Psychologist and farmer Stephanie Schmidt, Worlds End, is SA's newest AgriFutures Rural Women's Award winner, earning praise for her efforts to create a resilient rural Australia.
As part of the award, which helps women bring to life a project or initiative to benefit rural industries and communities, Ms Schmidt will receive a $10,000 bursary from Westpac to develop a resilience program specifically for farming couples, families and individuals, working to ensure rural communities remain "vital and vibrant".
Ms Schmidt was announced as the winner at a presentation in Adelaide on Tuesday, and said she felt "excited and honoured" to receive the award.
"I'm absolutely thrilled that the importance of wellbeing and mental health have been recognised and highlighted," she said.
We're seeing more and more how important mental health support is, and how we need to build those social connections from the ground up.
- STEPHANIE SCHMIDT
"We only need to look at the last 12 months to see the number of challenges faced by rural communities, and how much those challenges will grow in the future."
Ms Schmidt will draw on personal and professional experience to develop her resilience program, which will provide mental health support for all members of the community.
"We're seeing more and more how important mental health support is, and how we need to build those social connections from the ground up," she said.
"Clinical mental health services are provided from the top end of the scale, but I'm hoping we can build the capacity from the ground up. There will always be that need for support at the pointy level, but hopefully we can reduce that need."
Ms Schmidt will undertake further training in the provision of mental health support, which she will then tailor to farming contexts.
"The current models are trying to put urban models into rural areas, and that's just not fitting," she said.
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"The training is in acceptance and commitment therapy around building skills to choose to do what is most important right now, even with the challenges going on around us, the tricky stuff our minds throw at us, and all the things that are outside our control," she said.
Deputy Premier Vickie Chapman acknowledged the potential impact the award could have on regional areas.
"It's an award which is highly acclaimed and nationally recognised, and is very high as a model of influence in the Australian scene," she said.
Ms Chapman congratulated Ms Schmidt on her motivation to support rural communities tackling challenging conditions.
"As a clinical psychologist and farmer, Stephanie is well placed to pursue her passion for developing a resilient rural Australia, supporting individuals and communities to grow and, importantly, bounce back during and after hard times," Ms Chapman said.
Related reading: Steph supports Goyder women
Primary Industries and Regional Development Minister Tim Whetstone said Ms Schmidt's project proposal was especially timely.
"Given the current seasonal conditions being faced by our agricultural sector, this type of resilience program is more relevant than ever," Mr Whetstone said.
He was also full of praise for the three award finalists - Marie Ellul, Adelaide, Rebecca Sullivan, Armagh, and Kellie Taylor, Cummins.
"(The finalists) have all contributed significantly to their industries and communities, and I'm sure will continue to make positive impacts into the future," he said.
Ms Schmidt will represent SA at the national AgriFutures Rural Women's Award Gala Dinner in Canberra in September.
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