ENVIRONMENT

Guitar therapy for FIFO workers

NEW South Wales-based technology company Pulse Analytics has teamed with lead guitarist of rock band Rose Tattoo Dai Pritchard in a mental health support initiative to help remote fly-in, fly-out workers in mining get through the COVID-19 pandemic.

 Dai Pritchard and Ash Bosworth

Dai Pritchard and Ash Bosworth

Pritchard is offering miners a program of online guitar lessons to bring some enjoyment as they cope with the isolation brought on by the country's extended lockdowns.

He said playing music was a hugely rewarding part of his life but he also had a lifelong interest in human wellbeing.

After completing qualifications in mental health in 2019 Pritchard came up with the idea of a guitar course to use his music skills to benefit remote workers during the pandemic.

"My guitar course for remote workers consists of fortnightly one-on-one online tuition sessions with self-paced practice and learning between," he said.

"It's up to the individual what we explore together."

Pritchard said it did not matter when a person started playing or if they were starting again because music was a journey with never-ending discoveries.

"I've spent time in a mining camp donga and it's not much different from the isolation we can feel being in a band on the road a long way from home," he said.

"People can feel even more lonely in a crowd."

The guitar lessons cost $40 per week and are not funded by any scheme or subsidy so Pulse has agreed to pay the first $80 towards lessons for the first 20 mining workers to join the program.

Pulse managing director and CEO Ash Bosworth said the company was encouraging other companies in the mining industry to get on board.

"It's interesting that a relatively high number of Pulse employees working day-to-day on world-leading software are musicians still playing on the side," he said.

"As with participation in sporting activities, businesses have much to gain from their people continually developing their coordination, agility, timing, and collaborative skills,"

Pritchard said Bosworth was an excellent example of a senior executive with a musician inside of them, just waiting to break out.

"With his encouragement, I'm inviting men and women in mining to join me in their downtime from any location," he said.

"Get in touch with your inner guitar hero, unleash your creativity, and we'll get through these crazy times by jamming together."

Pritchard said music was, after all, a great healer.

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Pritchard playing with Rose Tattoo

 

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