Keeping the vision alive | Case Study

This project by the Kimberley Aboriginal Women’s Collective was supported through Volunteering WA’s Volunteer Management Activity, funded by the Australian Government Department of Social Services.

In 2022, an idea was born.

In September 2022, more than 250 Aboriginal women gathered at Gunadoo Farm near Geraldton to talk about the future they wanted to see for women, families and communities across the Midwest. The gathering created a shared vision for a stronger collective voice for Aboriginal women and sparked conversations about healing, leadership and community-led solutions.

Like many community initiatives, life happened. Women returned home to families, work, cultural obligations and community responsibilities. Although the vision remained important, the group had not formally come together again since the conference. Through the Kimberley Aboriginal Women’s Collective (KAWC) – Ripple Effect Project, a small group of women decided it was time to reconnect and see whether the vision still mattered.

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Years later, the group reconnected to bring the idea to life

Six Aboriginal women from Geraldton attended the gathering where they reconnected. They came from different backgrounds and experiences, but all were already contributing to their communities through caring for family, mentoring others, cultural leadership, advocacy and volunteering.

The challenge was never a lack of commitment. The challenge was keeping the momentum going after the excitement of a large conference. While women continued supporting their communities individually, there had been few opportunities to reconnect, check in with one another or move the collective vision forward. There was a real risk that the relationships, ideas and aspirations that emerged in 2022 would slowly fade away.

Outcomes

Rather than focusing on presentations or formal agendas, the women spent time talking, listening and reflecting together. They revisited the vision created in 2022, discussed what was happening in their communities now and explored what was needed to move forward.

The conversations were honest. Women spoke about leadership, community needs, supporting one another and the importance of creating opportunities for Aboriginal women to come together more regularly. Most importantly, they talked about what they could do themselves rather than waiting for someone else to lead the way.

By the end of the day, the conversation had shifted from looking back to planning ahead. Every woman committed to staying involved in the collective. Every woman volunteered to host a monthly morning tea or gathering on a rotating basis. The group also agreed to establish a Steering Committee to help guide the future direction of the collective.

While six women may seem like a small number, the significance was much greater than attendance figures alone. For the first time since 2022, women had come back together and taken ownership of the next chapter.

Participants spoke about feeling hopeful, reconnected and energised. They recognised that before taking on larger projects or seeking funding, it was important to strengthen relationships and build a solid foundation.

One of the strongest outcomes was the willingness of every participant to give their time and continue the work. Rather than relying on an external organisation, the women committed to driving the collective themselves.

Key learnings

The women agreed that maintaining connection is now the priority. Regular gatherings, shared leadership and the establishment of a Steering Committee will help ensure that the vision developed in 2022 continues to grow.

This case study demonstrates that community change does not always begin with large numbers or major funding. Sometimes it starts with a small group of women deciding that an important conversation is worth continuing and taking responsibility for keeping that vision alive.

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