His previous hand-painted Toyota is tough. The trailer that it tows is tough, and his indicators that ask “You OK Bro?” are equally tough.

Let’s name all of these parts “authentic”.

And the person himself? Authentically welcoming, heat and considerate.

At first glimpse, Scotty Harvey presents as a lonely man on the lookout for firm. He’ll be sitting in a park beside a busy street, ready for somebody – anybody – to roll up in response to his indicators.

And when that somebody, anybody, materialises, they will get chatting and simply perhaps the individual will admit that they are not “OK”, that they are battling their psychological well being and will do with some help.

The chat may go on for hours, however for Harvey, that is completely OK.

As a registered social employee, he is aware of how to attract folks out and supply steering — within the non-threatening environs of a scenic park.

“It’s not about people going into an office,” he mentioned. “It’s about being able to sit down under a beautiful tree or sitting on the side of the road going ‘I need to yarn to him, to that guy that cares.'”

He believes there’s nothing extra highly effective than a relaxed chat, as a primary gaze into an individual’s life.

“It’s non-judgemental, it’s just about ‘are you OK?’

“Mental well being would not begin on a Monday at eight o’clock and end on a Friday at 5 o’clock. I haven’t got any restrictions to say ‘half an hour, sorry, your time’s up’.”

‘I’ve lived mental health’

Glancing up at the giant oak we were talking under, he offered: “This tree makes you nicely simply sitting underneath it.”

And he wasn’t wrong. The dappled sunlight and soft rustle of the breeze in the leaves were incredibly soothing.

Harvey’s heartened by the response he’s received around Tauranga and his home patch of Te Puna, to the point where next month he’ll embark on a summer road trip from the Bay of Plenty down to Bluff and back.

His routine will be exactly the same. Find a tranquil place to stop, hammer in his two signs, unfold two chairs and wait to have a yarn.

“Any day’s the proper day for a chat.”

The 51-year-old said he’ll be targeting smaller towns, where he knows the need for mental health support is as great as it is in the cities.

“I’ve lived psychological well being, I’ve lived and breathed it. Going to neighborhood psychological well being was scary, sitting there for hours in my very own head.

“I have been to the brink, right to the bottom.”

So as you hit the highways over summer season, hold an eye fixed out for Harvey and his multi-coloured 1997 Toyota station wagon – it is fairly a deal with.

And if his “You OK Bro?” indicators resonate, pull over, pull up a chair and let the chatter stream.

And bear in mind, time would not matter — it is your psychological well being that does.

Scotty is that this week’s ASB Good As Gold recipient and receives $10,000 for his enterprising method to psychological well being help.

If you already know a deserving New Zealander you’d prefer to nominate for ASB Good as Gold, click on here.