Koorie Women Mean Business Incorporated (KWMB), met with representatives from the Goulburn Valley Aboriginal Elders Group to discuss program development and support. We also met with the CEO and board members of Rumbalara Aboriginal Co-operative to outline the program. They currently run a HACC program on site and we entered an agreement to cover the cost of hall and bus hire for the program participants.

When KWMB and the GV Aboriginal Elders Group entered the program we knew that it would be beneficial to the communities elders what we did not predict was the Aboriginal and wider communities reaction.

A. Our Own Well Being Project aims

Our Own Well Being Project aims:
To empower Aboriginal Women Elders to reinforce their traditional role at a local level,
as "decision makers".

To encourage Aboriginal Women Elders to develop self confidence, and to look after themselves in many ways, experimenting to find those activities which suit each person best.

To Enable Aboriginal women elders to take responsibility for their own health needs
by providing:

Information and discussions on common physical conditions which would limit their
quality of life.

Opportunities for physical exercise in a culturally appropriate setting.

A secure forum for exploring past and present emotional issues, social contact, support, and interaction; and stress management and relaxation techniques.

To provide training for Aboriginal elders to be local facilitators, with the ability to utilise community resources and take a leading role within there own community setting.

To Provide an opportunity for recreation and fitness workers in working with older women to become aware of issues such as language sensitivity, body images and abilities: and

To encourage leadership development and cultural maintenance at a local level.