A PhD student at The University of Western Australia working to understand how leaders can develop and deliver effective safety messages had his research boosted by a scholarship.

Patrick Benetti received a scholarship through State Government’s Mental Awareness, Respect and Safety Program to address mental well-being, positive workplace culture and safety in the Western Australian mining industry.

Dalkeith-raised Mr Benetti, who is undertaking a PhD and Master of Industrial and Organisational Psychology, is researching the characteristics that make storytelling effective in safety-critical industries.

“In practice, storytelling is a good way to impart information but not every leader who tells a story is good at it,” Mr Benetti said.

“We’re trying to establish nine attributes or characteristics that can help a leader when they’re thinking about what to say in their stories and how that can make sure it’s more effective.”

Mr Benetti was invited to give a talk on his research at an Australian Institute of Health and Safety event and said there was a lot of positive feedback from industry.

“We have had people working in the prison industry, oil and gas, energy as well as mining and  construction all interested in the research,” he said.

“My research is about what makes storytelling effective so leaders can be taught a meaningful way to get safety messages across and it is applicable to a broad array of  industries.”

The scholarship will enable Mr Benetti, who has a love of travel, to attend a conference in Prague and tops up his stipend.

“It's quite exciting that I get to do some fun stuff with the funding,” Mr Benetti said.

“At the conference I’ll be in a leadership symposium as well as delivering an individual talk.”

Mr Benetti was one of four students who received a scholarship awarded by the Minerals Research Institute of Western Australia.