Women in the 200+ rural community of Hamilton in the Central Highlands region of Tasmania are healthier and happier, thanks to a series of workshops that focused on empowering women and building their resilience. The sessions were supported by a $5,000 grant through FRRR’s Nutrien Ag Solutions Community Grants program that helped cover food costs and speaker fees, making it affordable for many rural women to attend.
The sessions came about after the The Hamilton District Agricultural Show Society (HDASS) committee volunteers noticed that women in the district often felt lonely and isolated, as facilities closed down, leaving them fewer options to get involved in activities. Add to that the challenge of balancing work, family life, sport, hobbies, managing access to health services and more.
The committee therefore decided to plan something to bring them together and learn new skills, in the belief that strong women create strong families and communities. The grant meant the committee could offer a series of workshops rather than only one, helping participants build their network and cement connections with new and familiar people.
They ran four sessions from June to December 2023, each with a different topic around the theme of empowering women and building their resilience:
- The power of the written word – about how reading and book clubs can provide a fabulous networking opportunity for attendees.
- Resilience through self-care – addressing common health issues for women and reinforcing the need to be proactive in managing your health.
- Strength through agriculture and community – tips on managing mental health challenges and how important friends and colleagues are in times of need.
- Protecting rural communities from within – sharing how building connections can help prevent crime in rural communities.
Joanna Jones from the HDASS committee reported that the program brought together around 70 people from a diverse range of ages, social backgrounds, education and jobs, and encouraged learning from the presenters, as well as each other.
“Bringing together people from different facets of the community, and allowing people to make new connections and friends was a highlight … This was a fantastic program. It was also lovely that a representative from Nutrien was able to attend two of the workshops, and see the difference the funding made to the community,” she said.
