As part of the Women's Health and Wellbeing Program, $1.8 million over 4 years were allocated to 13 organisations to establish mental, physical and wellbeing support groups for women to address specific health issues, including chronic disease and menopause.
Focusing on women's unique health needs and experiences, these online or in-person programs provide a secure and supportive space for women to openly discuss their various difficulties in their health journeys and access support.
Participating organisations
| Name | Description | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Gippsland Women's Health | Healthy Women, Healthy Gippsland, is a health literacy program to support women across their whole of life stages through a range of place-based capacity building and engagement techniques. | 56b Cunninghame St Sale |
| Mullum Mullum Indigenous Gathering | Sister's Healthy Yarning Circle supports First Nation women of all ages through a trauma-informed lens. It considers the intergenerational trauma and other systemic issues or mistrust that impact the community from accessing health care. The program has a holistic approach and supports a spectrum of issues that the community may experience, including family violence, mental health and addiction. It will facilitate connections to health and allied health organisations to improve health outcomes and health literacy. | 47-49 Patterson Street, Ringwood East |
| Shifra and Puah Social Support Group for Jewish | The Shifra and Puah Social Support Group for Jewish Mums offers a face-to-face social support group program for mums of newborn children in the Jewish community in Melbourne. | 173 Balaclava Road, Caulfield North |
| Victorian Aboriginal Health Service | The VAHS Women's Group in the Community space offers a space where women can come together to share their experiences, offer mutual support, and foster personal growth. This group is facilitated by VAHS staff, including mental health professionals, Aboriginal health workers, AOD clinicians, midwives, maternal and child health nurses, as well as the women themselves. | 186 Nicholson Street, Fitzroy |
| Wathaurong Aboriginal | Balert Bagoork – Strong Women is a weekly women’s group tailored towards Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women focused on physical health and social and emotional wellbeing. This is a culturally safe space for women with lived experience of family and domestic violence to come together. The program will address 'women's business', decreasing shame around topics important to women’s health and increasing the baseline knowledge of women’s health conditions. | 62 Morgan St, North Geelong |
| Wellsprings for Women | Wellsprings Culturally Safe Women's Support Group addresses the complex needs of new migrants and refugees in the Victorian community. | 79 Langthorne Street, Dandenong |
| Women's Health | Harmony East provides a mental health support program for refugee women, run by Hakha Chin women, delivered in language by bicultural workers in Melbourne's East. | 1/125 George Street, Doncaster East |
| Women's Health Goulburn North | The Women Gathering model was developed by Women’s Health Goulburn North East in 2008, providing a space for women affected by the Millennium Drought to share their experiences, grow stronger and develop friendships with other women to support them through the healing process. This project will utilise both online and in-person resources from past Women Gathering models to meet objectives. | 86-90 Rowan St, Wangaratta |
| Women's Health Grampians | Menopause@Work is a new women’s health and wellbeing support group program aimed at addressing menopause in workplace settings, specifically focusing on women in rural areas and women from diverse backgrounds. | 728 Barkly St, Ballarat |
| Women's Health in the | The Abortion Project is a face-to-face peer support group for people with experiences of abortion. | 680 High St, Thornbury VIC 3071 |
| Women's Health in the South | Mastering Menopause offers an in-person women's health and wellbeing support group focusing on ageing and menopause. | Level 1, 70-74 St Kilda Road, St Kilda |
| Women's Spirit - The Motivation Project LTD | A 12-week fitness, health and wellbeing program codesigned by women with lived experience of trauma (family and sexual violence, mental health barriers, poverty, addiction, displacement and re-settlement). | 1/25 Culcairn Drive, Frankston South |
| Zoe Support | The Wellbeing Support Program for Young Mothers project aims to empower young mothers to make informed decisions about their health and wellbeing by engaging healthcare professionals to provide weekly group information sessions. | 278 Deakin Avenue, Mildura |
Reviewed 22 August 2024