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Women's Health West
International Women's Day 2006
I Dream of a Day Off
A special day for mums by mums at Mumbo Jumbo Playground in Melton
Women had the chance to be pampered with hand and shoulder massage. Photo Georgia Metaxas.
More than two hundred mothers and their children from Melton, Moorabool and across the Western Region celebrated International Women's Day at the 'I Dream of a Day Off' event on 8 March 2006.
Following the highly-acclaimed 'Young Mums Rock' event in December 2004, the 'all mums rock' IWD celebrations were held in Melton at Mumbo Jumbo. Organised by mothers with support from WHW, local services and the Victorian Multicultural Commission, 'I Dream of a Day Off' was aimed at a broad range of women and was also highly successful.
Social and geographic isolation can be detrimental to women's emotional health and wellbeing and celebrating International Women's Day was a small step to redress this. Women's Health West's Researcher Joy Free coordinated the event with Sarah Lowe our Communications Coordinator. Joy said, "Being at home with young children can be isolating for women. The event was organised by mums for mums to provide an opportunity to learn about support services in Melton.The theme of the event was that you don't have to do it alone. There is support available from other mums and services. Reach out and ask for help."
A highlight of the event was the 'Tears of Joy, Tears of Frustration' exhibition of artwork by mothers from diverse support groups in Melton and the Western Region. The exhibition celebrated the diversity in mothering.
As the kids played mums had fun learning belly dancing. Photo Georgia Metaxas.
The day also offered plenty of fun, including free massages, scrapbook-making, belly-dancing workshops, a delicious lunch and children's entertainment from Fairy Caitlin.
Local services such as Melton Shire, Djerrwarah Health Service, Victoria University, employment and training providers, Centrelink, housing and financial counsellors, family and children's workers were available for one-on-one chats with women about the support they can offer.
The event was part of a long-running action research project on women's emotional wellbeing, focussed in Melton.