Macra to deliver mental health training for students to help young rural people

Macra is to deliver mental health training to agricultural college students to help tackle issues identified by young rural people which affects their mental health. 

Financial pressures, farm succession and social media are some of the issues which were identified. 

Over the coming weeks and months Macra through its mental health programme ‘Make The Moove’ will deliver tailored specific training to students in Agricultural Colleges across the country.  

The training is funded by Mental Health Ireland and supported and facilitated by Teagasc, and will run on a pilot basis between now and Christmas.  

“This training programme has been developed in conjunction with Mental Health Ireland and informed by the issues identified by young rural people as affecting their mental wellbeing. The issues identified included, financial pressures, succession on farm, social media and also the negative perception of farming in the general public,” said John Keane, Macra National President.  

This programme is a first of its kind as it is developed specifically to meet the needs of the students and is tailored to address the factors affecting their mental wellbeing. 

"We hope to deliver this pilot training programme to around 150 students over three separate sessions before the end of November. We have also planned over the next number of months to expand the programme, to develop specific training programmes for older age groups working in and supporting agriculture. 

"As today is world mental health day, it is important that this topic is highlighted and spoken about in rural communities across the country. We all have a role to play in breaking down the stigma and addressing the challenges that face us all," concluded Mr Keane.