For 17 years, Ivan Lister has been on the job as a rural outreach worker, supporting numerous farmers experiencing mental health issues.
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Ray Sizer
If you talk to some farmers across north-eastern Victoria they will tell you that the man standing beside them at the cattle sale, visiting the Men’s Shed or behind the wheel as he comes up the driveway, saves lives.
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The man in question — Ivan Lister — demurs.
Ivan works in the area of mental health and it can be complex. He says the people he talks to have the power for change. He tries to point them in the right direction.
The former rural outreach worker — who has worked for two decades across the Benalla, Euroa and Nagambie districts — is now out of a job as funding has run out.
But there is a push to get him back on the road.
Ivan told Country News he builds his assessment and referral work on three principles: confidentiality, reliability and outreach.
It’s the last aspect that distinguishes him from some other services.
Wahring farmer Frank Deane has no doubt Ivan Lister has saved lives.
Frank understands the pressures on farmers and has seen colleagues at a low ebb.
He says Ivan provides no-nonsense, practical support and speaks the language that farmers understand.
Ivan also meets farmers where they live and work: side-by-side at the cattle sales, or over a cup of tea at the kitchen table.
“He’s a contact point for people who are in a distressed state,” Frank said.
“And he meets them where they are. A lot of people won’t go into an office or visit a counsellor.”
Molyullah farmer Michele Ramage agrees, and says this is what makes the role of a rural outreach worker unique.
“Men in particular don’t tend to seek out help when they need it,” she said.
“When they meet someone in their own environment, they feel safer talking. The issues can be dealt with before they become major problems.
“Farmers work in isolation and they don’t often see the need to visit a GP or see a health professional.”
While there is some reluctance to discuss mental health issues, Michele pointed out that when the Molyullah community called a public meeting last November, 80 people turned up.
State Member for Euroa Annabelle Cleeland is arguing for the reinstatement of a rural outreach worker.
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State Member for Euroa Annabelle Cleeland is lobbying the Victorian Government to get some funding support.
She wants to see Ivan Lister reinstated under a community referral program that could potentially be rolled out across the whole state.
“I personally know of friends and farmers throughout the region that Ivan helped during the darkest of times,” she said.
Ms Cleeland spoke last year to Victorian Agriculture Minister Ros Spence in what she described as a very positive meeting.
“Minister Spence was kind enough to give me some of her time and I expressed my concerns about the hardships our local farmers are facing and the need for care,” Ms Cleeland said.
“I left feeling hopeful we can find a good resolution and have Ivan back in the field soon.”
Ivan is prepared to get back into the saddle, but at 77 he is interested in the long game. He would like to train up a younger man to replace him.
Rural and Remote Mental Health chief executive officer Joe Hooper has drawn attention to the alarming wait times for mental health services in regional areas across Australia.
He said the mental health crisis in these communities is reflected by the demand for services and the lack of professionals to deliver them.
Face-to-face support or appointments can see people waiting for weeks, with a survey done by Norco and the National Farmers’ Federation showing that one in 10 farmers struggle with mental illness and feel unsupported.
