2016-01-22: ‘Program to fight suicide stigma’ – Sunraysia Daily
FARMERS in Victoria’s Mallee are being encouraged to take part in a program which aims to reduce the stigma surrounding suicide.
The program involves encouraging farmers affected by suicide to tell their stories using digital technology or by sending a postcard.
National Centre for Farmer Health research fellow for the Ripple Effect program Alison Kennedy said a steering group has been formed to conduct the national project, but there still wasn’t a representative from the Mallee.
NCFH to host Professor Gert van der Laan in February 2016
2016-01-19: ‘Website and postcards set to help reduce stigma around suicide in Australian farming communities’ – ABC Rural
Website and postcards set to help reduce stigma around suicide in Australian farming communities
by Nathan Coates
The National Centre for Farmer Health (NCFH) is concerned about the community left behind when an Australian farmer commits suicide.
The centre has developed a website designed to reduce the stigma experienced by those communities, and has recently launched new initiatives such as pre-paid postcards, the recruitment of community champions and a digital storytelling workshop.
It is all part of what is called The Ripple Effect and it began last year.
NCFH’s Alison Kennedy said The Ripple Effect was helping farmers open up about their problems.
“There are heightened risks of suicide within farming communities,” she said.
“And there are some cultural aspects within farming communities that suggest people are less likely to seek help when they are struggling.
“That comes down to an increase in stigma around the issues of help seeking, having any emotional problems and suicide.”
[… more]
To read the full article and listen to the audio interview: 2016-01-19: ‘Website and postcards set to help reduce stigma around suicide in Australian farming communities’ – ABC Rural
2016-01-14 World disease authority is keynote speaker at ag health training
World disease authority is keynote speaker at ag health training
A world authority on occupational diseases will be a keynote speaker at the National Centre for Farmer Health’s 2016 Agricultural Health and Medicine (HMF701) post graduate course run through Deakin University School of Medicine.
Five years ago Dr Gert van der Laan, founder of the Netherlands Centre for Occupational Diseases, was involved in the world’s largest outbreak of Q Fever.
In 2009-2011 the Netherlands faced around 2500 cases and 24 fatalities as well as slaughtering thousands of goats.
Dr van der Laan said the outbreak was the inevitable result of too many goats living in close proximity to humans with poor hygiene practices.
He said the proximity of livestock and humans per square kilometer in the Netherlands was not a challenge faced by Australians but still provided a frightening insight of the rampant nature of the disease.
“In European agriculture, occupational health services and good working conditions are lacking in contrast to a lot of other industries,” Dr van der Laan said.
“There are a lot of accidents and disease challenges and the reason I would like to see courses like HMF701 Agricultural Health and Medicine worldwide is to further develop occupational health,” he said.
“That is what our Committee on Rural Health from the International Conference on Occupational Health is about.”
“These courses should be made available to doctors, nurses and to other ag-related services.
“I expect to take as many ideas back to Europe with me as I can offer during my presentation in Australia.”
Currently visiting professor at the International Centre for Rural Health at the University of Milan, and active within the Foundation for Learning and Developing Occupational Health,
Dr van der Laan said there is a course similar to HMF701 in the US and Sweden.
He said countries need to learn from each other, with teaching material shared through international networks to deliver “this valuable and essential” training.
Director of the National Centre for Farmer Health, Dr Susan Brumby, said HMF701 was still the only course of its kind in Australia, and that the Swedish and American experience showed its ability to adapt to other countries.
“Just looking around our own borders I have no doubt it would be a perfect fit for New Zealand and Indonesia,” Dr Brumby said.
“More than 120 people have completed this ground-breaking course in agricultural health, wellbeing and safety with every state and mainland territory represented,” she said.
“This growing number of health professionals are addressing the health disparities in our agricultural and rural populations and making a real difference to the lives of farmers and their families and employees.
“The 2016 course begins with a one-week intensive from February 22 to 26 and if you have a staff member with a passion and interest in rural health and injuries support them to increase their skills and knowledge with this innovative course, and make a difference.
“People with this training are uniquely placed to become leaders within your organisation in agricultural health and medicine.
