Hedland Well Women’s Centre partners with the Ashburton Aboriginal Corporation for WOW week

One of the biggest women’s health and wellbeing programs in Port Hedland celebrated its twentieth year and is now in collaboration with a leading Indigenous organisation. Beginning in 2003, Women on Wellness week is one of the Hedland Well Women’s Centre’s longest running programs and offers classes to women around health, wellbeing and social inclusion. This year the organisation has collaborated with the Ashburton Aboriginal Corporation to deliver WOW week for the first time. Health promotions manager Karen Cooper said the partnership has made the program even more inclusive. “It’s great to get their input on what kind of events, workshops, and subjects that they’d like to learn about,” she said, “as well as how to be culturally appropriate and to make sure that we’re addressing all the different demographics that are in this town. “And to just have more people giving input on what it is that they want to learn and hear about. “We want to know what gaps they’re seeing so we can try and assist to fill those gaps in some way.” Classes during the week were focused on several areas including self defence, professional development, legal guidance, self-care, and art. The Hedland Well Women’s Centre is the pre-eminent women’s organisation in town and offers a variety of other programs throughout the year. Ms Cooper said because of the transient nature of the workforce in town, WOW week served as an important way to connect women in Port Hedland. “It connects women to each other and there’s a real opportunity for women to meet each other when they normally wouldn’t get an opportunity to connect,” she said. “This can be a place where women meet because when you’re new to Hedland it can be very socially isolating. “That’s really important for their well-being because being isolated, we know it has an impact on our mental wellness.” Ms Cooper said nearly every event during WOW week was sold out and that it was great to see women taking time out of their busy personal and professional schedules to care for themselves. The Hedland Well Women’s Centre offers women in Port Hedland psychological, advocacy, advisory, and health services.