The Guardian's Role
What Does a Guardian Do?
A Guardian is trained to…
- Recognize members of the agricultural community struggling with mental health concerns.
- Identify and address warning signs of suicide.
- Initiate conversations with at-risk farmers and confidently communicate with farmers in distress.
- Identify people at risk of suicide by verifying the presence of suicidal thoughts or suicide planning.
- Connect farmers or their family members to regional mental health and crisis supports and resources.
- Maintain strict confidentiality.
- Set boundaries and have realistic expectations of their role.
- Access ongoing support specifically tailored to Guardians to ensure their own wellbeing.
A Guardian prioritizes their own well-being
and does NOT put themselves at risk of harm.
A Guardian does NOT act as a
therapist or counsellor.
A Guardian does NOT provide follow up
mental health care to community members.
Help Support Mental Health on Ontario Farms
Become a Guardian
Program Partners & Supporters
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.
