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About the Stratford / Maffra Project
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A Healing Garden indeed!
What a fabulous day we had on October 1 at the opening
of the Garden for Humanity in Stratford. Wonderful food
stalls, craft, live music from the fiddle orchestra,
sculpture making activity, wine, information stalls
and Amnesty International banner, making stall and foot
and hand massages.
All this and more. Many thanks to the school communities
of Airly, Meerlieu, Bairnsdale Steiner school and St
Patrick’s, Stratford, for supporting the event
as well as all the women who displayed their wares for
sale.
The garden looked a treat as the sculptures are all
in place – just a few casualties in the last clay
story plaques that were .red but we managed to get a
printed versions of the stories there in their place
as a temporary measure.
The welcome to country by Sandra Neilson, on behalf
of the traditional elders, was followed by an introduction
to Joan Kirner by Cr Charles McCubbin – a self
confessed environmental lobbyer of Joan Kirner.
Joan opened the garden and spoke passionately about
the importance of strength in women and in community
as well making reference to the value of community partnerships.
Many Landcare members were present as were representatives
from the Stratford Historical Society. The day ended
with some energised and able assistance in packing up
then, with the assistance of an officer from Sale traffic
police, a small group of riders were escorted over the
bridge, under the railway viaduct and to the start of
the Maffra Stratford Rail Trail.
Thanks to Roger Woolsten and Hilda Rhodes we made it
to Maffra just after the Rail trail opening. We were
just in time to help the Greening Australia and community
team to plant some trees on the site. The fame of Garden
for Humanity lives on the many references made to it
by Joan Kirner in nationwide events since the opening!
Previous Update
 
Outcomes So Far:
- Learnt new skills
- Dealt with media
- Working in groups/group dynamics
- Working with Committees
- Decision making
- A different look at committee meetings and better
ways to work as a team
- Negotiation
- Research Partnerships and key stakeholders
- Developed media strategy and budget
- Participant profiles
- Developed networks - Landcare, Greening Australia
and Historical Society
- Participants learnt new art skills - mosaic
- General research into garden and design
- Workshops - clay sculpture, wood turning and mosaic
- Relationship with Avon Landcare
- Media interviews
- Met with Shire and prepared plan/planning approval
by Shire
- Project co-ordination
- Inkind support from Wellington Shire
- Event Management for launch
- Developed risk management strategy
- Made connections with Koori people in regard to
sculptures
- Catchment Management Authority - planning permit
- Site layout prepared
- Radio interviews
- Gathered lots of volunteers
- Yarning Circle of wider benefit to the community
- use by elderly group from Sale
- Historical element - joined with Historical Society
- Negotiation
- Database and email list.
- Awareness and understanding of Koori culture and
heritage
- Bringing together knowledge of local history, indigenous
plants and art
- An opportunity to link Rail Trail, Sculpture Garden
and Town Walk - Commonwealth Games Link
- Research the ways tiles are used to tell stories.
- Part of the historic walking trail.
- Joan Kirner - to do the official opening
- Liaison with local government ongoing
- Ongoing articles and press releases
- Process of dealing with facilities
- Sourcing equipment and wood
- Awareness and understanding of Koori Culture and
heritage
- Bringing together knowledge of local history, indigenous
plants and art
- An opportunity to link Rail Trail, Sculpture Garden
and Town Walk
- Garden attracted a great deal of interest from local
neighbours
- People are already using the Yarning Circle
- Positive comments from people using picnic table
in its new location
- Garden used by Wilson's lodge for afternoon tea.
- Local neighbours are very happy with the enhanced
neighbourhood and visual aspect.
- Children and other people seen to be playing on
the elephant sculpture and reading the stories on
the fence.
- Company who does the river heights and water testing
at the site are happy to write some information about
the purpose of the instruments located at the site.
This could go onto permanent signage.
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Media Workshop - with Deb Bye
On Thursday 17th March, Deb Bye held a fascinating
workshop for the women from the Stratford/Maffra Women
who Mean Business group. Deb is an engaging speaker
with a wealth of knowledge. She provided the group with
many useful tips on: writing media releases; being a
spokesperson and dealing with the media in general.
One of the most entertaining and useful parts of the
workshop was when she gave participants hands-on experience
being interviewed. It is amazing how different it feels
to have to speak into a microphone. It was invaluable
to be able to play these interviews back and discuss
points raised in the way participants responded to the
challenge.
In the evaluation participants reported gaining new
skills in the workshop as well as refreshing old ones.
Some of the key points appreciated included:
Media release key points
- Radio interviews, media information applicable to
my business
- Tips from an interviewer's viewpoint
- Media contacts - deadlines etc very useful for promoting
my new venture
- Very practical advice - great examples. Will use
in a range of ways. Handouts appreciated.
- Great opportunity to refresh information that I
need for work
- How to do lots of things correctly
- Information about media releases
- The radio information was interesting
- A very interesting evening - a pleasure to be a
part of
Events Management Workshop
Maggie Maguire wowed her audience in Maffra recently
where twenty two women attended her workshop on Event
Management / Marketing and Promotion. Maggie is an extremely
entertaining and knowledgeable presenter who is very
easy to listen to. One of the first things we did was
to discover the range of community interests in the
room. As well as the WwMB Project there was: the Long
Lunch; a number of arts based events; the Sale Turf
Club; Landcare; the Maffra Agricultural Show; the Briagolong
Improvement Group; National Water Week; Open Days for
local businesses and the Stratford Shakespeare Festival.
