Moving Forward Together in Aboriginal Women's Health: - Theses ...

Moving Forward TogetherJanet Kellytwo groups together, to share and evaluate their programs with each other, ifthey were interested.On our return home we both talked with the young women, programcoordinators and co-researchers to see if they thought the idea had merit (thinkand discuss). Everyone agreed it could be interesting and fun, and the ruralyouth worker and I became key contacts within a wider collaborative approach.Using email and phone conversations we put everyone’s priorities, needs andideas together and sought creative ways to meet most of them. We had twoAboriginal youth programs that needed to be evaluated. There were two groupsof young Aboriginal women who were interested in meeting others and sharingideas. The youth worker had just completed the Shine SA SE&X (sexualhealth) course and needed to undertake the practical part of her assignment.The young women from both groups had expressed an interest in knowingmore about sexual health. Using flexible Ganma thinking, we set aboutplanning an interactive, fun, culturally safe event that could encompass all ofthis. All involved agreed that it would be good to meet on neutral ground andthe Aboriginal Outreach Health Service was chosen as the site of choice.Health staff and management offered to provide lunch, the local high schoolstudents would be the hosts, supported by the Aboriginal and Education coresearchers,and the young regional women would be transported the 100kmsby youth workers.The day went mostly as planned, with a few last minute changes. The youngwomen from the high school came over early and worked with health andeducation staff to set up the group room. When the young regional womenarrived, everyone had morning tea and then sat in a big circle to introducethemselves to one other. The oldest of the Windsor Gardens studentswelcomed the others and introduced their programs. She was hearing impairedand did this with the support of the sign teacher/interpreter. Both groups ofyoung women shared details about the programs they had been involved in andswapped stories and resources. The visiting young women performed a hip hopdance that they had learned as part of their program and which they were nowperforming at public events in their regional centres.283