This year has seen excellent progress despite challenging circumstances with one of the newest HSE Healthy Ireland initiatives targeting men’s health – ‘On Feirm Ground’, led by the Men’s Development Network (MDN). The initiative is a result of ongoing partnership working between MDN and HSE Health and Wellbeing, Healthy Ireland in the Department of Health, the Department of Agriculture and Marine, Teagasc and the National Centre for Men’s Health in IT Carlow.
Key Facts – ‘On Feirm Ground’
- Part of Engage, the National Men’s Training Programme
- Offers a way to engage with an otherwise hard to reach group by utilising the normal standard contacts that agriculture advisors have with farmers
- Aims to train 800 agricultural advisors to be able to talk to farmers about their health and wellbeing.
- 2021 has seen the training programme developed and training carried out with a core group of agriculture advisors and onwards to some farmers with the support of HSE Health and Wellbeing staff at local level.
Research carried out in 2019 and 2020 examined how agricultural advisors might be trained to engage with and support farmers on health issues. The partners have gone on to develop a bespoke ENGAGE farmers’ health training module to equip frontline agricultural advisors with the knowledge, skills and competencies to engage and signpost farmers on health & wellbeing issues, and mainstream a health promotion/prevention focus into farming discussion groups. Seán Cooke CEO of the Men’s Development Network, said:
“It’s great that we have been able to push on this year with ‘On Feirm Ground’ and I appreciate the support from staff from the many agencies who have come together to make it happen. I want also to thank the advisory and oversight committee whose members also include the Agricultural Consultants Association, Mental Health Ireland and the Irish Heart Foundation for their commitment and enthusiasm to working in such a collaborative fashion.”
For the agriculture sector the initiative represents part of an ongoing investment in health and wellbeing for farmers who can experience poor health and may engage poorly or late with health services as Dr Richardson from the National Centre for men’s Health outlines:
“It is well established that, compared to other occupational groups, farmers in Ireland experience a disproportionate burden of health problems, which undermine the profitability, competitiveness and sustainability of farming. The research findings recommend that when designing the ‘On Feírm Ground’ training programme it focuses on the individual social determinants effecting the health and wellbeing of both male and female farmers and adopts a strengths-based approach to farmers’ health and sets out clear roles, responsibilities and boundaries for advisors in their health role.”
HSE Health and Wellbeing, who lead on the implementation of the Healthy Ireland Men – Action Plan to promote men’s health, has also funded this initiative and supported it through adapting existing men’s health programmes. Fergal Fox , Head of Stakeholder Engagement and Communications in HSE Health and Wellbeing said:
‘On Feírm Ground’ has been enabled through partnership working and by building on the evidence developed working with the Engage Men’s Health training programme. It is very heartening to see a growing network of stakeholders for health and wellbeing coming together through this initiative to improve our reach to farmers.”
To learn more please contact the Men’s Development Network and check out the 4th in the Engaging Men Webinar Series on the HSE Health and Wellbeing YouTube channel which includes a presentation from PHD Candidate Conor Hammersley on his research that informed the programme.