BEYOND Blue is proud to announce the appointment of Leila McDougall, farmer, filmmaker, and mental health advocate, as Campaign Ambassador for Farming and Rural Communities as part of the Just a Farmer Regional Screening Project.

Leila’s appointment to the campaign reflects a strong and genuine alignment with Beyond Blue’s mission to support mental health in farming and rural communities, in addition to supporting small business owners who live and work in rural and regional Australia. As both a farmer and the creator and lead actress of the feature film Just a Farmer, Leila brings lived experience and authenticity to her advocacy. She understands firsthand the pressures of financial uncertainty, isolation, and mental health challenges that often affect farmers, their communities and rural small business owners.

“Living and working in a rural community, I’ve seen how mental health struggles can go unnoticed or unspoken,” says Leila McDougall.

“Through Just a Farmer, I wanted to start conversations that matter and genuinely reflect what life is like on the farm and for rural communities.

"As a Beyond Blue ambassador for farming and rural communities, I’m proud to help to continue to break down stigma and encourage people to seek support. Beyond Blue is there for farmers and rural communities and offers support such as NewAccess for Small Business Owners (NASBO) – a free and confidential service, tailored to the realities of farming and small business life. It’s exactly what our communities need.”