The Peregrine Centre offers small research grants for projects focused on rural mental health practice in NSW. Here is a summary of one of the projects we have supported as part of our Small Grants scheme.
Project Team: Dr Suzanne Cosh, Prof Amy Lykins, Dr Phillip Tully, Dr Warren Bartik, Dr Amanda Jefferys, Ms Rosie Ryan, Ms Joanne Robinson
Researchers from the University of New England piloted a new wellbeing intervention designed to support rural young people affected by natural disasters. Co‑designed with local experts, educators, and youth voices, the Bee Well program offers an age‑appropriate way to help children understand and manage eco‑anxiety in communities where disasters and limited services can heighten stress.
Early feedback suggests the program is feasible and positively received, with children engaging well and describing benefits such as feeling more confident, connected, and supported. However, the small, single‑site pilot included only brief follow‑up and self‑reported outcomes, so the findings, while encouraging, are preliminary.
Even so, the pilot indicates that structured, evidence‑informed approaches like Bee Well may help fill an important gap in post‑disaster support for rural young people, warranting further evaluation.
Interested in learning more about research? You could try our Building Research Capacity workbook. You need to have a Peregrine Portal account, however sign-up is free.
