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Clutha
Women >> Background,
Goals and Issues & Committee
 Positively
Clutha Women
Background
Positively
Clutha
Women
was started
around
8 years
ago in
response
to the
needs
of women
in a
rural
area,
affected
by the
economic
downturn
of the
community.
It was
started
with
a focus
on farming
families;
hence
it is
legal
entity
as part
of the
Clutha
Agricultural
Development
Board.
It now
encompasses
the whole
community
with
a focus
on Women
and families.
The Clutha
Agricultural
Board
is supportive
of what
we do
and provide
us with
free
financial
and administrative
support.
This
is a
big help
to any
organisation
so we
have
chosen
to stay
as part
of the
bigger
organisation
rather
than
branch
out to
become
our own
entity.
Over
the years Positively Clutha
Women has grown and developed
and is now seen as the
main community development
arm of this district. Our
committee is made up of
representatives from many
parts of the community
which gives us huge networking
opportunities and helps
us to know just what the
community’s
current needs are.
Goals
and Issues
A
researcher was employed
to find out exactly what
the training requirements
of rural women in the
Clutha District were.
Our research document
was released in June
1998. The various findings
included:
- There
was a cry for business
respect from many women,
this despite a huge
change in attitudes
in recent times by
service providers
- Women
are keen to learn new
skills but often had
trouble sourcing relevant
training
- Even
once this training
was sourced there was
a problem with fitting
this around women's
busy lifestyles as
mothers particularly
- It
can be difficult for
women to network with
their peers. As such
it can be hard for
women to source support
and mentors
- There
is a lack of knowledge
about Clutha District
women's groups and
probably some unfair
assumptions about some
of the groups
- Our
seminars were enthusiastically
supported especially
with the added attractions
of networking, lunch
and a free crèche
- There
was a real problem
with the term "Rural
Women".
- There
was an assumption that
a rural woman was one
who was either a farmer
or married to one.
Of course this is far
from the truth. A rural
population, according
to MAF, is one under
10,000. As an example,
a female accountant
in Balclutha is just
as much a rural woman
as a female sheep farmer
in the Catlins.
Our
recommendations included
- Coordinating
training seminars to
suit women's needs
and situations.
- Promotion
of the diversity of
women's roles, all
very valuable.
- Encourage
communication between
our women through fax
and phone trees, networking
and a Buddy system.
- Encouraging
promotion of existing
Women's groups in the
Clutha District.
Current
Committee
Alison McLeary Chairperson (Dairy Farmer, Electorate
Secretary for local MP)
Irene Mosley Secretary and project manager (Self employed consultant)
Robyn Gardner (Farmer, dance instructor, primary teacher)
Karen Wright (Events Coordinator South Otago High School)
Isobel Jack (Retired School Teacher, Farmer)
Joan Hasler (Retired motorbike retailer, former Clutha District Council Councillor, Trustee of local health board)
Dorice Walmisley (Primary teacher)
Nel Koppen (Sharemilker, Mother, Community Link West Otago)
Barbara Leonard (Sheep farmer, Stock Agent secretary)
Lynne Johnson (Community Education Officer, Telford Rural Polytechnic)
Glenn Conway (Otago Daily Times Reporter)
Kerry Herbert (Fonterra Area representative, former WINZ case worker, dairy farmer)
Val Weir (Dairy Farmer)
Advisors
Niki Cunningham Ministry of Social Development
Phillipa Fussell Dept of Internal Affairs
Contact
details
Positively
Clutha Women
Development
house
6
John St
Balclutha
Phone: 03-418 4048
Fax: 03-418 1399
p.c.w@xtra.co.nz
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