From rural and remote towns to big city locations, the Jean Hailes team attends and participates in events all around Australia. Read about our latest adventures.
During this year's Women's Health Week, a record 109 events were held in Indigenous communities across Australia, reaching more than 2500 women and girls. An increase of 419% from 2018.
Brenda Jones (pictured below), Campaign Manager for Women's Health Week, was invited to attend and open one of these events held in Tennant Creek, NT, where the whole community came together to put on a health and wellbeing day for the girls of Tennant Creek High School.
Brenda hit the road with local photographer Milly Hooper for the ultimate road trip from Alice Springs to Tennant Creek; 500km in a straight line along the Stuart Highway. With thanks to our partner Mazda Australia, the trip was made a lot more comfortable in the fabulous BT50.
A highlight just before reaching our destination was a stop off at Karlu Karlu or the Devils Marbles; a living cultural landscape and sacred site for the Warumungu, Kaytetye, Alyawarra and Warlpiri people.
In a collaboration that began in 2018 with the Tennant Creek High School, Department of Health, Stars Foundation, Anyinginyi Health Aboriginal Corporation, SARC and other local health organisations, the town embraced Women's Health Week for the second year – this time holding 11 events, two of which were held in the out-bush communities of Elliot and Alpurruralam, 600km east of Tennant Creek.
The day of the event was typically hot and windy but that didn't stop everyone having a great time.
Once the official proceedings were out of the way, it was time for the girls to get involved in a variety of workshops that included cooking, respectful relationships, mindfulness and wellbeing, alcohol and other addictions as well as pampering, sporting activities and art.
Organiser, Central Australia Health Service's Health Promoting School Nurse in Tennant Creek, Rebecca Way believes that Women's Health Week is the perfect platform to bring a variety of community organisations and female elders together.
"The campaign reinforces to our local women the importance of looking after their health and wellbeing as well as educating girls on steps they can take to help prevent chronic illness later in life," she says.
It was a fabulous day that demonstrates how Jean Hailes is working with local organisations to help young Indigenous women achieve better health and education outcomes.
View the full list of Indigenous Women's Health Week events held in 2019.
A local newpaper article is pictured.
