Rural Minds Matter Peer Support Training Coming to Brandon, MB to Strengthen Rural and Agricultural Communities

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Brandon, MB – Stigma-Free Mental Health Society, in partnership with the Manitoba Farmer Wellness Program, is bringing its Rural Minds Matter Peer Support Training to Brandon this November, offering farmers, agricultural workers, rural residents and those who support farmers an opportunity to build practical skills for supporting others in their communities.

Rural and agricultural communities have a long history of looking out for one another. The two-day, in-person training builds on that strength by helping participants become more confident having supportive conversations, listening without judgment, recognizing when someone may need additional support and using their own lived experiences to connect with others.

The training will take place:

• Saturday, November 14 & Sunday, November 15, 2026
  9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. CST each day
  Brandon University
  Brandon, Manitoba

• Registration is $50 and space is limited.

The Rural Minds Matter Peer Support Training is designed specifically with rural and agricultural communities in mind. Participants do not need previous peer support experience or professional training to attend.

“People in rural and agricultural communities already support each other in so many ways. Peer support builds on something that is naturally part of rural life: being there for each other,” says Andrea Paquette, CEO & Co-Founder of Stigma-Free Mental Health Society. “This training gives people practical skills and confidence to have those conversations, listen well and support someone who may be going through a difficult time.”

“Farmers are used to looking out for one another, but it isn’t always easy to know what to say when someone is struggling,” says Gerry Friesen, Chief Administrative Officer of the Manitoba Farmer Wellness Program. “Peer support gives farmers practical skills to listen, connect and be there for each other.”

Participants will learn practical peer support skills including:

• Foundations of peer support and lived experience

• Compassionate communication and active listening

• Building trust and meaningful connection

• Understanding stigma and barriers to reaching out

• Maintaining healthy boundaries while supporting others

• Recognizing when additional support may be needed

• Building stronger networks of support within rural communities

The training is especially encouraged for farmers, producers, agricultural workers and farm families, while also welcoming rural residents and people whose work brings them into regular contact with agricultural communities.

Stigma-Free Mental Health Society has been working in rural and agricultural mental wellness since 2021 through its Rural Minds Matter program. Its work includes the Rural Mental Wellness Toolkit and Rural Minds Matter Peer Support Training, which equips rural residents with foundational skills to provide compassionate support within their communities.

Registration is now open:
https://register.ruralmentalwellness.com/book-a-training-session/

Space is limited and early registration is encouraged.


For media inquiries, interviews or additional information, please contact:
Andrea Paquette
CEO & Co-Founder
Stigma-Free Mental Health Society
Andrea.Paquette@stigmafreementalhealth.com
1-778-678-2223

About Stigma-Free Mental Health Society
Founded in 2010, Stigma-Free Mental Health Society is a registered Canadian charity committed to reducing stigma through education, awareness and community-based programming. Its primary initiatives include the Rural Minds Matter Program and the Stigma-Free School Program.

The Manitoba Farmer Wellness Program is a non-profit organization established October 26, 2021, and is led by a working board of directors. The Manitoba Farmer Wellness Program exists to provide one on one counselling sessions by professional counselors with backgrounds in agriculture to farmers and their families and farm employees seeking mental health services at no cost.

Learn more:

Stigma-Free Mental Health Society: www.stigmafreementalhealth.com
Manitoba Farmers Wellness Program: https://manitobafarmerwellness.ca/