Tough Conversations sessions.
• Reece Plumbing Centre CastlemaineminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 28 February 2018Host venue for Henry Rollins HALT event with approximately 100 people in attendance. Punk legend Henry Rollins attended and interviewed founder Jeremy Forbes for documentary.
• Bendigo Community Health ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 May 2014Partnership enabling HALT to expand across the Loddon Mallee region and throughout Victoria. Jeremy Forbes works from Bendigo Community Health Services' offices three days a week, drawing on its infrastructure and resources. CEO Kim Sykes stated the partnership aims to build a self-sustaining social enterprise model.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Lifeline Australia: National crisis support and suicide prevention charity operating a 24-hour helpline. HALT refers tradies to Lifeline and includes its resources in showbags, making it both a partner and a broader-incumbent mental health peer.
• Movember Foundation: Global men's health charity funding mental health and suicide prevention programs, including men's health initiatives in Australia. Comparable mission focus on men's mental health but operates at much larger international scale.
• R U OK?: Australian suicide prevention charity promoting everyday conversations about mental health through community campaigns. Comparable in mission area and community-awareness focus, though R U OK? serves a general population while HALT targets tradies specifically.
• Beyond Blue: Australia's largest mental health charity providing national support, information, and resources across all populations. HALT directly distributes Beyond Blue materials in its showbags, indicating an overlapping but broader-incumbent relationship.
• Black Dog Institute: Australian medical research institute focused on mental health, including workplace and community programs. Adjacent in mission but operates as a clinical/research entity rather than grassroots outreach.
• SANE Australia: National mental health charity providing support, research, and advocacy for people affected by complex mental health issues. Comparable mission but operates at broader population scale with clinical/service focus.

Direct peers

• MATES in Construction: Australian charity focused specifically on suicide prevention and mental health in the construction industry through workplace-based training and peer support. Most direct comparable to HALT due to overlapping tradie/construction worker audience and similar community-led approach.
• Australian Men's Shed Association: National organization supporting community Men's Sheds, which provide social connection and wellbeing for men, including many tradies. HALT explicitly engages with Men's Sheds as part of its outreach, making them a closely aligned peer in men's community wellbeing.
• OzHelp Foundation: Australian not-for-profit delivering mental health and wellbeing programs to tradies, apprentices, and construction workers, with workplace-based outreach and training services. Directly comparable mission and target audience to HALT.
• Heads Up (Beyond Blue initiative): Beyond Blue's workplace mental health program targeting tradies, construction, and other industries. Directly comparable in tradie-specific workplace mental health focus, backed by the larger Beyond Blue infrastructure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/HALT
• Facebookfacebook.com/HALTAustralia
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/halt-hope-assistance-local-tradies

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about HALT Hope Assistance Local Tradies