Individual Projects are being conducted in the following locations

• Orbost & District
• Buchan & District
• Stratford / Maffra
• Latrobe & Mountain Rivers Region
• Warragul & District
• Leongatha / Meeniyan
• Yarram & District
• Swifts Creek / Omeo

Women who Mean Business Project Summary

• Introduction
• Objectives
• Stage 1
• Stage 2
• Stage 3
• Stage 4
• Project Areas

Introduction

The Women who Mean Business Project is supported by the State Government's Community Support Fund and is auspiced by Arts Network East Gippsland (ANEG) on behalf of the Gippsland Women's Network.

Women who Mean Business has been gathering impetus for two years. The project grew through the GWN's "The Box" initiative and is supported by the Wellington Shire Council, ABC Regional Radio Sale and Gippsland Centre Sale. The issues contributed to "The Box" were gathered and collaborated into the Women who Mean Business project. The response was overwhelming and included issues of youth, unemployment, lack of community volunteers, apathy of community participation and pride, lack of art and culture appreciation, lack of exhibition space and many other issues which affect many rural communities.

The objective of Women who Mean Business was to increase participation through community activities. The conduit for participation will be the formation of art and community projects within each location. Community art projects bring communities together and to work together on common goals. The project will be featured across eight or more Gippsland locations and their surrounding districts including Orbost, Buchan, Rosedale, Moe, Warragul, Leongatha, Yarram and Swifts Creek.

Each of these locations will have a working party consisting of 20 to 30 interested participants. All community members are welcome to participate in one, more or all of the activities and workshops on offer over the three year duration.

The first workshops will commence in July of 2004.

The Women Who Mean Business three year project aims to work with women across the Gippsland region to develop their talents in leadership, business and the arts.

Objectives

1. To provide local women with the opportunity to realise their full potential and to competently manage change.
2. To provide women with opportunities to develop skills, partnerships and educational opportunities leading to greater self-esteem and confidence through participation in leadership, organisational and business development courses and activities.
3. Increase business and employment opportunities for women in the region.
4. Delivery of high quality leadership, organisational, business and information technology workshops across Gippsland that are accessible to all community members.
5. To provide networking opportunities for women in Gippsland as a means of information sharing, collaboration and friendship.
6. Provision of newsletter, website and email list as a means of information sharing across Gippsland.
7. Provide an avenue for greater involvement of women in promoting Gippsland as a unique and important tourism location.
8. Provide an avenue for newly acquired skills to be utilised and further developed in a community based project. The project will be delivered in four stages over a three-year period.

The project will be administered by the East Gippsland Arts Network on behalf of the Gippsland Women’s Network.

Stage One: Project Establishment January 2004 – June 2004

The main components of this stage are:

1. Project Management Team established.
2. Employment of Project co-ordinator.
3. Establishment of Database and Networks and email list – information sharing.
4. Development and Production of Quarterly Newsletter – paper and email versions.
5. Development of Gippsland website – business, arts, craft & fibre.
6. Establishment of eight Local Working Groups.

Stage Two: Skills Development Workshops July 2004 – March 2005

1. Leadership, Organisational, Business and Information Technology Workshops.
2. Six workshops delivered in eight locations over a nine-month period – totaling minimum 48 workshops.
3. Deliver high quality accredited workshops

Stage Three: Putting Theory into Practice April 2005 – December 2005

1. Allocation of eight $10,000 grants to eight local steering committees for the development and implementation of a business project – not confined to one based on arts or fibre.
2. A detailed project plan including budget, timelines, stakeholders, strategies and actions will be prepared by each local Working Group.
3. The project will be implemented by the local community, overseen by the project officer and local steering committee.
4. The skills developed in Stage two will be used in the project development and implementation.
5. It is envisaged that the total cost of the individual projects will be in excess of $20,000 each, with the additional funds coming from the community or via private sponsorship.

Stage Four: Showcasing and Celebration January 2006 – June 2006

1. The final stage of the project will be to showcase all the project outcomes.
2. These outcomes may include:
   • Art, craft, fibre local community markets to showcase the high quality products from the local area. Location of these markets will be determined during the second and third stages of the project, in conjunction with the Project officer and Local Working Groups.
   • Exhibitions for project products – this will incorporate opportunity for local artists to showcase their work in a formal exhibition. These will be held in conjunction with local art galleries.
   • Business outcomes – new businesses established, linkages built.
   • Tourism opportunities and linkages to existing businesses – collaborative efforts with business and the arts.
3. Development and implementation of exhibitions will further enhance the skills developed in stage two of the project.
4. The exhibitions, markets and other showcasing opportunities will be held in conjunction with the food, wine and tourism industry to ensure maximum exposure and to create further marketing opportunities for Gippsland’s finest products.
5. Project Evaluation.