F. Infrastructure Challenges

OOWB aimed to ensure a sustainable infrastructure with long term benefits for a wide range of settings. Upon completion of the project it was envisaged the following could be maintained at a local level:

Aboriginal Womens health needs, would allow the local Aboriginal Medical service to facilitate information sessions and ensure that medical care meets their needs

The Rumbalara Aboriginal Medical Service are able to monitor the elders health but unsure how to deal with elders in the provision of ongoing ‘information sessions on their health’.

Aboriginal Women Elders will be able to organise/assist in liaising with a potential
session leaders;

Some OOWB participants have been able to undertake a number of group and individual activities. They are vocal advocates for their families and communities. The program has brought out their confidence levels and profiles as willing participants for a number of areas that they are interested in.

Aboriginal Women Elders will be able to liaise with local youth over their issues, identify and develop a culture program, and update this regularly.

The elders levels of confidence in dealing with youth has been explored through the consultations with the youth over the Elders Protocol Document. A number of youth participated in workshops alongside the Elders. Which had a profound effect on both sides. They even under took a communication do’s and don’t’s for each!!

When we had to cease OOWB project September 2000 we found that there was a number of areas which the project worker had not covered which were crucial to sustaining the project. For example: the continuation of subsidy or funding of the groups activities - which involved submission writing, and the expansion of the program to include the other identified activities.