3. Programs to increase business, family and personal resilience

Managing the Pressures of Farming program

The Australian Centre for Agricultural Health and Safety has worked with farmers in north west NSW and identified key pressures that farms, farm families and individuals find most difficult to cope with. The project has produced a useful manual - Managing the pressures of farming - Farm family business handbook, a farmer friendly maintenance check, with suggested options for reducing pressure that have been identified form available evidence of effectiveness.

The manual is also available on CD and on the website:
www.aghealth.org.au/pressures

Lead action: Australian Centre for
Agricultural Health and Safety

Australian Centre for Agricultural Health and Safety
www.acahs.med.usyd.edu.au

4. Access to Rural Financial Counsellors

Rural Financial Counselors have been demonstrated to play a key role for farmers who need assistance in the organizing their financial affairs, particularly those businesses may be failing. In addition, these services have become key sources of information regarding available subsidies and other sources of financial and counseling assistance in the communities they serve. The services would be enhanced by co-location of social workers with financial counselors.

The network will advocate for the maintenance and enhancement of these services in forms that meet the needs of farmers, thereby enhancing mental health and wellbeing.

Lead action: NSW Farmers

NSW Farmers Association
www.nswfarmers.org.au

NSW Association of Rural Financial Counsellor Groups
www.ruralcounselling.org.au

5. Access to Drought Support Workers

Drought support workers administered through the Department of Primary Industries can provide effective assistance during severe drought. Linkage of these services with the range of available services in the Network will enhance their effectiveness in improving mental health and wellbeing of people in the farming sector.

Lead action: DPI

Department of Primary Industries
www.dpi.nsw.gov.au

6. Access to welfare programs

The Network recognizes the vital role played by welfare agencies in helping to reduce intolerable stress during times of hardship. These include Anglicare, the Salvation Army. St Vincent de Paul and the Smith Family. Other agencies in the network can work more closely with these agencies, and agencies such as the Country Women's Association can play effective roles in coordination of welfare effort.

Lead action: All network partners

Presentation Sisters Rural Outreach Service http://pbvm.org.au/wagga/wagga_ministries.html

Rural Doctors Association of Australia
www.rdaa.com.au

St Vincent de Paul Society
www.vinnies.org.au

The Salvation Army
www.salvos.org.au

Wesley Mission/LifeForce
www.wesleylifeforce.org

MacKillop Family Services
www.mackillop.org.au

Centrelink
www.centrelink.gov.au

Anglicare
www.anglicare.org.au

Country Women's Association - NSW
www.cwaofnsw.org.au