The Storylines collaboration began as a means to collect qualitative data about the experiences of women around sexual and reproductive healthcare in regional Victoria.

Women from communities in our regions – north-east Victoria, the Goulburn Valley and Loddon Mallee – submitted their stories online to provide a valuable lived experience perspective.

We collected stories about a broad range of topics, from Endometriosis, PCOS, libido, menopause, pregnancy care, menstruation, abortion and contraception. We heard about the unique challenges of seeking sexual and reproductive healthcare in small communities.

You can browse the Storylines library here.

Now the teams at WHGNE and WHLM will expand and extend the project, with a focus on identifying the barriers to access and areas for improvement in sexual and reproductive healthcare in regional and rural Victoria.

In order to grow the original model, this iteration of Storylines will include the formation of a Community Advisory Group to engage on issues of sexual and reproductive healthcare and identify areas for improvement and possible solutions.

What is the purpose of the Community Advisory Group and who can apply?

We are working together to advocate for the sexual and reproductive health needs of women and girls across our regions, so that we can address the gaps and make a case for some positive action around ensuring women can access safe, appropriate, person-centered services and information for optimal sexual and reproductive health.

We are currently forming a Community Advisory Group (CAG) that would help to steer the project. We are looking at appointing up to 10 people per region (two regions in total, defined below) and are hoping to ensure we gain diversity across a wide cross section of our local communities.

The two regions covered by the CAG are defined as:

• Goulburn Valley and northeast Victoria
• Loddon Mallee and northwest Victoria

CAG members are not required to have professional experience in the sexual and reproductive health sector, although applicants who do are welcome to apply. This project is focused on lived experience and valuing the voices and stories of women in rural and regional communities.

The only prerequisite for selection to the CAG is that you are a woman, trans or gender diverse person who has lived experience with sexual and reproductive healthcare in our region and an interest in contributing to an equitable, inclusive and robust sexual and reproductive health system for everyone in rural and regional Victoria.

Members of the Sexual and Reproductive Health Community Advisory Group (CAG) will be reimbursed for their time and are required to attend up to four online meetings in the first half of 2023.

Attendance at all meetings is preferred and strongly encouraged. If a selected participant is unable to attend a session, they will need to be available at another time to be updated by project facilitators.

An initial Community Information Session will be held on 2 March 2023 between 12-12:45pm.

If you are interested in joining the CAG, you can register for the information session here:

EOIs are now closed.

Subsequent meetings will be held on the following dates, with times to be advised with input from group members:

• 1st meeting 30 March 
• 2nd meeting 4 May 
• 3rd meeting 1 June  

All meetings will take place over Zoom.

CAG members will be reimbursed $59.71 per hour of involvement over the three meetings.

EOIs are now closed.