Tackling the Tough Topics
Download a step-by-step guide to plan mental health and wellbeing events in farming communities.
Resilience is broadly defined as the ability to respond to change and restore, maintain or improve community wellbeing ability. Personal and community resilience are influenced by many factors applicable to farmers and farming community networks including culture, social relationships and engagement. A range of tools and methods have been used to date to engage communities in resilience building. Just as important are the approaches that underpin these tools and methods, including place-based and co-designed approaches, and ways of working that build on established and trusted community networks.
Agriculture-dependent Community Resilience evaluation | 2021-2023
Through the Smarter Safer Farms Program funded by Agriculture Victoria, the Department of Health facilitated the delivery and evaluation of 11 resilience building projects across Victoria. Funding was informed by a review of previous evidence about building resilience in agriculture-dependent communities. Evidence from the rapid review also informed the design and implementation of a program evaluation and facilitated the coordination and evaluation of a resilience-focused Community of Practice to support the 11 project teams—both led by the National Centre for Farmer Health.
This project:
- Conducted a review of the evidence relating to resilience initiatives in agriculture dependent communities.
- Drew on findings from the review to support communication, collaboration and shared learning between 11 resilience projects by establishing, coordinating and evaluating a Communities of Practice (CoP)
- Developed and applied/implemented an evaluation framework to assess the process, impact and short-term outcomes of the agriculture-dependent community resilience activities.
Compilation Video
Community Resilience Projects
Watch below videos about the community resilience projects
Resilience Builders – Tool for Tough Times
The Resilience Builders developed the Tools for Tough Times program targeted to secondary school students in outer-regional and remote Victoria. The program equipped students with tools and strategies to become more resilient. To support greater reach of the resources, the eResilience program was developed and included online modules that participants can complete in their own time.
Grampians Health – FarmWell
The FARMwell project by Grampians Health aimed to connect, inform and activate farming communities to build community resilience and wellbeing. FARMwell sought to increase capacity to manage stress, strengthen networks and improve access to information and support.
Connect Well – East Gippsland & Wellington Farmer Resilience Project
Connect Well East Gippsland and Wellington Farmer Resilience Project was run by Gippsland Lakes Complete Health. The project utilised asset-based community development and health promotion to increase community resilience in 20 rural communities over the two LGAs.
RFCS – Reaching out to Farming Families
The Rural Financial Council Service (RFCS) Victoria West developed the project Reaching Out to Farming Families (ROFF) South West Victoria. This aimed to develop a farmer health and wellbeing education and engagement program to build social connection and peer support and increase farming families awareness of healthcare and community services.
Grampians Health – Wimmera Resilience Project
The Hindmarsh and Yarriambiack Resilience Project was developed by the Wimmera Primary Care Partnership. It aimed to increase farmer knowledge and empower them to support people in need. The project sought to increase the digital literacy of farmers and to assist them in accessing services and remaining connected to family and friends.
Barwon South West – Harvesting Resilient Futures
Harvesting Resilient Futures, targeted the Southern Grampians and Glenelg Shire council areas. It aimed to build community resilience leadership and capability by developing a shared understanding, establishing networks, building capability and aligning efforts of local support services to increase resilience to shocks and stressors within the agricultural-dependent community.
Birchip Cropping Group – Building a Better Buloke
The Buloke Resilience Project was delivered by the Birchip Cropping Group (BCG) and took a proactive approach targeting the young farming community of the Buloke Shire to enhance resilience and mental health of the agricultural sector.
Gannawarra Shire – Connecting Gannawarra
The Gannawarra Shire Council undertook the Connecting Gannawarra-Local Community Planning Initiative. This project aimed to develop individualised local community plans for six rural districts to support localised community strategic planning and empower communities to plan for the future whilst building resilience.
Gateway Health – The Building Ovens-Murray AgSector Resilience program
The Building Ovens-Murray AgSector (BOMAR) Project by Gateway Health targeted agricultural-dependent communities in North East Victoria. The project connected farming families and members of the agricultural-dependent community with the services they may need to enable them to embrace choice, ‘live well’ and understand what good mental health is.
Bass Coast – Resilient Farming Communities
Delivered by the Bass Coast Shire Council this project aimed to improve resilience and mental health outcomes in their farming community. The three main components were small agribusiness and farming diversity and resilience group program, Delivery of Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training and delivery of a program (in partnership with Food and Fibre Gippsland) to better support existing health and agribusiness networks.
More Information
For more information on this project please contact:
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