Samaritans Cymru is setting out to break the cycle of suicide risk in rural Wales by launching the ‘Our Farming, Our Future’ project at this year's Royal Welsh Show in July 2024. This project, delivered in partnership with farming support charity Tir Dewi, will work closely with Wales Young Farmers Clubs (YFC) and their members to develop peer-led activities and resources that can be used and shared throughout all clubs, ultimately to reduce the risk of suicide in rural communities across Wales.
Sian Jones, from Powys is the newly appointed Young Farmer’s Project Officer for Samaritans Cymru.
When asked about the project and her role, Sian said:
I was born and raised in a farming family and community, so I truly understand the challenges faced by farmers and their families; my husband, son, and other family members and friends are farmers, and our three children are members of the YFC. Another important aspect is the Welsh language; I grew up in a bilingual family within a Welsh-speaking area and as a bilingual user of both Welsh and English; I’m excited to connect with all members in the language they feel most comfortable with.
With so much discussion and uncertainty surrounding the farming industry, we must pay attention to the needs of our younger farmers as they are our future. Most YFC members feel safe in their familiar settings, so a community-led approach is the most suitable way of introducing and sharing the project with them. I will be helping the young people to see that they have strengths and skills and to understand how they can use them in everyday life.
There are three focus areas to the “Our Farming, Our Future" project, which are...
- To provide suitable and readily available resources in different formats and to build a strong peer support network for the young farmers.
- To recruit and train a varied and diverse group of young farmers to be ‘Farming Future Champions’ that can help to reduce the stigma around talking about suicide and raise awareness of support available.
- Deliver a clear and effective programme of awareness sessions that will provide the young farmers with a strong understanding and a positive and resilient outlook in their lives.
Our partnership with Tir Dewi will more than enhance the effectiveness and reach of this project, being a fully bilingual organisation with ten years of experience actively helping hundreds of farmers and their families who have been, in one way or another, struggling to cope. Being able to work alongside this well established and trusted mental health network is an effective way of establishing and building strong relationships with members of the farming community.
The project will give young people in rural areas the opportunity to have an impact on their farming futures - to break the cycle of suicide and the risk factors that have impacted their parents, families and communities through addressing the stigma around help-seeking and establishing peer support networks.
Join us at the official launch of the ‘Our Farming, Our Future’ project at The Royal Welsh Show on Wednesday 24th July at the NFU stand. You'll have the chance to meet Sian and the Tir Dewi team and learn more about the project’s key objectives and milestones for the coming year.