 A new podcast talks to farmers, locals and health workers about what works (and what doesn’t) when it comes to helping people struggling in remote and rural communities.
The podcast, hosted by John Harper, features ‘great yarns, big hearted guests and the distinct flavours of the bush – it’s a must listen for anyone outside of the big smoke.’ John Harper discussing mental health issues with Julie Andreazza on her family farm near Willbriggie. Photo: Photography by Erin Johnson for room3.com.au As rural communities face erratic environmental conditions, social isolation and economic hardship, a new podcast hopes to promote mental wellbeing and resilience in the bush. The series of six episodes which has been titled Mate Helping Mate features stories of farmers, business owners and families who live in remote and regional Australia and focuses on their individual strategies to promote resilience. Hosted by John Harper from Stockinbingal, and recorded on location the series highlights the distinct experiences of individuals as they overcome their personal issues. Mr Harper has battle with ‘the black dog’, so is well aware of the mental anguish and hopes to build confidence in encouraging others to reach out for help. “Nearly everyone I know seems to be getting whacked around with their mental health in some way or another – but nobody’s talking openly about it,” he said. “It’s time we have a yarn about how bloody tough it can be out in the bush and how we can help ourselves and our mates.” Mr Harper will also be talking to qualified experts about the needs, services and strategies that are unique to improving mental wellbeing in remote communities. People living and working in remote communities face a range of location-specific challenges, including the stress of financial dependence on the land, climate change and social isolation. Each may exacerbate depression and anxiety and especially if there are barriers like distance to easy access of health care. “The aim of Mate Helping Mate is to reduce the perceived stigma associated with seeking help, promote strategies that support mental resilience and increase presentation to mental health services,” Mr Harper said. “I hope this podcast goes some way towards highlighting how mental health is everybody’s business in the bush.” Among those farmers featured is Julie Andreazza, who operates an irrigation farm near Willbriggie with her husband Glen. Growing a variety of irrigated crops including a specialist variety of soft wheat which is a key ingredient for Arnott’s biscuits Tim Tams and Scotch Finger they had been the 2018 NSW Farmer of the Year, recognised for the innovative attention to agricultural production. The interview of Mrs Andreazza is Episode 3 – Spot the signs: look, listen, reach out.
Speaking about her part Mrs Andreazza said the Podcast is an awesome resource for rural communities and she congratulated John and his team for doing such a professional job. “I think we have to keep up with technology and social media and need to use whatever medium possible to get the message out there,” she said. “It’s so important to be able to communicate with people no matter where they are and Podcasts are obviously a popular medium that is targeting people who might not have the courage to ask for help, but need support and this offers the privacy to do that.” Mrs Andreazza said she has learnt that it is so important to talk and ask for help, but not everyone has the courage to do that. “So if I can share my story and help someone out there who might be struggling then that is a good day,” she said. “It has happened to me so many times and I know we are all the same, sometimes we just need to hear another person’s story to realise that there is help out there, if we just have the courage to ask. “I hope my story can help someone because every life is important and everyone needs help sometimes.” The Mate Helping Mate Podcast is launched at on 19 February 2020. It is a must-listen for everybody, especially those outside the ‘big smoke’. If you or someone you know needs help, call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 46 36. The above content is from The Land, written by Stephen Burns. See full article here.
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 Hi…. I’m a wheat and sheep farmer from Stockinbingal, NSW.
I care about improving the mental resilience and wellbeing of farmers, families and rural folk in Australia’s regional and remote communities. After being bitten by the black dog myself, I realised how many of my mates were also struggling with depression and their mental health – but not openly talking about it. I thought it was about time we had a yarn about how bloody tough it can be out in the bush and how we can help ourselves and our mates. In 2006 I launched Mate Helping Mate, a grassroots self-help program offering practical advice and strategies and a variety of creative presenting methods tailored to remote areas. I’ve worked with St Vincent de Paul, WorkCover NSW, YWCA, Centacare and a whole bunch of other good people, and travelled across the country to speak at events and promote mental wellbeing. But I can’t get to all the events, or talks to everyone who needs to hear this message. So introducing the…. Mate Helping Mate Website And …The Mate Helping Mate Podcast Photo by Erin Johnson for Room3.com.au ©2019The Mate Helping Mate podcast is about mental health and mateship in the bush. I’ve spent the last few months travelling to communities across New South Wales and Victoria to hear from everyday farmers, locals and experts about what works and what doesn’t in remote Australia. I’ve also had a couple of city slickers join me on the road – who were born in the bush – and they’ve been doing a cracking job of recording it, editing it and making it sound flash. The crux of it is, people in the bush face a whole host of challenges that are different from those in the big smoke, including the stress of financial dependence on the land, erratic environmental conditions and social isolation, and increased barriers to accessing health care. There’s also shocking statistics showing that suicide rates increase with remoteness, and that in very remote areas are more than double those within our major cities. It’s an absolute tragedy. So, this podcast is a response to this. It’s by rural folk. It’s for rural folk. Straight talking without the whitecoat dictionary. It’s the result of Aussie mateship and ordinary people stepping up, sharing their stories, and reaching out to help themselves or a mate who might be struggling. I’m bloody proud of it. Mate helping Mate Podcast 2019. Photography by Erin Johnson for Room3.com.auYou can listen to the podcast in full at the website. Or, if you have a fancy phone, you can head to Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or Stitcher to listen. Share this podcast with a mate and talk about mental health. Don’t wait. We reckon mental health is everybody’s business in the bush. Together we can make a positive difference. Together we can save lives. Thank you! John Harper  A Stockinbingal farmer well known for his work to improve mental health in rural and remote Australia is the host of a new podcast series to be launched at Farmlink in Temora this evening.
