Over the past four months, a group of African refugee and migrant women has met regularly at the Centre to learn about craft-based business, try new craft techniques and share skills and conversations with Melbourne artists and designers.

On Sunday, 26 August 2007, the Entwine: Crafting Cultural Connections exhibition opened, showcasing the results of this collaboration.

Guests enjoy food from Ascilla African Catering at the launch of the Entwine: Crafting Cultural Connections exhibition. Photo: Raylee Sloane, Kinart.

This intriguing exhibition is made up of craft objects -- knitting, crochet, jewellery and painting -- made throughout a series of workshops led by volunteers from the Melbourne arts community. Workshop leader Fiona Dyer said, 'I love the fact that design crosses cultural boundaries and regardless of language it has a way of translating visually. I think as a workshop leader I probably got as much out of the experience as the women participating did.'

Speaking at Sunday's launch, Halima Sheikhdin, Community Support Worker with Multicultural Health and Support Service and project co-coordinator spoke on behalf of the group, saying, 'We are very happy to have this exhibition, and now we want to start up some craft business and do some catering.'

The exhibition marks the culmination of the four months of workshops and the formation of the Ascilla Group and Ascilla African Catering. The group now hopes to continue its vision to develop their burgeoning enterprise. Ultimately, they would like to establish a shopfront where they can sell their crafts, offer coffee and snacks, and provide a headquarters for their catering business.

Crafting Cultural Connections was made possible through the cooperation of Multicultural Health and Support Service and Creative Women's Circle. The project was supported by the Victorian Government through the Women Creating Harmony Grants Program.

We encourage you to take some time over the next month to view this exhibition and learn more about the women of Ascilla Group.

Exhibition details

Location: Queen Victoria Women's Centre, Ground Floor, 210 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne

Opening hours: Weekdays, 9.00am to 5.00pm; until 27 September 2007

Cost: Free.

Craft items in the exhibition are available for sale with proceeds going to support the Ascilla Group. Inquiries can be directed to QVWC.

All of the mud and dust will be well worth it when the Shilling Wall and Gardens project is finally constructed on the southern and western perimeters of the Centre.

Currently, the crew is removing concrete ramps and retaining walls to provide

The Shilling Wall Garden will offer a quiet space for rest and reflection. Artist's representation: ASPECT Studios.

a foundation for the new-look gardens. Meanwhile, painting and

construction is finishing up inside the Centre, as

the final touches are placed on the upgrades to The Victoria Room and the Atrium.

You are invited to see these upgrades for yourself at our Open Day.

The Shilling Wall and Gardens will offer a quiet sanctuary in Melbourne's bustling CBD. The Wall also provides an opportunity for you to pay tribute to a woman whom you love, admire or respect. Find out more about the Shilling Wall and Shilling Fund and commemorate a special woman in your life.

There are many events and activities for you to get involved throughout August.

Our conference rooms have undergone an extreme makeover: they've toned up, styled up and been upgraded to offer you state-of-the-art facilities in one of Melbourne’s finest heritage listed buildings.

Come along to QVWC's open day and be one of the first to sneak a peek at the changes.

Our new look facilities are ideal for meetings, seminars and can be transformed to host your next birthday or cocktail party. We have installed state-of-the art IT and AV equipment and have refurbished our rooms with comfortable and stylish tables and chairs.

Come along, have a sticky beak and book your next event with us!

Details

Date: Tuesday, 28 August 2007

Viewing Times: 12.00pm to 1.30pm and 4.30pm to 6.00pm

Questions? Contact Larissa at QVWC.

To order your copy of Better Balance, Better Business, contact WIRE on 1300 134 130..

Women now own more than 30% of Australian small businesses. According to a recent Westpac survey, 80% of those women started their own business in order to achieve a greater work life balance.

These figures were supported by the 12 small business owners who participated in the ‘Women’s Business – Family Friendly Business’ project, who also said that work family balance was a major motivation for starting their own business. The project was conducted by WIRE – Women’s Information and Queen Victoria Women’s Centre with funding provided by Industrial Relations Victoria.

