THE AgMind Australia – For farmers, by farmers, free Shed Talk event in Surf Beach is being held on Wednesday, September 17, from 10 am until 2 pm by founder, Nikole Schellekens.
Shed Talk is a workshop on farmer wellbeing and mental health, designed for farmers, ag workers, and rural communities. “It’s about keeping yourself steady through tough times, supporting your mates, and learning simple tools to handle stress and pressure,” said Nikole.
“The sessions are run by people who know farming and mental health - so it’s real, relatable, and useful. And don’t forget, a roast lunch will be provided!”
This hands-on workshop helps farmers and people in rural communities deal with pressure, support their mates, and stay steady through tough times – with practical tools, real yarns, and no fluff.
“We’re delivering mental health education to farmers on the farm. When I did my master's research, one of the big findings was that farmers don’t want to talk to those who aren’t farmers. They don't want to explain why a drought is hard, or why paying $200 a bail for rounds is hard. They need people who get where they're already at, and that's the key,” Nikole explained.
“We're meeting farmers where they're already at, instead of making them sit and explain why everything's tough. It's based on psychological ideas, but the main aim is to have a chat. It's not a lecture. There's no PowerPoint, none of that. It's simply sitting around the table as a group.”
Nikole said that the afternoon is about talking through the challenges and exploring a range of support strategies. “Strategies to support ourselves, and our mates,” said Nikole.
“We’ll then talk about all the local resources and national resources that can support us through rough times.”
Shed Talk is supported by a Look Over the Farm Gate Grant provided by Agriculture Victoria and the National Centre for Farmer Health. It's a program designed to co-identify resources; for example, there are drought infrastructure grants. The program underlines networking, allowing the group to share skills and knowledge.
“Together we can open a really great conversation, share ideas and support each other,” said Nikole. “Farmers will leave with a few strategies that they can easily try at home, strategies that you don’t need to leave the tractor, or the Ute – making them accessible and simple – no need to pull out the meditation cushion -although I do love meditation, but that’s not what this program is about, it’s about strategies you can implement when you’re moving the cows, or simply on the go, because we all know farmers are busy enough,” Nikole explained.
“A big part of the event is to help figure out what our tipping points are within ourselves and how we respond to stress. And there's a little of the science in there. We’ll talk a bit about how prolonged stress affects the body and the mind.”
Nikole said that the event will discuss how the brain responds to incoming stress when it's already stressed out. “We’ll deliver strategies on how to retrain the brain to stop that from happening, and what we can do to support ourselves. So, it's not all doom and gloom. I promise. The Education side is getting to know your stress levels and the effect that’s having on your everyday life. It’s also about acknowledging others’ stress, whether it’s a partner, staff on the farm, or an external colleague. As farmers, we need to work together.”
“When we're standing up against the new Victorian Emergency Services Levy, we're standing together. We need to stand together, but in a skilful way!” said Nikole.
“We need to learn the skills to support our mates. It’s not enough to say I support you; I’m here for you. Let's learn the skills so we're all on the same page, and then we can truly stand together, supporting each other's mental health and well-being.”
Book to secure your spot (and your lunch) by simply texting Nikole on 0419 699 965 or emailing hello@agmind.com.au. Because remember, connection saves lives.