Young Farmers' Clubs Of Ulster
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE YFCU
AERA Committee
The YFCU Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (AERA) Committee are responsible for
responding to agricultural, rural and environmental legislation and oversee the actions of the
DAERA funding platform. Committee members develop and provide educational training opportunities such as farm safety and organise the annual Agri-Trip and Agri-Food conference.
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Mitchell Park (Glarryford YFC)
Chairperson of Committee
"The Wellbeing & Development Committee was established in 2020, following the tragic suicide death of a much loved YFCU member. We aim to encourage open conversations about members' wellbeing, whilst ensuring we signpost them to appropriate services when required. We believe that equality, diversity and inclusion are key components to the future of the committee".
The Wellbeing & Development Committee run successful campaigns to share positive messaging, whilst tackling topics that are quite often seen as taboo in rural communities across Northern Ireland. At the 2024 Balmoral Show, the Committee launched their 'Cuppa & A Catch Up' campaign, which is kindly supported by Dale Farm. The reason behind the campaign is to encourage young people to turn their words into actions and get the conversation going about their mental health and wellbeing. This reinforces the 'YFSeesYou' tag line which reminds people that YFCU recognises them and will always be there for help and support.
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The Wellbeing & Development Committee have a number of YFSeesYou amabassadors, who travel to different clubs across the province delivering interactive talks and workshops to members in the 11-30 age range. These ambassadors are volunteers who have undergone extensive training to be able to deliver and share the message on wellbeing, mental health and bereavement. These key themes were identified following a survey to address the need for information on services and support that are available to young people living in rural communities across Northern Ireland. The YFSeesYou Ambassador programme runs in collaboration with Rural Support and Cruse.
The Wellbeing & Development Committee have exciting plans for the future to further develop their training programmes and reach out to new members. They hope to partner with local charities to facilitate suicide prevention training, giving members the opportunity to gain vital knowledge and a clearer understanding of the topic. This training should help members to develop skills in early intervention, recognising signs of emotional distress and how to support other young people who may be in need of support and, in turn, provide all YFCU members with local support from peers and friends in their rural communities.
If you have any questions regarding our Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Committee, please contact our Headquarters office and speak to our Membership & Club Development Executive, Sarah.
Email: sarah.halliday@yfcu.org Telephone: 028 9037 0713