Our Site was launched on International Women’s Day, 8th March 2020 as a virtual support centre for women, girls, feminine identifying, and non-binary people with disabilities. Through co-design, we created the change we want to see in the world.
Our Site covers five key topic areas chosen by women with disabilities:
- Your Rights
- Lead & Take Part
- Life Choices
- Sex & Your Body
- Safety & Violence
Our Site also proudly provides a safe platform for members of our community to share their lived experience and personal perspectives on the Real Stories page.
The power of storytelling is undeniable. Stories connect people. Connection drives awareness. Awareness supports change. We have an open and ongoing invitation for you to share your story through written word, video, artwork, or sound! This is a paid opportunity. For more information on submitting your story or to see what others have shared go to https://oursite.wwda.org.au/real-stories
Our Site was created by and for women with disabilities – we couldn’t have done it without you and nor would we want to! Let’s celebrate everyone that helped shape it and all those that use it and share it with others.
And on the eve of Our Site’s fourth birthday, we also want to share that over the past 12 months the Our Site team has worked hard to improve the ways in which the Our Site project supports you. Not only have we combed the site and made many changes to ensure you have the most up-to-date and useful online resources, but we have also asked what else we can do to support our community. Here are some of the key outcomes of this process:
- Community Engagement
- We hosted a total of 16 Our Site expansion “Have Your Say” co-design workshops, both in-person and online, to gather feedback from our community. Your insights are invaluable in guiding us on how we can continually improve Our Site to better meet your needs.
- One of the key pieces of feedback we received from the workshops is that we need to create a new website specifically tailored to information about violence, abuse, safety, sex, and healthy relationships – we hear you … it is important to end violence everywhere – the private, public, and digital places. We can’t spill the beans on what this means just yet but watch this space as we are very much looking forward to sharing our exciting news with you all.
2. Content Improvements
- We commissioned a comprehensive analysis of the Sex and Your Body and Safety and Violence sections of Our Site. Based on recommendations, we made a few key content changes to ensure the information provided on Our Site is both up to date and inclusive of the diversity in our community.
3. Real stories milestone
- We are thrilled to announce that the Real Stories section of Our Site has reached a remarkable milestone of 97 Real Stories shared. The willingness to share deeply personal experiences and feelings creates a compelling space that continues to remind us we are not alone but that we are part of something shared.
4. Enhanced website functionality
- We’ve improved the usability of Our Site. We’ve checked through all our resources and updated all external links and service provider information, making Our Site a truly useful and relevant virtual space.
5. Improved support accessibility
- Recognising the importance of accessible support, we’ve added the new text option for seeking help at 1800 RESPECT, making assistance more readily available to those who find texting easier and more accessible.
6. Covid-19 Updates
- Understanding the unique challenges presented by the ongoing COVID pandemic for women with disabilities, we’ve updated the Life Choices section with revised COVID-19 guidelines for 2024.
Our Site is not just a website; it’s a community-driven platform that thrives because of the shared experiences, voices, and commitment of each member. It also thrives because you use it and share it far and wide.
Here’s to another 4 years (and more) of growth, advocacy, and connection for our community! In celebration you might like to join us in sharing this resource with your family, friends, and colleagues.