Please find attached a release from WellSouth – Primary Health Network:
WellSouth Recognised for Development of Programme Focusing on Mental Health in Farming Communities
Media Release Thursday 25 August 2016
Southern Primary Health Provider WellSouth has been recognised at TheMHS Awards (The Mental Health Services Awards) in
Auckland this morning.
WellSouth’s Health Promotion Team was named the joint winner of Best Mental Health Promotion/Mental Illness Prevention
for its ‘GoodYarn’ programme.
GoodYarn was developed specifically for farming communities by WellSouth to increase awareness of the signs and symptoms
of stress and mental illness, to give people the confidence to talk with someone when they’re concerned, and to know
where to get help. WellSouth Programme Manager, Louise Thompson says after a pilot GoodYarn began in 2014 and since then
it has not only been rolled out throughout Otago and Southland but also delivered to rural communities throughout New
Zealand.
Louise, who was at TheMHS Awards, says GoodYarn has been delivered to around 300 people in rural Otago and Southland via
a series of 2.5-hour workshops in local communities. Another 1250 people across the country have attended workshops over
the last eight months.
She says the GoodYarn is effective because it uses people from farming backgrounds to facilitate the workshops and the
language, scenarios and resources developed are specific to the farming context. “GoodYarn draws upon the stresses of
farming and rural life to ensure the concepts used and messages delivered are relevant and engaging for rural
professionals, farmers and their families.”
“We are pleased with how GoodYarn has been taken up by communities and within agribusinesses around New Zealand. It’s an
honour to have that success and the work of the organisations that are delivering GoodYarn in their communities and
workplaces acknowledged by our peers, ” Louise said.
Louise believes the success of GoodYarn is due to two key factors. “WellSouth undertook robust consultation when it
developed the programme. We talked to many people living and working on farms, organisations and representative groups
that support farming and businesses in the agricultural sector. Blending those insights with research on what has worked
elsewhere in the world resulted in a programme that is meaningful, relevant and engaging for the sector.
Secondly collaboration has been important. GoodYarn is delivered by a partnership between WellSouth, DairyNZ and rural
business and organisations around New Zealand that are passionate about the health of rural communities. All of these
organisations acknowledge that a mentally healthy rural workforce benefits individuals, families, communities and the
rural economy as well.”
In their 25th year, TheMHS Awards were introduced to recognise and celebrate great work in mental health services and
are open to entries from Australia and New Zealand. The awards were presented in Auckland this morning by New Zealand
Ministry of Health, Director and Chief Advisor of Mental Health, Dr John Crawshaw.
The Awards focus on positive stories about mental health, to increase the morale and the quality of mental health
services and to reward the dedication and commitment of mental health service staff and management.
ENDS.