For more than 60,000 years Kimberley Aboriginal women and girls have been connected through songlines, dreaming stories, kinship networks and trade routes across the country.
That connectivity is truly a cultural asset that in today’s context gives us the opportunity to form and sustain a Kimberley sisterhood. That is all Kimberley women and girls are equal and connected.
The Wiyi Yani U Thangani (Women’s Voices) principles includes “lifting women, lifts the whole community, inclusion and participation and accountability and transparency among others.
Forming a sisterhood is an informal way of ensuring all Council members are connected in the loop and have access to timely information about their own leadership and development journey.
Heather Taylor, a participant of both the Roundtable and the Derby Consultations said, her transition back to Derby was made easy because of extended family support and a network of women she has maintained contact with her whole life. She confirmed, “in Derby the community comes together and Derby women are always organising activities for Derby people”. The Council acknowledges that not all Kimberley Aboriginal women and girls have lots of connection and support so by forming a Kimberley sisterhood we are creating a safe regional nest for us all to flourish in. This is why we have created Focus Area Four and Project Four.
Focus Area Four - Project Four – Kimberley Sisterhood: Supporting our sisterhood remotely and regionally
Objective
Increase cultural connectivity, capability and commitment to members by activating online and localised activities three times are year to support relationship building to a unity pathway with lateral love.
Input
More than $100,000 in grants / income to facilitate regional events and online networking.
Outcomes
100 Kimberley Aboriginal Women attending our events annually and recommending membership to others.
Output
More than 1000 facebook friends from the Kimberley and database members with weekly messaging.
Close The Gap Impact
100% with a direct and positive impact on 13 targets and an indirect positive impact on four targets.
| Year | One | Two | Three |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Theme | Build self | Bridge with others | Broker Regional Reinvestment |
| Key Performance Measure | Committed leaders and organisations across the Kimberley host local events in every town | Host a remote and town-based member event with more than 50 participating at each event | Host a national partner organisation with a long-term commitment to region |
| Lead Target | Local Members identify and initiate focus areas of own local action plan | Kimberley Service Mapping and gapping with confirmed access and participation rate to date | Establish Regional Sisterhood support network hub with host organisations locally |
| Critical Target | More than ten members from each Kimberley town | Database of all services for women in the Kimberley with localised service reach confirmation | Grants of up to $5,000 given to host localised events and more than 10 women nominated for state & national awards |
| Resource Requirements | Part time Planner $50,000 | Full time Planner $100,000 | Full time and Part time Planner $150,000 |
| Priority Communications | Activate Facebook and Instagram page and manage weekly | Establish Kimberley Directory of services for women and girls relevant to priority areas | Establish Kimberley sisterhood wellness and vulnerability index and promote on website |
| Public Relations | Sisterhood program linkage to other regional women’s programs | Sisterhood Program linkage between east and west Kimberley | Promotional material developed across region by members and for sale/ access/ promotion on website |