Communities helping to shape Barwon Women’s and Children’s

Communities helping to shape Barwon Women’s and Children’s

Planning for the Barwon Women’s and Children’s is well underway with staff and community having a voice in the creation of this vital new facility.

Member for Geelong Christine Couzens held the first meeting of the Community Consultative Committee, which brought together community members from around the region to have their say.

The Barwon Women’s and Children’s Community Consultative Committee has been established to provide a forum for local community members to provide input into the design of the Barwon Women’s and Children’s Project through open dialogue and consultation.

From the many submissions received, 15 community members were chosen to work alongside representatives from the Wathaurong Co-Operative, Wadawurrung Traditional Owners, City of Greater Geelong, Barwon Health and the Victorian Health Building Authority.

The committee will meet regularly until the early months of 2024 to give feedback on local community health needs, represent the community’s diverse views, and comment on emerging issues, opportunities and priorities of the community.

The Barwon Women’s and Children’s (BWC) project team is committing to ensuring local community can have their say on this landmark project. As part of this, Barwon Health and the Victorian Health Building Authority also hosted targeted workshops with community members who may have specific needs and interests.

Recently, the team hosted three workshops with attendees from culturally and linguistically diverse communities, along with past patients and LGBTIQA+ communities, providing an opportunity to give input on key aspects of the new Barwon Women’s and Children’s. This includes building and environment design, accessibility, and incorporating local stories and histories into building design and communication channel preferences.

The wider community also had the opportunity to provide vital feedback via an online survey, which sought input into key areas of design, including the patient and family experience, the vision for family and outdoor spaces, accessibility and wayfinding.