“Alternatively, if you have any staff undertaking post graduate studies, such as diabetes education, masters of nursing, agribusiness, social work, critical care, midwifery, policy or pharmacy, HMF701 can also be taken as an elective.
“Doctors enrolled with the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) or Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) fellowships can claim two credit points towards their Graduate Certificate in Agricultural Health and Medicine once completed.”
Places are available and enrolments for the 2016 course are open through Deakin University. For more information visit www.farmerhealth.org.au or contact the Course Director, Dr Susan Brumby on 03 5551 8533.
Dr Susan Brumby, National Centre for Farmer Health
03 5551 8533
susan.brumby@deakin.edu.au
2015-12: Spring edition, The Buzz – Australian Women in Agriculture newsletter
Download entire newsletter here (PDF)
Help shape drought support
Have your say in an on-line forum on how the Victorian Government should allocate the $10 million set aside in its $27 million Drought Response Package.
Go to http://oursay.org/victoriandrought?
Farmer Health e-News – December 2015
Wow – what a year! Enrol Now in HMF701. And the Winners are…!! SFF™ Train the Trainer recap.
Please note: our mail-out listed the start date of HMF701 as 26th February 2016. This was an error – the correct start date is 22nd February 2016. Apologies for any inconvenience or confusion.
Download the PDF version here : December 2015
2015-11-28: ‘Project targets stigma of farmers’ higher suicide risk’ & ‘Men’s show of strength’ : Geelong Advertiser
20151128-GeelongAdvertiser-GentsLunch (PDF)
Project targets stigma of farmers’ higher suicide risk.
by Margaret Linley
THE Ripple Effect project is geared towards changing the way farmers think about mental health, according to National Centre for Farmer Health director Sue Brumby, pictured left.
“People who have had an experience of suicide — they may have been bereaved or cared for someone — have a higher risk of suicide them- selves,’’ Ms Brumby said. “But there is a stigma around that and people don’t talk about it and so the ripples are very negative.”
The Ripple Effect aims to change the effect to a positive by telling people’s stories.
Farmers provide messages of what has helped them, what they have learned or what actions they can take to improve their own health and wellbeing.
The postcards are anony- mous and postage is prepaid.
They will be featured on the Ripple Effect website from April or May next year. Farmers, as an occupational group, have a suicide rate twice the general population, according to the Centre.
Ms Brumby said some of the factors contributing to the suicide rate include isolation, compounded often by slow internet connections; the workplace and the home being the one and same; and the relentless 24/7 nature of farming.
To request a postcard go to therippleeffect.com.au or phone the National Centre for Farmer Health on (03) 5551 8533.
Men’s show of strength
by Margaret Linley
MEN walked away from their tractors and desks yesterday in a show of support for men’s mental health.
More than 170 members of the Gentlemen of Geelong gathered for the group’s annual event at Flying Brick Cider House in Wallington for lunch and a chance to talk.
And, while the event might appear to be just “a day on the turps”, organisers said it was so much more with funds raised going to the National Centre for Farmer Health, Headspace Geelong, Lifeline and Movember.
…Read the rest of the article in PDF: 20151128-GeelongAdvertiser-GentsLunch (PDF)
2015-11-24: ‘Look after your mates, farm leaders say’ – The Weekly Times
THE moment the headers stop and the harvest is over is when the full impact of drought will really hit home, warns Victorian Farmers Federation vice-president David Jochinke.
“That’s when we’ve got to face the reality of what the next year brings,” the Murra Wurra farmer said.
“Especially coming up to Christmas, when you’re looking at another tough 12 months that you’ve got to carry yourself through. It’s probably the most critical period and we have to make sure we get our arms around our farming community.
“We need to talk about our issues and if we feel that someone needs help, we can prompt them to seek it out.”
That is why Mr Jochinke was pleased to see the Victorian Government commit to funding the Look Over Your Farm Gate program, as part of a new $1.5 million drought extension program announced by Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews in Birchip on Sunday.
The program is a joint venture between the VFF, Royal Flying Doctor Service, Country Women’s Association, Country Fire Authority and National Centre for Farmer Health.
The organisations will work together on a series of workshops on mental and physical health and domestic violence issues in the farming and rural sector.
