Hand to the Land mental health support

For the past two decades, Victoria Walker has wondered if better mental health education and greater awareness could have saved the life of her younger sister. Now she’s advocating for change.

For the past two decades, Victoria Walker has wondered if better mental health education and greater awareness would have saved the life of her younger sister.

Jess Walker was 22 years old when she died by suicide in 2003, after being discharged from a Sydney hospital to her hometown Yass, in NSW.

And for Victoria, who now works mental health care, it’s easy to look back with more awareness and see the signs that something wasn’t quite right.

“In retrospect, there were so many signs,” Ms Walker said.

“The education around mental health wasn’t very good, compared to now.”

It is her and her family’s experience and the fallout from Jess’s death that was the catalyst for a new program designed to boost mental health education in rural and regional Australia.

Hand to the Land, launched in partnership with the Country Education Foundation, is designed to enhance mental health literacy by providing critical educational resources to rural and remote communities.

It’s a toolkit of strategies and information which Ms Walker said could have helped her family.

“I wanted to do something in memory of my sister, and raise awareness of mental health. Where I saw a gap was with rural mental health. And in my sister’s instance, if there’d been more psychological education, and more support, there’s potential that could have changed,” Ms Walker said.

“At that point, there was no education given to my parents at all. I remember at that age, I didn’t know what anxiety or depression was. It all happened so quickly. And when you look back, you can see the little signs that she’d been struggling.”

Hand to the Land recently held a gala fundraiser event, where 400 guests from across regional Australia raised $300,000 to help kickstart the program.

Alex Walker, Victoria Walker, Katie Walker and Michael Walker. Picture: Supplied.

‘It’s about trying to educate. Where people still struggle is they don’t know what to look out for. By trying to give people a little toolkit to help them be more comfortable to talk to someone, or even to help themselves,” Ms Walker said.

“Particularly in rural areas, where there’s a lack of services and farmers don’t have the time to go and see a psychologist. That’s when it bubbles along, and gets to the pointy end where it becomes too late.”

To access the mental health resources or to donate, visit handtotheland.com