TMM129 Work Buddy Check with Mel Thomas

Bridging the gap between companies, community and the real time support for domestic violence.

In this episode I speak with Mel Thomas, founder of KYUP! and Work Buddy Check – on the role we all play in taking action to speak up, support.

How to have clear communication for those who need support due to domestic violence and how companies can be acutely aware of processes to ensure compliance as well as compassion.

I’ve known Mel for years after mentoring with the Layne Beachley Aim For The Stars program and since first meeting Mel she has stayed steadfast and true to her mission on reducing domestic violence and providing real time support for victims. Cosmo Woman of the Year, 2 x AU Champ Black Belt, Ambassador, Speaker, Founder and CEO – Mel is a true Game Changer

My army of soldiers don’t have guns. They wear school uniforms and the battlefield is mostly in their relationships, and minds.

As the world adapts to surviving a pandemic and increasing numbers are called upon to work from home/stay home, those living in family and domestic violence homes are a trapped.

Work Buddy Check is a simple, smart compliance system for businesses to check in on the safety and wellbeing of your most valuable asset, your people.

Work Buddy Check – Created From Necessity

When the pandemic hit and all of the front facing work with charities stopped, at the same time the not-for-profits and the domestic violence shelters that Mel worked with reached and said they couldn’t actually contact anybody.

The issue is of domestic violence is not going away. We know for example, that if you are pregnant, that that’s one of the most high risk times in domestic violence. And I had a, not for profit up in Queensland calling me saying, I’ve got 40 women that I know are in crisis right now. What can we do?

Mel decided to think about one of the strategies used in kiosks to help young people stay connected – called a trust text and convert this into a buddy system and a compliance system that businesses can use.

It’s it’s so that if you’re working remotely, it provides a more real time and robust actual support for the immediate needs to create safety and action over and above a policy on paper.

Work Buddy Check ensures real time support along with the dignity and privacy that is so crucial in highly charged situations.

* Trust* Privacy* Consistency* Follow Through

Mel grew up with family violence.

My, my dad had mental health problems and issues around alcohol and, um, and I probably would never have done anything about it until I met this young woman who had, she’d gone through a lot. She’d been growing up, she’d, she’d grown up in domestic violence and she’d met a group of guys. And, um, she just found herself in a very disempowered situation.L

I remember her telling me that she was just there one moment then there sort of everybody came around her and she said, I froze. I didn’t know what to do. She experienced this assault in a way that had completely shut her down. That made a cognitive shift for me.

At the end of this really harrowing story, she turned around, she looked at me, he said, Mel,