According to participant Diane Gibney, part owner of Ballarat Family Pet Care Clinic, this was often a difficult goal to achieve in practice.

‘Starting a business is like having a baby. You give birth to it and then it takes on a life of its own,’ Ms Gibney said.

Manager of WIRE Samiro Douglas said many of the women struggling to create a balance between their businesses and their families often wound up feeling stretched thin between their competing obligations.

‘The women we worked with talked about feeling guilty for leaving their children when they had to attend to their business, and guilty about leaving the business when they had to look after their family,’ Ms Douglas said.

Sue McDonald says owning her own business has been challenging but has helped her spend more time with her children. Photo: Gabriella Favretto.

‘They were also sometimes hesitant to tell their clients that they work part time or are sometimes out of the office attending to family, because they feared being seen as 'unprofessional',’ Ms Douglas said.

‘Some of our participants realised through the course of the project that they could turn what they had thought of as a negative into a positive by 're-branding' their business as 'family friendly',’ Ms Douglas said.

‘The real ‘light bulb moment’ for me was realising we don’t have to be shifty or reluctantly admit that we only work part time,’ said Anne Tzouvelis, part owner of Axia Solutions.

‘We can say ‘these are our office hours, this is when we’re available’, we can put it right on the door, that we’re a family friendly business and that’s why we shut at 2.30pm,’ Ms Tzouvelis said.

A new resource created as a result of the project to help women who run their own small businesses to find better work family balance and create more family friendly workplaces was launched by Minister for Women’s Affairs Jacinta Allan at QVWC on 31 July.

‘Better balance, better business’, produced by WIRE and the Queen Victoria Women’s Centre with funding from Industrial Relations Victoria, is filled with case studies drawn from the 11 small businesses that participated in the project.

Carolyn Cresswell enjoys the diverse aspects of her family friendly business, Carman's Fine Foods. Photo: Gabriella Favretto.

Options available to enhance flexibility in the workplace, such as job share, purchased annual leave and self-rostering are outlined, as well as easy common sense ideas like inviting families along to work social events.

Setting up a family room in the workplace where children can come after school is one simple idea that participant Carolyn Cresswell, owner of Carman’s Fine Foods, has implemented.

‘When you own your own business the space you create is up to you. I have found that if you go the extra mile for your staff, they really go the extra mile for you,’ Ms Cresswell said.

‘Better balance, better business’ summarises the business case for going family friendly, such as reducing the costs of replacing staff and absenteeism. It also has suggestions for promoting businesses as being family friendly, as well as a list of useful contacts for further information and support.

To order free copies of ‘Better balance, better business’ call WIRE on 1300 134 130.

An interactive version of the booklet, with links to heaps of information is available on the QVWC InfoHub.

~with text by Jo Argent, Communications Coordinator, WIRE - Women's Information

Susan Brennan (left) celebrates International Women's Day with her aunt, her son and former Premier of Victoria Joan Kirner. Photo: Tara Moore, Moore Photography.

On 11 July 2007, former QVWC Co-Chair and Trustee Susan Brennan was elected World YWCA President.

Susan's election came at the end of the YWCA World Conference, which featured the first ever global conference on women, HIV and AIDS.

Susan was elected on a campaign platform focussed on young women's leadership and facing the challenges presented by violence against women, women living in conflict situations and HIV/AIDS. Susan also focused on the need for economic justice for women.

QVWC is extremely proud of Susan's accomplishments and wish her the best of luck in her new role.

Read more about Susan's election and World YWCA.

The Minister for Women's Affairs Jacinta Allan recently appointed the final of ten new members of the QVWC Trust. The Trust comprises twelve exceptional women, appointed by the Minister.

Abbie Burchill is a Yorta Yorta woman who is currently employed as a Senior Legal Officer by the Office of the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions. She is also the current Treasurer of the Indigenous Law Students and Lawyers Association of Victoria (Tarwirri). Abbie has strong connections and networks within the Indigenous community in Victoria, especially in the Shepparton area.

We are fortunate to have Abbie's expertise on the Trust and welcome her to the Centre.