Young Farmer Group Toolkit

Are you a member of a young farmer group or are you thinking of starting one? Or perhaps you volunteer in your community in other ways? The Young Farmer Group Toolkit is here to help! The Young Farmer Business Program has developed a range of videos, factsheets and customisable templates to support both existing and newly formed groups.

The resources below will assist you to locate and connect with existing groups, start your group, consider funding and marketing strategies, run events and workshops, and look after your most valuable asset… your people! The full Guidebook provides an end-to-end resource for groups and the accompanying summary factsheets and templates will assist you as you navigate meetings, sponsorship pitches and planning events. This toolkit was developed in conjunction with Airlie Landale, from Farm Table.

The toolkit also features video interviews with three existing young farmer groups who are kicking goals across NSW – Young AggiesYoung Farmers Connect, and Young Country Networkers.


Before you start…

Let’s not recreate the wheel!

There can be a significant amount of work, extra expenses and paperwork involved in creating a brand spanking new young farmer group. We recommend doing a bit of research before you dive in to understand if there is already another organisation locally or nationally involved in similar work.

A comprehensive Guidebook has been developed to help you navigate the world of setting and operating a young farmer group. In the Young Farmer Group Guidebook we cover starting, financing, marketing and sustaining your group and the guide is relevant for both existing and new groups. For those that rather information in bite-sized pieces, there are summary factsheets under the key headings below!

Young Farmer Group Guidebook

Starting your Young Farmer Group

We’ve got a good idea, but how do we get started?

So, your brain is working overtime with an exciting new opportunity to establish a group in your community. Your idea is solid, but what’s next?

These videos, templates and factsheet help you to understand the bits and pieces you need to consider when establishing your new group. Be sure to download the full Young Farmer Group Guidebook for a more detailed explanation of the various administrative, regulatory and legal aspects involved with setting up an organisation.

Financing your Young Farmer Group

Our group is ready to roll, but how do we raise money?

You are passionate about your vision and have a team ready to make a difference. But, you need money, money, money to help finance your group’s activities. So, where do you start?

These resources introduce a range of funding models to point you in the right direction to raise the much needed cash for you to deliver on your ‘why’. The focus is on exploring different members models and structures, sponsorships and partnership, grants and funding, and donations and fundraising. We dedicate an entire section below to running events and workshops separately. Be sure to download the Young Farmer Group Guidebook for a more detailed explanation of the methods and processes involved in raising finance.

Marketing your Young Farmer Group

Our group is awesome, so how to we promote it?

You have worked hard to establish your young farmer group, but are not quite sure how to promote it in order to build membership or get the word out.

The factsheet below provides some tips and tricks to assist you navigate the world of marketing and promotion. We cover brand assets, websites, email marketing, social media marketing, and publicity and promotion.

Be sure to download the full Young Farmer Group Guidebook for more detailed information on brand assets, website, social media, email marketing and public relations.

Sustaining your Young Farmer Group

Sustaining and growing your group is not possible without supporting and developing your people. Your committee, members, and volunteers all work hard to make a difference in your community and the agricultural industry. But no one is infallible – we all need support and time off, particularly when we take on too much.

This section focuses on managing fatigue and burnout, conflict, skills development and committee succession and change. Without the human element in your group, it would not exist, so do your best to be proactive in supporting your people, including yourself!

Be sure to download the full Young Farmer Group Guidebook for more detailed information on these areas.

Running Events & Workshops

We want to run an event… Help!

So, you’ve created your own young farmer group, you’ve got your committee all lined up… why not launch this group to your local community! Events are a great way of promoting the group and its objectives, raise money to fund the group’s activities, as well as bring people together to share in a common goal. Or perhaps you’re old hands, but managing events still seems to bring with it an undue amount of stress and anxiety.

Events are a powerful form of communication and community for groups. They can build relationships, share knowledge, increase memberships, among many other advantages.

This section will give you the tools you require to run a safe and successful event – before, during and following the event.

Make sure you have fun while planning… that’s what events are after all!


Useful links