John Harper established a grassroots self-help program, "Mate Helping Mate", more than 10 years ago to offer events and strategies specifically tailored for people in the bush. ADVERTISEMENT AdThe podcast, intended to promote mental wellbring and resilience, will features the stories of farmers, families and rural folk in remote and regional Australia, and their strategies to promote resilience. Mr Harper, who has battled with "the black dog" himself, hopes to build confidence in encouraging others to reach out for help. "Nearly everybody I know seems to be getting whacked around with their mental health in some way or another - but nobody's talking openly about it," Mr Harper said. "It's time we have a yarn about how bloody tough it can be out in the bush and how we can help ourselves and our mates." Over six episodes, Mr Harper speaks with rural people and qualified experts about the needs, services and strategies that are unique to improving mental wellbeing in remote communities. Recorded on location across the outback, it features the distinct experiences and sounds of the bush. The podcast comes as statistics show that suicide rates increase with remoteness, and that suicide rates in very remote areas of Australia are more than double those within our major cities. Mate Helping Mate is supported by Gotcha4Life, a not-for-profit foundation started by Triple M's Gus Worland, and the Murrumbidgee Primary Health Network (MPHN) through it's "Empowering our Communities" grant. It was produced and recorded by Room3, a production company for not-for-profits and social enterprise. Gotcha4Life founder Gus Worland said "Someone once said bad things can happen when good people do nothing - thank god we have John doing something. "When I met John in 2016, we realised we were both trying to help mates and that a lot of suffering and misery could be avoided. ADVERTISING"Rural Outreach Counselling and this podcast are fantastic resources that promote the concept of mental fitness - building resilience in rural communities by developing the social connections and emotional muscle required to deal with the challenges that life throws at us all. Murrumbidgee Public Health Network CEO Melissa Neal said she was pleased to be supporting the Mate Helping Mate podcast with the provision of a Murrumbidgee Community Grant. "We know that sharing stories can be a powerful source of change for people living with a mental health issues. John's relatable personality and straightforward approach will resonate with listeners." The series can be heard by listening at matehelpingmate.org.au, with a smart phone via spotify, apple podcasts or picture radio and with Android through google podcast. FacebookTwitterWhatsappEmail Copy TG Tom Gosling Journalist, Cootamundra Herald  Stockinbingal, NSWJohn Harper is a retired farmer and shearer from Stockinbingal in the New South Wales Riverina. He is a passionate advocate for mental health and believes that the best advice comes from people with lived experience.
The Millennium drought hit John hard and he found himself worrying more and more about debt. He said that at a time when he was in his prime, he just couldn’t understand why he felt so bad – so at his wife’s urging, he did something about it. “I’m lucky that I’m a pretty open person, and I have a good relationship with my doctor. He told me that I had depression and that I should go see a counsellor. I thought he was joking!” “I went, not because I thought I had depression, but because he was a mate and a mate wouldn't give me a bum steer,” said John. John was lucky enough to develop a good relationship with his counsellor. “He told me the best thing I could do was to tell my mates about what was happening. So I told six of my mates and over time they came back to me and told me what was keeping them up at night.” It was then that John realised he wasn’t the only person finding it difficult to deal with the impact of the ongoing drought and life in general, and by talking with his family and his mates he slowly started to feel better. It was John’s personal experience of mental illness that led him to develop the podcast series Mate Helping Matelink is external. The series features stories of farmers and business owners who share their lived experiences of just how tough things can be in remote and rural communities, and the strategies they use to get by. John’s philosophy is that mates care about you, and support you in the bad times. “One of the biggest problems blokes in the country still face is an increased sense of isolation and loneliness. People tend to isolate when they have mental ill-health, but this is a time when they need to come together.” After helping a mate through his depression, John realised that by sharing his own experiences he could help others who were in a similar place. He worked with David Post, a Relationship, Personal and Family Counsellor, to bring Rural Outreach Counselling Inc. to the community and their ‘MateKeeper’ program was born. The MateKeeper Programlink is external operates on the philosophy that catching people at the prevention and early intervention stages is best for the treatment of mental ill-health. MateKeepers are everyday people who are on the lookout for people who are demonstrating signs of mental ill-health and reach out to be a mate, and help them find solutions. “MateKeeper is important because it’s a way of unlocking people’s lived experiences and using them to find a way forward. By becoming involved in the community you are seen as a mate, and a mate wouldn’t give you a bum steer,” said John. Find out more about the MateKeeper program: http://www.ruraloutreachcounselling.com.au/about.htmllink is external Check out the Mate Helping Mate podcast: https://www.matehelpingmate.org.au/episodes.htmllink is external If you or someone you care for is in need of immediate support you can contact the below National Crisis Counselling Services.
