WestSeed: Empowering women and girls within the community
The United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals 5: Gender Equality, aims to promote equal participation and end all forms of discrimination and violence against women, girls, gender diverse and those who identify as non-binary.
While there has been some significant progress toward gender equality, especially in promoting education for women and girls, there are still many challenges.
Globally, COVID-19's impacts and related government policies has reversed some of this progress and exacerbated inequalities.
A report from University of Melbourne shows women in Victoria are experiencing disadvantages in their work, family and health experiences during the Covid-19 pandemic. Key findings include:
Women experienced higher economic vulnerability due to; higher rates of job losses compared to men, more likely to seek financial assistance from family or friends, many were ineligible for government pay schemes like job keeper or are more worried their jobs will disappear.
Women bear a heavier load of housework chores and childcare. This is not a new issue since the pandemic began but has been intensified by it.
Women have reported higher anxiety levels, restless sleep and less calm than men and other groups in Australia.
Women already earn on average a third less than men, so, these new findings from the impacts of Covid show how women are disproportionately affected and need more support.
There are numerous organisations in Melbourne’s West working to ensure gender equality. They provide support to:
Survivors of domestic and family violence
Develop leadership skills with girls and young women
Provide rights and legal education
Bring together women from a wide range of backgrounds for networking, socialising and sport
They provide a lifeline and essential service to many women in Melbourne’s West.
Volunteers have essential roles leading and supporting these organisations. Many are actively recruiting volunteers in roles to develop websites, support social media management, supporting events or to simply join their groups. Some are entirely run by volunteers.
Check out some of the amazing organisations below and feel free to contact them to discuss potential volunteering opportunities or other ways that you can support them and their work towards Gender Equality.
Papua New Guinea Women's Association Victoria
The Papua New Guinea Women’s Association Victoria (PNGWAV) aims to create a one stop shop for the needs of PNG women and their families in Victoria. They aim to make sure their members become productive and eventually help PNG women back in PNG (through selective organisations), especially survivors of domestic and family violence. The association also aims to preserve our cultural heritage by creating programs for their children and showcasing their rich cultural heritage when they participate in events with other organisations.
Phone: 0410 670 466
Email: pngwav@gmail.com
Victoria Immigrant and Refugee Women’s Coalition (VIRWC)
Every week, over 150 women meet and talk, laugh and share their stories with each other. They arrange information sessions and workshops on several topics to inform and connect women to service providers state-wide and in the local area. Women come out of their homes and into the community each week to build friendships and reduce social isolation. They celebrate culture and share traditional foods. They have more than 10 groups running every week in different areas of Melbourne.
The St. Albans multicultural women's group have a community garden, where the fruit and vegetables are used to prepare meals while socialising in a comfortable and safe setting.
Phone: 0422 062 521
The Point Cook Multicultural women's group organise social activities, excursions and guest speakers for women that is inclusive and in a comfortable and safe setting.
Phone: 0422 062 521 or 0432 489 584
Email: projects@virwc.org.au
Women's Health West - Sunrise Groups
Women’s Health West (WHW) is committed to improving equity and justice for women in Melbourne’s western region. WHW deliver family violence services and undertake health promotion actions.
Sunrise Groups are social groups for women, gender diverse and non-binary people who have a disability, chronic illness and/or mental illness from all cultures who live in Melbourne’s West. It is a program design to help connect participants with other like-minded people. Participants come together to build friendships and support each other, obtain information about staying healthy, build confidence, get to know their local community, find out about services available to them and to try new things and have fun.
Currently programs are being run in Wyndham, Brimbank, Melton and Maribyrnong. During lockdown periods, programs are run weekly using Zoom. When face to face programs start again, participants will get together once a fortnight at a venue that is accessible for people living with a disability. Activities are based on participants' feedback and are planned every six months. Morning tea is provided and most of the activities are free too!
Phone: 0407 061 702
Email: sunrise@whwest.org.au
Williamstown Juniors Football Club
Williamstown Juniors Football Club are a family club run by volunteers and a committee, with strong community culture and respectful values. They have mixed and all girls teams for U9, U10, U12, U14 and U16s which accounts for over 400 enrolments each year.
Phone: 0438654585
Email: admin@williamstownjuniors.com.au
Zonta Club of Melbourne's West Inc.
