Skills Development Resources

OSCIA's volunteers are given the opportunity to practice skills, learn new techniques, and observe others who may have more experiences in a specific role or opportunity

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Leadership Training Material

President Information

Secretary/Treasurer Information

Director Information

Strategies for planning a successful event

Board Governance Training

Board Governance Resource Document

Conducting an Effective Meeting

How to run a successful virtual meeting

Preparing for an Election-Part I

Preparing for an Election-Part II

Association Resources

Mental Health Initiatives

Canadian Mental Health Association – Farmer Wellness Initiative
Through the Farmer Wellness Initiative, farmers across Ontario and members of their household will have access to up to four free counselling sessions with a mental health professional. The mental health professionals have received training to understand the unique needs of Ontario farmers. Accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, in English and French, farmers can call 1-866-267-6255 to speak to a counsellor. This service is provided by LifeWorks. This project is provided with funding by the governments of Canada and Ontario, including support from the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, a five-year federal-provincial-territorial initiative.

Grain Farmers of Ontario – Farmer Wellness – Talk. Ask, Listen webinar series
A series of sessions to learn about mental health, mental illness, and gain practical strategies to support themselves and others. https://gfo.ca/farmerwellness/prevention/
We know from recent research that 35% of farmers met the clinical criteria for depression, 45% were classified as having high stress, 58% met the criteria for anxiety classification, and 40% of farmers reported they would feel uneasy about seeking professional help due to what people may think. Our agricultural community needs help.Grain Farmers of Ontario has developed a program to help our farmer-members and the agricultural community gain easier access to the resources they may need to navigate through difficult times. We see distinct areas that need attention:

  1. Awareness – Helping to promote the idea that it is okay to ask for help when you are struggling. Many people struggle with similar issues and it is ok to ask for help.
  2. Prevention – We will provide resources such as articles, videos, webinars, workshops, and techniques to help our farmer-members manage the issues they are dealing with.
  3. Support Resources – We’ve gathered options if you or someone you know needs support.

You can read the full study here.

Ontario Federation of Agriculture – Mental Health and Wellness
OFA strongly believes both the federal and provincial governments must work collaboratively to fully implement the 10 recommendations from the House of Commons Standing Committee on Agriculture Report, Mental Health: A Priority for our Farmers. These 10 recommendations also reaffirm OFA’s longstanding positions on the need for broadband internet service across rural Ontario, the need for government to consider the impact of new regulations on agriculture, and the need to defend farmers’ right to practice.

Do More Agriculture Foundation
Do More Ag is a not-for-profit organization focusing on mental health in agriculture across Canada https://www.domore.ag/about. They operate under three pillars: awareness (i.e. education and breaking the stigma), community (i.e. a place where people can connect and find resources), and research (i.e. supporting, sharing and funding present and future research projects).

Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
Each regional office maintains a list of local/regional stress management resources.

Dr. Andria Jones-Bitton:
Dr. Jones-Bitton made a very engaging presentation to the OSCIA delegates at the 2019 OSCIA Annual Conference, held on February 5-6, 2019 at the Four Points by Sheraton, Kingston, ON.

Four handouts that were provided at the conference are available here:

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