EVENT POSTPONED. WE WILL ADVISE REVISED DATE AS SOON AS WE KNOW.

On Monday the 25th January 2016, the Victorian Farmers Federation will be running a workshop in Wedderburn called “Look Over The Farm Gate”.

The season has been pretty tough for our farmers, but it doesn’t just affect them. Periods of dry affect the entire community and in many ways. Obviously the farmers are the first to feel it with crops not growing and dams not filling, but then this extends to cash flow and poor harvests. In turn this means less money to spend in our towns, so the small businesses are affected also.

Financial pressures in small businesses can result in loss of jobs and increased friction between employees. Yet the real cause is simply the weather and the circumstances.

 

The domino effect continues and can feed into family problems. Financial difficulties are almost guaranteed to put pressure on families and relationships. This of course puts pressures on families as the children are always sensitive to what’s going on in their home. This may turn into behaviour issues that further add to the family pressures and also create issues at school.

Good mental health is of paramount importance at all times, but more so in times of hardship. It’s essential that everyone works together to ensure a harmonious family and working relationship. Circumstances beyond everyone’s control can have a huge effect on how everyone gets on together.

This is why workshops like this are really important. Even if you have attended one before, it may well have been sometime ago. This can be a great refresher and put you in a position to be more aware of what is going on with the people around you.

The workshop will run for approximately two and a half hours. Over this time, the presenter provides the group with a general overview of social and emotional wellbeing and the differences in experiences between people living in the city in comparison with regional areas. The trainer also discusses how stress and more prolonged distress can have an impact on your body. The session then progresses through some tips and ideas for personal health – i.e. looking after your own physical and emotional wellbeing so that you are available to assist others.

Finally, tools and suggestions are made about identifying members in the community who may be in distress, the warning signs to look out for – and how to point people in the right direction for further support and assistance as required.

If you would like to attend this event, please contact the Victorian Farmers Federation and speak with Member Services on 1300 882 833 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Remember, this event is not just for farmers, it is for the entire community.