Tackling the Tough Topics: Q&A with NCFH’s Sally Cunningham

Launched in 2025, Tackling the Tough Topics outlines best practice guidelines and provides support to organise successful events that foster mental health and wellbeing while avoiding potential harm to vulnerable individuals. 

The guidelines also supported event organisers for the Look Over the Farm Gate program which helped communities come together and support farming families under stress in drought-impacted regions of Victoria.  

NCFH Project/Extension Officer Sally Cunningham (pictured right) led the development of the guidelines. She talks with farmers about creating mentally healthy workplaces, teaches farm safety in high schools across Victoria, and supports farmer mental health following natural disasters. 

How did Tackling the Tough Topics come about?

In 2023, NCFH supported rural community group leaders to run 60 events on protecting mental health in their farming communities following floods and a very challenging season. In every case, there was strong motivation and good intention to improve mental health from within these farming communities.

Leaders really understand the dynamics of their farming community and their particular needs during recovery. However, they are often unsure how to tackle topics around mental health and wellbeing, so they were grateful for some assistance from NCFH to shape their events for maximum effectiveness. 

Tackling the Tough Topics was developed in 2024 through a co-design process with rural mental health specialists, community development and shire disaster recovery staff. It aims to build awareness, knowledge and capability to ensure that when farming communities come together with the purpose of supporting and improving mental health, they are empowered to do so in a way that is well-planned, safe and effective. 

How was research used to inform the content in the guidelines and what effect did this have on the final product?  

NCFH and the rural mental health professionals who collaborated to produce the guidelines ensured that the language and form of the document was very accessible to Australian famers and their communities. We were not writing it for health professionals who understand jargon – it had to be readable, engaging and practical. 

As a result, the guidelines include:

• A clear structure based on 14 key questions to guide event planning  
• Practical templates to ensure the event runs smoothly and achieves its objectives  
• Case studies from rural events and top tips that provide valuable insights  
• Guidance on selecting and preparing guest speakers, ensuring they are well-briefed about the farming community’s unique needs and challenges.  

What feedback have you received from those who have used the guidelines to plan and deliver an event in farming communities with a mental health focus?  

Since its release in February 2025, Tackling the Tough Topics has been accessed by more than 100 event organisers. Those who have used the guidelines tell us:

• They increased their understanding, knowledge and confidence in running community events around farmer mental health
• The handbook was rated highly in terms of applicability, clarity, comprehensiveness, practicality, and achievability of recommendations
• The most useful features included case studies, guidelines for guest speakers and event planning templates. 

In July 2025, the guidelines were embedded in the application process for the Look Over the Farm Gate community grants program. Over 80% of applicants reported that Tackling the Tough Topics was very useful in their planning. 

As we receive more feedback, we will continue to review and improve the content in Tackling the Tough Topics. This will include a greater range of case studies and top tips that will improve its appeal and usefulness to a wider demographic in the farming community.  

What has been your highlight of delivering Tackling the Tough Topics?  

Well-run events start important conversations in farming communities where discussing personal wellbeing or mental health was once associated with stigma and shame. 

It has been gratifying to see the guidelines used successfully to tackle this challenge, and see the diversity and creativity of events designed to promote social connection and protective mental health behaviours in farming communities as part of the Look Over the Farm Gate program.

After decades of technical advisory work, I enjoy working with farmers to bring about positive change for their enterprise, community and the environment.

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See the other articles in our series