There are numerous
organisations working to
support rural women.FARMING MUMS NZ
This group of 12,000 rural
women was set up to
support, inspire and connect
its members. Founder
Chanelle O’Sullivan says,
“It has provided a place of
stability for many women
and families over the years.”
Between 2016 and 2018, it
raised $30,000, which was
split between the Rural
Support Trust and St John
Ambulance. Last year, it
helped develop in-depth
research into rural women’s
mental health.FARMSTRONG
A nationwide rural wellbeing
programme, it was launched
in 2015 by the Mental Health
Foundation and rural insurer
FMG with support from the
Movember Foundation. It
offers practical ways to help
farmers through:
✦ Sharing farmers’ stories
about what works for them,
supported by tips and advice
from wellbeing science.
✦ Creating tools and
resources delivered via their
website and face to face at
agriculture events, workshops
and educational forums.
✦ Encouraging community-
led events and initiatives that
help farmers stay connected
and have breaks.RURAL
SUPPORTTRUST
Itwasoriginallyformedto
assistfarmersduringthe
financialchallengesofthe
1980sandaftersevere
weatherevents.Today,thereare (^14) RuralSupportTrusts
acrossthecountry,providing
servicestohelpfarmersdeal
withtheuniquedemandsof
theirprofession.Allhave
trainedfacilitatorswhocan
assistruralpeoplewitha
widerangeofissues.
Forinformationandfree
resources,visit:
RuralWomenNewZealand:
(^0800256) 467,
ruralwomennz.nz
Rural Support Trust:
0800 797 254;
rural-support.org.nz
Federated Farmers:
0800 327 646; fedfarm.org.nz
Young Farmers: (03) 344 2473
Dairy Women’s Network:
0800 396 748
Farmstrong:
farmstrong.org.nz
Depression helpline:
0800 111 757
Lifeline: 0800 543 354
Youthline:
0800 376 633; free text 234
Samaritans: 0800 726 666
Women’s Refuge:
0800 733 843
Shakti New Zealand:
0800 742 584
Need to Talk? Phone
or text 1737
TEXT:
JULIE
JACOBSON.
PICTURES:
ROBERT
TRATHEN.
HAIR
&
MAKE-UP:
JULES
ARMISHAW.
having had an enormous
impact on rural communities.
They were often the social
glue, places people could
meet for a chat, where they
could keep an eye on each
other.
“For a lot of older people
especially, their trips to the
bank were their social outing.
They’d go and see the bank
teller once a week and the
bank teller got to know the
routine. If so and so hadn’t
been in one day then they
would notice that. It was like
a check-up service.
“And schools and halls
have always been the hub of
our communities. If we’re not
having the get-togethers at
halls like we used to then
that’s another support gone.”
A lack of access to
cellphonecoverageand
broadbandinmoreremote
areasis a majorconcern,and
onethatis oftenoverlooked
bypolicymakers,addsFiona.
Thatmeansmodern
telehealthservicesofferlittle
benefit.A bettersolution,
offersFiona,couldbetotrain
thoselivingandworkingin
ruralcommunitiestoidentify
andworkalongsidepeople
struggling.
ExplainsFiona,“Wetalk
aboutrural-proofing– where
proposalsanddecisionsmade
bygovernmentconsiderthe
impactonruralcommunities
aspartoftheprocessand
createopportunitieswhere
weworkasa partnershipto
providesupportwhereit’s
needed.
“RuralWomenNew
Zealand,andother
communityandindustry
organisations,tryand
offerregularnetworking
opportunities– thereare
eventssuchaslonglunches
orfishandchipnights–
whereallthelocalscan
cometogetherandbasically
checkupandcheckinwith
eachother.
“Wetalkaboutcaringfor
thecarerandsupportforthe
supporter.We’llgoinandsay,
‘Right,howcanwehelp,what
canwetakeoffyou?Giveme
thekidsfora coupleofhours,
goandgetyourhaircut.’
“There’softentheattitude
thatif I justkeepworking,I
won’thavetothinkaboutit.
Notdealingwithit canbea
realissue.It’sveryimportant
thatwehavesomepeoplein
ourlivesthatwetrusttotell
ourstory,wartsandall;
someonewecangotoand
say,‘I’mhavingtheworstday
ever,’someonetositdown
withandhavea goodhowl
ortalk.”
AnotherideathatRural
WomenNZ– whichhas
membersthroughoutthe
country,fromallbackgrounds
andages– is keentoexplore
is developingcommunity
hubswherementalhealth
providersholdregularclinics
insomeofoursmallertowns.
SaysFiona,“Kiwisarenot
goodatputtingtheirhandup
andaskingforhelp– we’ve
beenbroughtupthatway.
OneinthreeNewZealanders
willsufferfromdepressionor
anothermentalhealthillness
atsomestageintheirlives.
Tobeabletosayyouneed
helpcantakea longtime.I
struggledbecauseI wastoo
scaredto.I didn’twanttobe
seenasa failure.Wetoooften
thinklikethat.I hitrock
bottomandthenI gottoa
stageof,‘OK,I havetoget
outofthis.’I toldmyselfI
neededhelp.
“I wasluckyI sawwhat
washappening,butothers
whentheyaredesperate,
can’t.Whenyouarereally
downandstressed,it is
difficulttoseeyourway
through,butif welearn
copingmechanismsandwe
havethesupportnetworks
aroundus,thenthat’sa
goodstart.”
Sheadds,“RuralWomen
NewZealandgavemethe
socialsupportnetworkI
needed,theopportunities
andencouragementtouse
anddevelopmyskills,and
confidencetomakea
differencelocally,nationally
andglobally.” #
Sometimes women
just need a good
chinwag to sort out
their problems, and
Fiona offers that
- as well as a cuppa!
38 Woman’s Day