'Sistaspeak' goes statewide

By Natalie Kent
Updated November 8 2012 - 8:58pm, first published November 7 2005 - 10:04pm

A brave group of local Aboriginal teenage girls have paved the way for a statewide program aimed at bolstering self-esteem and financial good sense. The 20 Year 7 students who took part in the Dubbo 'Sistaspeak' pilot program were so successful, program organisers met with the NSW minister for women Sandra Nori last night to plan a launch across the State. Ms Nori is in Dubbo for this weekend's Country Labor Conference, along with members of the front bench and 250 delegates from around the country. Cabinet members Tony Kelly, David Campbell and John Della Bosca also made media appearances yesterday, taking advantage of their stay for the conference, which will be addressed by the NSW Premier Morris Iemma and the Federal Opposition leader Kim Beazley. Ms Nori said she wanted to personally meet the Aboriginal mentors behind the program's success. "SistaSpeak is an important program and I wanted to meet with the Aboriginal women who were mentors for the pilot program in Dubbo and to thank them for their efforts," Ms Nori said. "It was valuable to hear first hand about the pilot program and how the mentors and organisers think SistaSpeak can be improved before we run the program in other regional areas." Dubbo MP Dawn Fardell welcomed Ms Nori and also recognised the merits of the new innovative program. "It is important to thank and congratulate the local women who have volunteered as mentors to inspire the girls participating in the workshop," Mrs Fardell said. The SistaSpeak program was conducted in Dubbo by the NSW Office for Women, in partnership with Streetwize Communications, DET, the local Aboriginal community and Aboriginal members of the Premier's Council for Women. Ms Nori will formally launch the program in March 2006 and it will be expanded to other locations in NSW.

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