Resilience in a Post-Covid Era
Stories of Rural Resilience in a Post-Covid Era - Policy Spotlight
This Policy Spotlight summarises the presentations and discussions held during the "Shifting the Narrative - Stories of Rural Resilience in a Post-Covid Era" Cross Party Group on Rural Policy meeting held in January 2023. It brings together experiences in Scotland, Ireland, Canada and Sweden to look at positive solutions to rural health challenges.
Some of the key takeaways are:
- Rural communities globally have experienced wellbeing challenges because of the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing cost of living crisis. However, as always, rural communities demonstrated their resilience by developing novel support mechanisms.
- Rural communities highly value socialisation, yet these tight-knit social networks - as well as stigmas around mental health - make it difficult for individuals to seek anonymous support.
- Policies to support mental and physical health in rural areas must implement a joined-up approach, be community-led and include education on mental health and illness. They also require targeted support based on age and gender, social funding for service provision and support e.g., recruitment of rural GPs.
- Rural areas can benefit from global collaboration in research and policy development.
Recommendations included:
- Rural communities could benefit from an education campaign to help people understand the difference between mental health and mental illness. Raising awareness of mental health can address the stigma in rural communities.
- People experiencing poor mental health in rural Scotland need low level, non-clinical support in their communities, pre-crisis. Mental health training and other initiatives can build resilience in rural communities and workplaces.
- Targeted support for rural residents based on their age and gender is crucial as these factors impact on how individuals are affected by disruptive crises such as the Covid-19 pandemic and cost-of-living crisis.
- Social funding for service provision and support is needed in rural communities particularly to attract and retain rural GPs. Anecdotal findings from Ireland and research from Sweden can help support policies in this area.
- We must rebrand rural as resilient, attractive places to live and thrive. It is important to not create self-fulfilling prophecies when it comes to the negative aspects of rural life.
- A community-led, assets-based, and joined-up approach can be used to ensure communities are co-creating policies and identifying resources needed to support physical and mental wellbeing.
- Rural communities are uniquely placed to tap into the rich natural and social resources available to them. It is important to recognise the value of our natural environment and sense of community as an asset for mental health and wellbeing.
- 'Rural proofing' is needed to ensure that rural places are given adequate consideration in all policy-making processes.
A recording and minutes of the CPG meeting as well as speakers' slides can be found at Rural Policy Events | SRUC.
Read the full Policy Spotlight below.
