Rural Wellbeing; Support in mind Scotland

YOU can help strengthen the impact of the Rural Mental Health Forum!

This forum carried out ground-breaking research into mental health in rural Scotland which is being undertaken by Support in Mind Scotland with Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC).

The research reveals problems that isolation, access to services and mental health stigma can be for Scottish rural communities. The research also revealed the way individuals talk about mental health in different age groups and genders.

This research underpinned Support in Mind Scotland forming the new National Rural Mental Health Forum, which includes 60 organisations from the mental health and rural worlds, and has received start-up funding from the Scottish Government.

It was recognised that mental health organisations often struggle to access people in remoter areas, whilst rural organisations are aware and now have evidence of mental health issues in rural parts of Scotland, but didn’t always have the expertise to tackle mental health issues. The outreach of rural organisations in the Forum shall be vital in tackling mental health issues in rural Scotland.

The Forum shall be campaigning to raise awareness of mental health issues, help to reduce stigma of talking about mental health and wellbeing, signpost individuals and create new support networks. Visit the Forum’s website here www.ruralwellbeing.org and contact Jim Hume for details jhume@supportinmindscotland.org.uk

It’s everyone’s business to tackle mental health and well-being, hence The Scottish Government funding this strong network of rural people and stakeholders in the forum to collaboratively help to:

• enable rural people to be open about their mental health
• have a solid evidence base for what works to improve people’s lives
• create a programme to influence policy-makers to channel resources in ways that bring positive change through a network of rural organisations across Scotland

The Forum has five objectives:

1. create a network of rural mental health stakeholders who will develop a national rural mental health campaign
2. develop a policy programme that influences policy makers and decision makers to increase and channel resources in ways that bring change
3. identify resources to carry out further research as required
4. develop new projects to test new ideas
5. establish the Forum as a sustainable agent for change and development over the longer term

Forum members [including SAYFC] are using their links and connections to raise awareness and reduce stigma throughout Scotland.

You can see some of the things our members are doing here