Pailton & District YFC make mental health awareness a priority topic and regularly encourage members to open up. The club's Social media managers Chloe Copeland and Tilly Lea share their insights on why it's so important to check on everyone’s wellbeing.
A. This month, we held a games night on Time To Talk Day [a mental health awareness event, created by the charity Mind] with a chance to catch up with each other. It created a safe space to talk about what is going on in our lives – the good and the bad. We wanted to encourage talking about our mental health in a relaxed environment (i.e. while playing games and having a cuppa!) which makes it easier and more comfortable to talk.
It's important to make time to do this, especially with the huge hits the farming community are facing – most notably the proposed changes to inheritance tax.
A. It was a successful evening. Everyone was socialising and sharing what was on their minds. A problem shared is a problem halved.
A. Many of our meetings help our members with their mental health in different ways. We try to have social evenings like this, or activities like bowling and going for a meal, at least once a month to let us all relax and socialise.
Equally, some members find that learning a new skill or doing something for charity helps their mental health. We also get involved in social media campaigns, including The Farm Safety Foundation’s Mind your Head Week, Neurodiversity Celebration Week, and others, to share information about mental health and other issues affecting us in a wider space.
A. I think it's important to host evenings like this because it's ok not to be ok. Having a safe space for members to socialise and share can be the difference between making a hard time easier, and between members getting the help they need or suffering in silence. By helping each other, members also learn to support other people.
A. We have previously held the NFYFC workshops Mind Your Head and Rural+. We thought they were good because we were learning about the risks and what happens if people are not ok. I would recommend them to others to understand the importance of mental health especially in farming as it can be rather isolating.
A. Offering a safe space to discuss people’s lives - including the good, bad, and in-between – can feel very personal, but by doing so club members will feel safer and have a stronger community.
Have resources available at the meeting – regardless of the topic or activity – to direct members to mental health support if needed. Always take the time to remind your members of the support available.
To find out more about hosting the Mind Your Head and Rural+ workshops, visit the Ready-Made Club Nights page for more information.
