NCFH Partner Impact in Action: Deafness Forum Australia
Deafness Forum Australia’s partnership with the National Centre for Farmer Health (NCFH) is grounded in a shared commitment to improving the health, wellbeing and safety of farming communities.
Recognising the NCFH’s trusted presence within agriculture, the collaboration provides a powerful platform to embed hearing health where it is needed most.
Pictured: Deafness Forum Australia CEO Rhonda Locke.
“Rather than creating something separate, we saw an opportunity to integrate hearing health into a platform that already reaches the people who need it most.”
At the heart of the partnership between Deafness Forum Australia and the NCFH is a focus on prevention, education and real-world impact. By embedding hearing health into programs such as Shifting Gears, which engages young people entering agriculture, the initiative ensures that health messages are not only delivered, but applied in practical, everyday settings.
The Hearing Safety in Agriculture module complements the existing Shifting Gears teaching resources, which includes a video, three additional activities and suggested discussions for teachers to have important conversations with their students.
“This partnership allows us to move from advocacy into action,” Deafness Forum Australia CEO Rhonda Locke says. “We’re not just raising awareness, we’re contributing to long-term behaviour change.”
Hearing safety remains an often-overlooked issue in agriculture, where it is frequently accepted as part of the job. Deafness Forum Australia is working to challenge this perception by ensuring education is relevant, practical and grounded in the realities of farming life.
A key focus is early intervention. By reaching students through agricultural education and training, the partnership aims to normalise hearing protection from the beginning of a farming career, rather than trying to correct habits later.
As Rhonda notes, “Hearing loss in agriculture is often seen as part of the job, but it doesn’t have to be. Small, consistent actions taken early can make a significant difference over time. Protecting your hearing is part of protecting your livelihood, your independence and your connection to others.”
Partnerships that understand the communities they serve
Looking ahead, there is an opportunity to further integrate hearing health into broader farm safety conversations, reinforcing its importance alongside other critical health and wellbeing priorities.
Together, Deafness Forum Australia and NCFH demonstrate how strategic collaboration can translate shared purpose into practical outcomes, embedding hearing health into farming life and supporting safer, more resilient rural communities.
“The NCFH brings together research, education and lived experience in a way that creates real impact. Partnerships like this show what is possible when expertise is shared and solutions are built collaboratively.”