Images courtesy of Murrumbidgee Primary Health Network link is external State: New South Wales Category: Drought Tegan Scott
A wheat and sheep farmer and former shearer from Stockinbingal, in the Riverina of New South Wales, has launched a new podcast, to raise awareness of mental health and mateship in the bush. Mate Helping Mate is a series of six episodes which features stories of farmers, business owners and families who live in remote and rural communities. The series was developed and is hosted by John Harper. The series is described as a guide to mental health and provides strategies from other farmers and people from rural communities who have used the strategies to build resilience when struggling in rural and remote communities. Having been bitten by ‘the black dog’ himself, John realised how many of his own mates were struggling with depression and their mental health but were not openly talking about it and decided to act. “I thought it was about time we had a yarn about how bloody tough it can be out in the bush and how we can help ourselves and our mates,” John said. “United we stand, divided we may fall.” John originally launched the Mate Helping Mate program in 2006 but found that he was unable to attend all the events or talk to everyone who needed to hear his message. “I’ve spent the last few months travelling to communities across New South Wales and Victoria to hear from everyday farmers, locals and experts about what works and what doesn’t, in remote Australia,” John said. “The crux of it is, people in the bush face a whole host of challenges that are different from those in the big smoke, including the stress of financial dependence on the land, erratic environmental conditions and social isolation, and increased barriers to accessing health care. “There’s also shocking statistics showing that suicide rates increase with remoteness, and that suicide rates in very remote areas of Australia are more than double those within our major cities. It’s an absolute tragedy. “So, this podcast is a response to this. It’s by rural folk. It’s for rural folk.” One of the first episodes, Finding the right professional support features a conversation between John and his mate Chris McGregor, whose brother died by suicide and who has experienced his own struggles with depression. Joined by counsellor David Post, who shares some handy tips about finding a great support team that works for you, the pair discuss the problems they had when dealing with ‘the black dog’ and emphasise the fact that a problem shared is a problem halved. *Please note that the Mate Helping Mate podcast series deals with themes of suicide and some listeners might find this upsetting. **If this article has raised problems for you, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14. If your life is in immediate danger, call 000.  twintowntimes.com.au Stockinbingal farmer and shearer John Harper started the Mate Helping Mate program way back in 2006. He started the project at the family farm in Stockinbingal initially to help other farmers in district who were like himself, battling drought and not dealing with the stress that came with it. From that initial idea by John the project has now gained acceptance nationally and continues to help people in rural areas. John has travelled extensively in Australia talking about his own experiences with depression and mental health and the value of getting together with mates and talking. As the concept grew the demand for John’s time increased greatly and he found that he was unable to attend all organised events and talk to everyone who needed to hear his message. With this increased demand for his time it was decided to expand the communication network of the Mate Helping Mate program. Recently a series of podcasts were produced to help raise awareness of mental health and mateship in the bush, allowing for a wider section of the community to have access to John’s message. These podcasts focus on the real life experiences of people from the bush and their battles with depression, how they dealt with the issue and the lines of help that were available to them. The stories are raw and help podcast listeners understand the depth of the problem of depression in rural communities and the way people can help their mates overcome the complex issues of mental health and well-being. One of the biggest problems blokes in the country still face is an increased sense of isolation and loneliness, especially as individual farms increase in size and the number of farmers decrease in an area. John Harper’s philosophy is that mates care about you and enjoy your friendship in the good times and true mates care about you, and support you in the bad times. Helping blokes in the bush identify when these bad times are, either for themselves or their mates, is at the heart of what the Mate Helping Mate program does. Just like their city mates, men in rural and regional Australia are struggling with mental health issues every day. The number of people affected is pretty similar in the country and the city. However, there are some alarming statistics about mental health in the bush. Farmers are twice as likely as city blokes to take their own life. At the moment there is a series of six podcast episodes which features stories of farmers, business owners and families who live in remote and rural communities with John hosting each podcast. The series is described as a guide to mental health and provides strategies from other farmers and people from rural communities who have used the strategies to build resilience when struggling in rural and remote communities. “I thought it was about time we had a yarn about how bloody tough it can be out in the bush and how we can help ourselves and our mates,” John said. Listening to these podcasts might help you and your mates. |
