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Welcome to the Women's Centre for Health Matters!
You can use the headings on the left hand side of the page to find out what we do, learn about our current projects, read our reports and publications and have your say about issues affecting women’s health and wellbeing!
Latest WCHM News
Women Mental Health Carers in the ACT - Preliminary Survey Findings
The ACT Women and Mental Health Working Group (ACT WMHWG) and the Women’s Centre for Health Matters (WCHM) are pleased to announce the online publication of preliminary survey findings to their 2010 survey of women mental health carers in the ACT. This survey is the first phase of a research project commissioned by the ACT WMHWG and WCHM which aims to explore ACT women mental health carer's health and wellbeing, social and support networks and involvement in their local community and in decision making processes.A more expansive report is expected to be published in early 2011.
If you would like further information on this project, please contact WCHM’s Project Officer (Mental Health), Kate Judd, by email at mhwg@wchm.org.au or by phone on 02 6290 2166.
Related Link: Women Mental Health Carers in the ACT - Preliminary Survey Findings
Making Your 40s Fabulous
YOUR HORMONES | YOUR LIBIDO | YOUR HEALTH
On Wednesday September 1, The Women's Centre for Health Matters and Sexual Health and Family Planning ACT (SHFPACT) jointly hosted a Making Your 40s Fabulous event; an opportunity for women to gather information on issues affecting them in their 40s: hormonal changes, physical changes, libido, sleep, emotional health and the importance of maintaining health for the future.
The event was launched by 666 ABC Canberra Drive presenter Louise Maher and was attended by over 70 women. The evening began with the screening of a webcast by the Jean Hailes Foundation for Women's Health, which was followed by a question and answer session with three local health experts: Dr Linda Welberry (Senior Medical Officer, Menopause Centre Canberra - SHFPACT), Caroline Salisbury (ABC Radio Nutrition Presenter & Nutrition Consultant) and Leslie Betts (Physiotherapist, Southside Physiotherapy).
The night was a great success with the women enjoying great company, a light supper and bag of information to takeway!
Advocacy Skills and Development Sessions for Bilingual Women
The Multicultural Centre for Women’s Health invites bilingual women across Australia to participate in a one-day advocacy skills development session.
What will I gain from participating in an MCWH Advocacy Skills Development Session for Bilingual Women?
These skills development sessions are aimed at building the advocacy capacities of bilingual women. Participants will then be further able to pass on skills to other women in their own communities about advocacy in their preferred languages, with the added benefit of being from the community.
An advocacy toolkit has been developed by MCWH and it will be used as a guide during sessions. Certificates of program participation will be awarded.
What do I need to participate? To participate in one of these sessions you need to:
- be from the local community;
- have a basic knowledge of English;
- speak a community language;
- be committed to sharing information with other women.
The session will take place on Thursday 14th October from 9:00am - 4:00pm at the WCHM office, Building 1, Collett Pl, Pearce.
MCWH Advocacy Development 2010 Flyer and Registration (88 KB)
Report Launch: It goes with the Territory! ACT Women's views about Health and Wellbeing Information
On Wednesday July 7, ACT Minister for Women Joy Burch, on behalf of WCHM, launched It goes with the Territory! ACT Women’s Views on Health and Wellbeing Information. The launch was very successful with over 50 people attending, including WCHM Board members, Amanda Bresnan and Mary Porter, and members of the media.
Caroline Polak Scowcroft, Vice President of the Health Care Consumers Association in the ACT, spoke about the importance of the report and highlighted the similarities between the centre's findings and those from HCCA research. Minister Joy Burch launched the report with a very supportive speech about WCHM and a commitment from ACT Health to work with WCHM on the recommendations.
It goes with the Territory! presents ACT women’s views about the quality and reliability of different sources of health and wellbeing information; documents the ways in which (different groups of) ACT women prefer to access health and wellbeing information; the barriers they face in accessing and obtaining the information they need; and the gaps in current health and wellbeing information in the ACT.
Related Link: It goes with the Territory! ACT Women's views about Health and Wellbeing Information
Report Launch: Out of Reach - Women living with mental health issues in the ACT: What hinders their access to legal support?
The Women’s Centre for Health Matters and the ACT Women and Mental Health Working Group’s commissioned report, Out of Reach - Women living with mental health issues in the ACT: What hinders their access to legal support? was launched by the ACT Human Rights and Discrimination Commissioner, Dr Helen Watchirs, on Monday June 21 at the ACT Legislative Assembly.
The launch was very successful with over 50 people attending, including WCHM Board members, Shane Rattenbury and Amanda Bresnan from the Greens, and 3 members of the media including ABC TV.
Amy Kilpatrick, who runs the new Homeless Persons' Legal Service, Street Law, spoke about the importance of the Report in highlighting the barriers experienced by women living with mental health issues in accessing information, support, representation and advocacy in the current legal system, and endorsed the Report’s recommendations for improving ACT service provision to these women. Dr Helen Watchirs, the ACT Human Rights and Discrimination Commissioner launched the Report with a very supportive speech about WCHM and how her work is highlighting the same problems for women living with mental health issues.
Out of Reach captures the personal stories of women living with mental health issues in the ACT and their ‘lived experience’ in accessing legal advice, support, representation and advocacy in the ACT, as well as feedback from service providers and community based organisations that provide support to women experiencing mental health issues. Please refer to the reports and publications section for a full copy of the report.
Both Amy and Helen were interviewed on camera by the ABC, and the co-author of the Report (our staff member Kate Judd) was also interviewed.
An ABC online news report of the event can be found at: Legal system inaccessible to women with mental illness
A copy of Helen's speech can be found at:
Helen Watchirs Speech (52 KB)
Related Link: Out of Reach - Women living with mental health issues in the ACT: What hinders their access to legal support?
Women and Prisons Forum
The ACT Women and Prisons Group (WAP) supported by the ACT Women's Services Network held a forum on Monday June 28 to discuss issues regarding female prisoners for the ACT Corrections' “Independent Review of the Alexander Maconochie Centre”.
The ACT Women and Prisons Group (WAP) held the forum in order to share experiences, suggestions and learnings, which will support WAP to make the voices of the women in AMC, and those of ex women prisoners, heard as part of the evaluation process.
A submission will now be made to the review, which will contribute to the understanding of the issues regarding female prisoners in the AMC.
Submissions
The Women’s Centre for Health Matters is currently preparing submissions in response to the following developments in women’s health and wellbeing, and we would welcome any views and opinions you think should be included in our submissions. Just email your input to us at admin@wchm.org.au
None currently.
Click Past Submissions to read more.
Consultations
None currently.