The agriculture industry in Canada is facing a mental health crisis and resources for dealing with the unique characteristics of the industry are lacking.
Mental health and seeking help still carries a great deal of stigma in the Canadian farming community, often associated with the term "weakness". (1)
As fewer and fewer young people are returning to the farm, with the average age of farmers at a record high of 55, these alarming new statistics pose yet another hurdle for young farmers and their farm families. (7)
Farmers are at a higher risk of suffering from mental health issues than any other profession in Canada (5)
A study showed that (5):
45% farmers have experienced high levels of stress
58% reported varying levels of anxiety
35% had experienced depression
Access to and seeking help from mental health services in rural communities holds many barriers for Canadian farmers including a lack of resources and stigma to do so (1,5)
As fewer and fewer young people are returning to the farm, with the average age of farmers at a record high of 55, these alarming new statistics pose yet another hurdle for young farmers and their farm families. (7)
Farmers are at a higher risk of suffering from mental health issues than any other profession in Canada (5)
A study showed that (5):
45% farmers have experienced high levels of stress
58% reported varying levels of anxiety
35% had experienced depression
Access to and seeking help from mental health services in rural communities holds many barriers for Canadian farmers including a lack of resources and stigma to do so (1,5)
Ag Leadership Program
"Our program acknowledges the unique stressors of the ag industry and is taught by someone in the industry themselves. The program works with farmers, farm families and ag organizations to help break the stigma of mental health by providing a rural resource for developing leadership skills and dealing with inevitable stress and anxiety"
- Gwendolyn Donohoe, PhD.
We are seeking individuals, organizations and farm families that want to become leaders in their communities and help break the stigma surrounding mental health. Approximately 50% of the program is done in the boardroom, including group discussions and strategic planning exercises, and the other 50% in the arena with the horses. The horse work is all groundwork and working in teams with a horse (i.e. no riding and no individual one-on-one therapy sessions). We therefore need a minimum of 3 participants (age 12 to 70+) to run a program.
Our unique 2 day retreat or 4-session weekly program hosts farmers, their families and members of the ag industry.
Participants in the Ag Leadership Program will:
The program can be a general overview of all topics we cover, or, your group or organization can ask to specifically target certain aspects of the industry that they are looking for help with:
- succession planning
- challenges of team work, co-ownership and working with family
- balancing farm and family life
- dealing with high levels of stress and anxiety
- planning for future disasters (i.e., health, environmental, market fluctuations, financial, the unexpected)
- identifying and seeking help for mental health challenges
Our unique 2 day retreat or 4-session weekly program hosts farmers, their families and members of the ag industry.
Participants in the Ag Leadership Program will:
- Improve communication and leadership skills
- Build confidence and self-worth and how to stand-up for their industry
- Provide techniques and coping strategies for how to live in the moment and de-stress
- Talk about the mental health issues faced in the agriculture industry and resources available to help
- Develop a plan for your family or organization to prepare for the inevitable future “key stressors” faced by farmers and their families everyday in the ag industry
The program can be a general overview of all topics we cover, or, your group or organization can ask to specifically target certain aspects of the industry that they are looking for help with:
- succession planning
- challenges of team work, co-ownership and working with family
- balancing farm and family life
- dealing with high levels of stress and anxiety
- planning for future disasters (i.e., health, environmental, market fluctuations, financial, the unexpected)
- identifying and seeking help for mental health challenges
Working with horses (a.k.a hay burners) to develop leaders and improve overall well-being can be more amenable for farmers and those in the agriculture industry, as they can relate to the equine business style more-so than visiting a therapists office or a attending a traditional leadership program.
This program is an important resource for farmers and their families, with a facilitator that can relate to the industry, being in it themselves. Being a rural resource and using a rural business model can help to improve the chances of becoming a long-term sustainable mental health resource in the industry, helping to end the stigma of mental health for up-and-coming young farmers.
At Connecting Through horses we also have our Mental Health First Aid training to assist individuals in crisis to get the professional help and resources they need.
At Connecting Through horses we also have our Mental Health First Aid training to assist individuals in crisis to get the professional help and resources they need.
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References
1 Adams, C., Aratoon, C., Boucher, J., Cartier, G., Chalmers, D., Dell, D., Dryka, D., Duncan, R., Dunn, K. 2015. The helping horse: How equine assisted learning contributes to the wellbeing of first nations youth in treatment for volatile substance misuse. Human-animal interaction bulletin. 1: 52-75.
2 Coffin, J. The Nguudu Barndimanmanha project – improving social and emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal youth through equine assisted learning.
3 Finnigan, P. 2019. Mental Health: A Priority for our Farmers. Report of the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food. 42nd Parliament 3rd session.
4 Frederick, K.E., Hatz, J.I Lanning, B. 2015. Not just horsing around: The impact of equine-assisted learning on levels of hope and depression in at-risk adolescents. Community Mental Health Journal. 51: 809-817.
5 Jones‑Bitton, A., Best, C., MacTavish, J., Fleming, S., Hoy, S. 2019. Stress, anxiety, depression, and resilience in Canadian farmers. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology. (EPub Jun 13 2019)
6 Perkins, B. L. 2015. A pilot study assessing the effectiveness of equine-assisted learning with adolescents. Journal of Creativity in Mental Health. 13: 298-305.
7 Statistics Canada. 2017. A portrait of a 21st century agricultural operation. Available online: [https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/95-640-x/2016001/article/14811-eng.htm]
1 Adams, C., Aratoon, C., Boucher, J., Cartier, G., Chalmers, D., Dell, D., Dryka, D., Duncan, R., Dunn, K. 2015. The helping horse: How equine assisted learning contributes to the wellbeing of first nations youth in treatment for volatile substance misuse. Human-animal interaction bulletin. 1: 52-75.
2 Coffin, J. The Nguudu Barndimanmanha project – improving social and emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal youth through equine assisted learning.
3 Finnigan, P. 2019. Mental Health: A Priority for our Farmers. Report of the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food. 42nd Parliament 3rd session.
4 Frederick, K.E., Hatz, J.I Lanning, B. 2015. Not just horsing around: The impact of equine-assisted learning on levels of hope and depression in at-risk adolescents. Community Mental Health Journal. 51: 809-817.
5 Jones‑Bitton, A., Best, C., MacTavish, J., Fleming, S., Hoy, S. 2019. Stress, anxiety, depression, and resilience in Canadian farmers. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology. (EPub Jun 13 2019)
6 Perkins, B. L. 2015. A pilot study assessing the effectiveness of equine-assisted learning with adolescents. Journal of Creativity in Mental Health. 13: 298-305.
7 Statistics Canada. 2017. A portrait of a 21st century agricultural operation. Available online: [https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/95-640-x/2016001/article/14811-eng.htm]