DRIVING social change to improve the safety of Victorian farming families is a new podcast series launched by the Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) Making our Farms Safer Project (MOFS).
VFF vice-president and chair of the VFF child safety on farms steering committee, Danyel Cucinotta, said the initial two-part series featured tips and guidance to reduce accidents involving children on the farm.
“The campaign focuses on better outcomes for children aged 10-15, who are performing work-related tasks on farms. Essentially, we want everyone on the farm to be able to go home safely at the end of the night.
“Influencing change is difficult no matter the subject. Influencing cultural changes is even harder and that’s what these podcasts are striving to do.”
The podcast series also features the head of trauma and burns unit at the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne, Dr Warwick Teague, and his insight into dealing with child injury and trauma.
Dr Teague said treating injuries was important, but “preventing injuries is so much more important”.
“Every five days in Victoria, a child is injured on a quad bike. We know that is an underestimate, because not all are serious injuries,” he said.
Dr Teague hopes the podcast series will spark a conversation that would reduce the number of injuries on farms involving children.
“It goes against the status quo to say ‘No’ and change what has previously always been done in the past. That’s exactly how we end up with injuries on farms or at home. Then we are left managing the injury. We would love to never see it,” Dr Teague said.
“Is there a better thing to do in our day, life or year than to save another?”
The podcast series is now available for listening and can be downloaded via your favourite streaming app and searching ‘Victorian Farmers Federation’.
