A warm and lively crowd of the Community Foundation’s members and their friends gathered at Cospace last Wednesday at a special evening to mark International Women’s Day.
Guest speaker Professor Jo Porter, Director of the Collaborative Evaluation and Research Centre at Federation University’s Gippsland campus, captivated the audience with findings from her research capturing the voices and experiences of 1,000 rural women.
The audience — a diverse mix of ages and genders — was highly engaged throughout the evening, with many attendees commenting on particular findings relating to their own experiences and those of people they know.
“Jo’s research really resonated with people in the room,” said Ruth Rogan, Executive Officer of the Community Foundation. “The research highlighted some challenging realities of life in rural areas, but also the passion that the women had for living rurally and their strong connection with their communities.”
In regional communities especially, women often carry many roles — as leaders, carers, volunteers, professionals, business owners, farmers, artists and quiet community builders whose contributions shape community life every day.
The evening provided an opportunity not only to recognise those contributions, but also to reflect on the opportunities and challenges facing rural women. The themes emerging from the research offered plenty of food for thought, and perhaps inspiration for future community initiatives.
To become a member of the Community Foundation, you can email us on info@mirboodistrictfoundation.org.au or drop in to Co-space (96 Ridgway) for an application form or click here to download and complete your own.