Join the Conversation: Rural Mental Health in Tough Times
A year ago Dumfries and Galloway Citizens Advice Service conducted research into the cost of living in the region. Prices of specific grocery items had risen almost 20% from 2017. This is set against the current backdrop of high oil prices, and lower than UK average median earnings in D&G the lowest of all Scottish local authority areas.
TSDG Mental Health Forum is focussing on the cost of living and its impact on mental health as part of the forum’s developing ambition to look at communities and families via an asset-based approach to address these challenges. Jim Hume from Scotland’s National Rural Mental Health Forum and colleagues from the Citizens Advice Service will join us as we work to improve the outcomes for people facing tough cost of living choices against a background of rising prices for oil and food.
Rural residents face distinct healthcare challenges, including limited access to transport, longer distances to medical facilities, an aging demographic, housing inadequacies, and digital connectivity gaps.
The rising cost of living is affecting everyone — but for people in rural communities, the challenges can be even greater.
Join Third Sector Dumfries and Galloway for an open discussion and workshop on how these pressures can influence mental health and wellbeing across our region. We will use examples to explore what assets exist and some of the actions needed that, together, we can mitigate these pressures and where possible grow these solutions.
Agenda
2.00pm Welcome and Introduction
2.10pm Icebreaker
2.20pm Rural Mental Health- Jim Hume, Scotland’s National Rural Mental Health Forum,
2.35pm Table Discussions – What more is needed to connect disadvantaged communities and enable isolated people with mental illness to thrive.
3.15pm Getting to know you – John Muir from Local Initiative Galloway. LING, shares his experiences in conversation followed by a Q&A session.
3.45pm Spotlight on mental illness in this cost of living crisis – .
4.10pm Table discussions – How can communities and families better support people with mental illness facing this cost of living crisis?
4.40pm Updates and Networking
5.00pm Finish
Outcomes from this event will include:
- Agreement on what further local action can be taken by partners to assist communities to use their strengths to support better mental health for those facing isolation and economic hardship.
- How action to identify assets in communities can improve mental health outcomes and create lasting wellbeing in rural Dumfries and Galloway.
- Key future priorities the Forum can focus on to influence positive change.
All welcome — community members, practitioners, organisations, people with lived experience of mental illness and anyone with an interest in improving lives for people facing disadvantage and poor mental health.
Let’s work together to make a difference to improve rural mental health in our region.