Central Coast Community Women’s Health Centre (CCCWHC) held its International Women’s Health Day (IWD) event at the Naughty Noodle Fun Haus Factory in Gosford on Thursday, March 7.
Speakers included CEO of Women’s Health NSW Denele Crozier; professional women Felicity Flannagan and Tory Curran who discussed their inclusivity experiences and challenges in the LGBTQIA+ community; and Kayla Murphy who shared her experiences as a young woman in a male dominated profession – hospitality.
“Our guests also participated in workshops hosted by local Central Coast women including singer and songwriter Emiélle, florist Amy Harrison, art therapist Jacquie Schumann and Happiness Habits CEO Leonie Hanna,” a spokesperson said.
“These workshops inspired over 70 women and girls who attended our event funded by the NSW Ministry of Health and supported by Rotary and the Country Women’s Association.
“A cheer went up from the crowd when Denele Crozier announced The NSW Government has reached a major milestone in delivering on its commitment to boost funding for Women’s Health Centres across NSW to ensure they are properly resourced to provide essential health and wellbeing services for women.
“CEO Theresa Mason of the Central Coast Community Women’s Health Centre confirmed they will receive increased funding of nearly $3.5M over the next four years.
“This increased funding will help reduce counselling wait lists and offer case management services at all three centres to support counselling clients and women needing supports and advocacy, especially women restarting their lives after experienced domestic and family violence.
“We will also be increasing our Women’s Health GP Clinic services potentially providing an outreach clinic at Wyong, and increasing our therapeutic, support and health skills and education groups.
“We are also excited because we will be able to improve our digital health and client engagement capacity, maintain our compliance obligations, attract and retain professional staff – sustaining our service with a 2020s budget instead of a 1980s budget.”
Women’s health services are in high demand in a society where more than one Australian woman is murdered by her former or current partner every week; older women are the fastest growing group to experience homelessness; sexual and reproductive health management and pregnancy choices counselling awareness is low; and women’s health literacy is low and women experience gender discrimination and exclusion.