The Zonta Club of Melbourne’s West (Inc.) is a member of Zonta International, a global service organisation of professionals working together across political and social boundaries to advance the status of women through service and advocacy.
Zonta club members volunteer their time, ideas and skills to raise funds and conduct activities to support projects and awards for the benefit of women and their families in the local community and for Zonta International service programs which improve the situations of women in developing countries.
The club provides opportunities to give back to the community, cultivate friendships, network, develop new skills and enjoy working on projects and fundraising with members from diverse professional and social backgrounds.
Phone: 0411 607 995
Email: zontamelbwest@gmail.com
Somali Community Inc. Victoria
Somali Community Inc. (SCI) is a non-for-profit Community Organisation based in Melbourne, Australia. The community was established in 1990 to support and represent the Somali community in Victoria Australia. Somali community Inc. Is one of the first African community established in Melbourne Victoria and largest community in Victoria mostly living inner city area and suburbs particularly Flemington, North Melbourne, Carlton, Kensington, Ascot Vale, Fitzroy and nearby areas. They work in the area where most of the African-Australian Communities in Victoria live and cater to all sorts of situations and needs.
Email: admin@somalicommunity.org.au
Gabriela Australia (Association of Filipino Women)
Gabriela Australia provides education and information sessions on the rights and welfare of women and children, with a focus on the areas of health and family violence. The association also provides support to victims and/or survivors of family violence and sexual assault which include accompanying or representing to various groups and/or agencies, referral, counselling, community support and other support such document preparation.
Phone: 0411 406 700
Email: maykotsakis@gmail.com
The Ladies Club 60 has been running for 5 years and provides a space for women aged 50+ to gather weekly at Penrose Community Centre, to build their social connections and life skills. Their aim is to pull together a group of like-minded women and offer activities such as games, crafts, guest speakers and information sessions to meet their current needs as well as offer programs to improve their wellbeing. They aim to build the women’s skills to live more effectively in Australia and feel the sense of belonging.
Meet every Monday, except 1st Monday of every month, from 12pm to 2pm.
Phone: 0488 251 459
Email: ladiesclub60@gmail.com
The Oromo Women’s Networking Group (Tarneit)
The aim of this group is to bring the community together, to stay connected to the local community centre and get support, understand differences, mix with diverse people, learn about cultural barriers, and understand more about the Australian lifestyle.
Email: rahima1987@yahoo.com.au
Sakhi Saheli is a women's charity organisation, run by women for women, striving to empower women through friendship, education and resilience. Their aim is to increase resilience, autonomy, and strength in the women of their community by focusing on their health, education, legal and social well-being. Sakhi Saheli is a support system where they aim to facilitate and provide knowledge, resources, and vital information in conjunction with other organisations to local women. Every fortnight, women meet and talk, laugh and share their stories with each other. They arrange for Information Sessions and Workshops on several topics to inform and connect women to service providers state-wide and in the local area.
Currently there are three friendship groups running fortnightly in the Wyndham area and there is a plan to have another group running soon in the Aintree area. It is a great place to meet other women, socialise with them and make long lasting friendships.
Women's Friendship Club runs:
Every second Tuesday from 12:30pm to 2:30pm @ Manor Lakes Community Learning Centre
Every second Wednesday from 10am to 12pm @ Point Cook Community Learning Centre
Every second Wednesday from 12am to 2pm @ Tarneit Community Learning Centre
Phone: 0478 634 794
Email: sakhisaheli16@gmail.com
The Wyndham Women's Support Group is an organisation that provides emotional and social support to women in the Wyndham area. The support group has been formed to create a safe environment where women from diverse cultural backgrounds, can share their experiences, gain support, and develop new friendships. It aims to provide assistance to women to help them break through their life limitations, recognise, and nurture their talents and offer encouragement to help in their daily personal growth and self-satisfaction.
The women get involved in projects such as The Windmill - A Journal of the Diverse Voices of Women which is a published journal sharing the wonderful stories of the local women, the Garden Project, the Cooking Project, the Sewing Project and the Cookbook Project.
Meet every Friday from 10am to 1pm.
Phone: 0423 051 686
Email: wyndwomens.sg18@gmail.com
The organisations listed above are part of WestSeed 1.0.
See all the WestSeed blogs to get inspired by the wonderful organisations in Melbourne’s west.