It is great to know that the skills acquired in this
workshop will be spread so widely throughout the community.
We discussed common challenges, common solutions and
the problems raised by the sheer number of Events being
staged nowadays. There is a huge degree of competition
and we need to be tough when evaluating our events and
their worth.
We discussed Risk Management and how essential it is
in today's litigious society. It was stressed that,
even though we may have Public Liability Insurance for
events, this may end up being worth nothing if we have
not shown responsibility and care in our planning. One
of the main ways in which we can do this is by developing,
and following, a Risk Management Strategy as part of
our standard business practice. Despite being a daunting
subject it can be boiled down to answering three questions:
- What can go wrong?
- What will we do to prevent it?
- What will we do if it happens?
If we can work out a strategy built around the answers
to these questions then our projects, participants and
the community in general will be safer. This is the
message that came through most strongly for me and it
has already had a profound effect on the way our project
is managed. It is also worth noting that there is much
assistance available, through the Shires and other sources.
After lunch we then talked about marketing and promotion.
Points raised here included: the importance of clearly
identifying the market; having measurable objectives;
and knowing where to position your promotional materials.
All in all it was an extremely useful and stimulating
workshop.
Some of the feedback from Maggie's workshop is included
here:
- Great opportunity to attend a workshop with such
an experienced and great presenter
- Well presented and informative - thanks!
- Great speaker - did not get boring
- Very well paced - a good mix of presentation and
participation
- It's really great to hear from a professional 'hands
on' person
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Media Workshop in Maffra
Ann Andrew - Media Workshop
Matt Yule (SRW) - Media Workshop
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Business
Planning Workshop with Belinda Brennan:
The Maffra / Stratford
Business Planning Workshop was held at the DPI Building
in Maffra on Tuesday 21st
September 2004
Issues arising from the Business Planning Workshop:
IDEAS RELATING TO WORKSHOPS:
- More than one place
- Lets do something that is all
inclusive
- Something for everybody
- Open to all in community to attend
- Environment is an overwhelming
concern
- Caring for women
- Sense of fun
- Art
- Learning creative skills
- Garden / herbs
- Develop package to utilise as
model for other communities
- Caravan could move from place
to place
- Success stories
- it is in multiple locations
- whole communities involved
- there could be an individual component
per town
Benefits the project should have:
- Fun
- Sklills development
- Networking
- Multiplier effect
- Spending time with friends
- New friends
- Small business development
- Information
- New connections
- Keep your mind active
- Opportunities
- Community development
- Ongoing economic benefit
- Increasing skills
- Stop and spend money
- Decrease in mental health
- Utlising current skills
- Generation gap - involving youth
- Making an idea a reality
- Getting out of procrastinating
mode
- Out of comfort zone
- Strength of units
The Business Planning Evaluation Summary can be found
here
(pdf)
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Skills Development Workshop with Jill Gael
On Monday 23rd and Tuesday 24th August,
a total of 33 women came to a wonderful seminar in Maffra.
It was conducted by Jill Gael and covered topics ranging
from conflict resolution, reaching consensus, decision
making, setting and achieving goals - the list goes
on.
Jill has a wealth of experience as
a business management consultant with Centre for People
Development o CPDBIZ, however what makes her stand out
as a facilitator is her commitment to people-centred
solutions.
These two day workshops with Jill
are a major focus of the Women who Mean Business Project,
with good reason. It is during these workshops that
participants gain valuable skills and insights into
the processes that they will use as they work together
on their chosen community project.
Towards the end of the second day
the group held a discussion about what they wanted to
work on together. As it was quite a large group there
were many suggestions, however there seemed to be three
distinct themes that emerged: learning and education;
a physical lasting presence (ie a sculpture or a 'place');
and linkages and connections within the broad community.
This was also echoed in a strong desire to share the
project around geographically. Two other elements that
were very strong were the environment and the arts.
Ultimately what the group decided
on was to design and implement a series of workshops
to enhance skills and networks. This outline will be
further developed in the upcoming Business Planning
workshop on 21st September.
The women who attended came from as
far afield as Bairnsdale, Seaton, Briagolong, Sale,
Heyfield, Stratford, Airly and Bengwarden and brought
a wide range of skills, needs and expectations to the
workshop. One thing they had in common though was a
desire to play a part in their communities.
This workshop, while being part of
the Women who Mean Business Project, also provided the
participants with useful, transferable skills which
they can take back into their communities and put to
immediate use - whether it be in their work in community
groups, business or personal life. They were also provided
with a great book containing much of the ground covered
in the workshop.
There was some very positive feedback,
some of which is included below:
- Wonderful presentation
- Not a moments boredom. Loads of
info delivered with laughter
- Strategic planning session - made
easy.
- Very practical ideas - dynamic,
holding my attention the entire time - spot on
- Jill drew our disparate ideas together
to make it something that you felt you could still
contribute to and gain something from
- Good forum for me to feel ok about
myself and to pull down some emotional barriers
- Excellent planning and strategy
info
- Jill facilitated the process so
that everyone could say what they thought without
fear
- Great notes and booklet
Key information learnt
- The steps relevant for the development
of a project
- The affirmation of the skills/knowledge
that I possess already
- Awareness of my mode of operation
- eek!
- Process of making transition from
goal to achievement
- The importance of planning and
openness to ideas
- Generally giving skills for living,
both at home and in the community
- Problem solving creatively
- What constitutes leadership
- Looking at the effect of a problem
first then from there finding solutions
- Importance of reflection
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