VFF president Peter Tuohey said it was critical farmers looked after other farmers. “I’ve had calls from farmers saying they’re a bit concerned about their neighbours and I can understand that,” Mr Tuohey said.
Mr Jochinke said all farmers were likely to experience difficult times.
“I’ve had my moments — we’ve had some tough times,” he said.
“No one is bulletproof.”
“I’ve got friends that were touched by the whole Lockhart disaster (when a NSW farmer took his own life and that of his family in September last year) and you just don’t want to have any tragedies in your community.
“There’s no harm in asking someone ‘Are you OK?’. It doesn’t cost a thing.”
To read the article: 2015-11-24: ‘Look after your mates, farm leaders say’ – The Weekly Times
Ripple Effect Postcards to give insight into rural suicide
Ripple Effect Postcards to give insight into rural suicide
Tuesday 24 November, 2015
The Ripple Effect, a collaborative digital project spearheaded by farmers, health professionals and advocacy groups is inviting farmers to share their personal stories of suicide through a unique postcard initiative.
Farmers are being invited to provide input about their personal experiences of suicide in the Ripple Effect—a project where farmers are helping farmers beat rural suicide.
Victorian Farmer Nick Shady knows all too well the need for a new approach to dealing with the Ripple Effect of mental illness in rural communities.
“I know there’s a lot of talk about how rural men don’t open up and can’t open up and don’t see a forum where they can. That’s the hard part; how do we reach people who feel like that, before it’s too late,” Nick said.
Nick is now a member of the Ripple Effect Steering Group, a project he feels passionate about.
“We believe that by involving farming communities we can help turn the negative ripple of suicide into a positive ripple of support. To get this ripple started, we are calling on farmers to tell their story as a way to help others in similar circumstances.”
Katrina Myers, from Barham in New South Wales shares this sentiment.
“I’ve seen so many examples of where people who have personal lived experiences can make a really big difference and so I feel like there is that opportunity to do that.
“We are asking people from the rural farming community to share one thing about their experience of suicide that might be helpful to other people in the same boat. All they need to do is fill in and return a Ripple Effect postcard.
What would you want to tell someone who might be going through a tough time? What advice would you give them? It’s about helping each other turn the tide and learning from other people in the farming community.
The postcards are anonymous and postage paid. It’s a simple process, but one that can potentially make a real difference to someone’s life.
The messages from the postcards will be collected and shared as part of the Ripple Effect website.
People will be able to share their stories of what has helped them, learn from others and take action to make positive changes to their own health and wellbeing.
Alison Fairleigh from the Mental Illness Fellowship of North Queensland—a Ripple Effect partner organisation—explained one of the ideas behind the postcards.
“We understand that rural communities experience severe disadvantage when it comes to internet speed and connectivity, so we want to provide an opportunity for people to contribute to a positive ripple of support both on and offline.”
“The Ripple Effect is about farmers helping farmers. We know through our own experience, that no one tells a story about life on the land, its ups and its downs better than farmers themselves. We also know that people in farming communities are renowned for helping each other—that’s what keeps small communities alive. The Ripple Effect postcards combine the strength of storytelling with rural people’s natural enthusiasm for supporting each other,” Ms Fairleigh said.
The Ripple Effect is a partnership between, National Centre for Farmer Health, Deakin University, Sandpit, Victorian Farmers Federation, AgChatOz, Mental Health Fellowship North Queensland and Western District Health Service.
The Ripple Effect is funded by beyondblue through donations from the Movember foundation.
To request a postcard, find out more information about the Ripple Effect postcards or add your name to our contact list, please visit http://www.therippleeffect.com.au or phone the National Centre for Farmer Health on (03) 5551 8533.
If you are feeling distressed, we urge you to call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or beyondblue on 1300 22 4636 or Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467 for counselling support.
2015-11-19: Recognising and responding to stress in challenging times: Graincorp Newsletter
Farmer Health e-News – November 2015
People’s Choice Voting Open; SFF Trainers Wanted; Start a Ripple of Support; Responding to Stress – read all this and more in this month’s newsletter.
Download the PDF version here : November 2015