National Rural Mental Health Forum

National Rural Mental Health Forum

Welcome to the National Rural Mental Health Forum! Join us for a virtual gathering of passionate individuals and experts dedicated to improving mental health in rural communities. This online event is your opportunity to connect, learn, and share ideas with like-minded individuals from across the country.

Why Attend?

Discover innovative strategies and best practices for addressing mental health challenges in rural areas. Gain valuable insights from renowned speakers, engage in thought-provoking discussions, and explore practical solutions that can make a real difference in your community.

What to Expect

Our forum offers a diverse range of sessions, covering topics such as access to mental health services, destigmatization efforts, community engagement, and more. Engage in interactive workshops, participate in networking opportunities, and leave with actionable takeaways to implement in your own rural setting.

Who Should Attend?

This event is open to anyone passionate about rural mental health, including mental health professionals, community leaders, policymakers, educators, and individuals with lived experiences.

Join Us

Mark your calendar and save the date for this exciting virtual event. Together, let's make a difference in rural mental health. Register now and be a part of the National Rural Mental Health Forum!

AGENDA

11am – Welcome and Introductions

11:05am – Neil McIntyre, Knowledge Exchange Associate

College of Arts & Humanities, University of Glasgow

What is it?

The College of Arts & Humanities Partnership Catalyst is a design-led and partner-driven knowledge exchange programme developed at the University of Glasgow in collaboration with The Glasgow School of Art. It reverses typically academic-focused approaches to partnership and project development by centring partner, audience, and community needs. It invites partners and stakeholders to identify cross-sectoral challenges and opportunities towards the co-creation of objectives that might be met by Arts and Humanities research.

Our latest theme, Mental Health & Wellbeing, takes as its focus the significant impact that arts and humanities research, and cross-sector partnerships that engage with arts, culture, and leisure, can have in supporting good mental health and wellbeing. In this direction, the Catalyst looks to identify and address challenges faced by researchers, professionals, and practitioners, and to support the development of partnerships and co-created projects that can meet their needs.

Why attend?

You will hear more about the Catalyst and its latest theme, including its network, process, events, and supportive infrastruture. The Catalyst team are particularly keen to invite the audience to participate by contributing their views regarding the challenges and opportunities facing them, their organisations, or sectors, and to respond to Catalyst aims and approaches. If you are interested in taking your participation further, you will also have the opportunity to join the Catalyst as a network member.

12:05pm – Plough On, Rural Support (Northern Ireland), Aoibeann Walsh, Head of Social Farming and Innovation

Rural Support’s Plough On project aims to tackle rural isolation and to increase social opportunities for older male farmers across Northern Ireland. To date, 12 groups have been established with over 300 men engaging in monthly meet-ups as a way to reduce social isolation and improve mental and emotional health and wellbeing. The model of monthly meetings and social interactions with other men of a similar age and interests is proving to be an effective way of engaging this typically hard to reach group.

12:55pm – AOCB and Date of Next Meeting, 29th of May 2024, 11am to 1pm.

1pm – Close.