Women's Health at Work (WHAW) Program

The Women's Health at Work (WHAW) service implements projects that aim to improve the health and wellbeing of women from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds in the workplace across NSW.

The projects we undertake are selected according to the following criteria:

• the target population is CALD women in the workplace
• the WHAW Steering Committee agrees that women identified in a particular workplace experience disadvantage which impacts on their mental or physical health
• there is demonstrated need amongst the selected population
• projects are in keeping with social and preventative health education strategies
• projects should demonstrate a strong likelihood of success
• projects should demonstrate sustainable outcomes for the population
• there are sufficient resources available to support the process of development, implementation, evaluation and publication
• projects should focus on issues that have not been addressed by unions, Workcover or other CALD women’s advisory groups.

How does WHAW work with employed women of CALD backgrounds?

WHAW varies its approach to working with women from CALD backgrounds according to the issues involved and the nature of the women’s work. We implement much of our work through projects with specific cultural and/or work type groups.

For example, our ‘Chinese Market Gardens’ project facilitated English language classes, funded and presented by TAFE Outreach in a local primary school. We also developed an easy to read 'health section', which was incorporated into the 'Safe use of Pesticides' training program.

The ‘Reducing Musculoskeletal Injuries Incurred by Women Working in Market Gardens’ project worked with an occupational therapist, a bilingual worker and interpreter. In order to ensure the women involved were comfortable with their participation in the project, research was conducted at the market gardens where the women worked.

Does WHAW only work in metropolitan Sydney?

WHAW is a state-wide program that works with women from CALD backgrounds across NSW.

In June 2007 we conducted education sessions for African women working on berry farms in regional NSW. We have also worked on projects in Wollongong, Newcastle and Lismore.

Denise Maguire, Management & Project Support Officer

Denise provides administrative support to Women's Health at Work program. She administers contractor claims, the payroll database and library software.

[email protected]