• Charles Sturt partners with Regional Development Australia Riverina and Country Women’s Association Uranquinty Evening Branch to promote women’s mental health
• ‘Sconversation’ will discuss how to make life easier for women in regional areas
• A local Charles Sturt alumna will talk about regional business and work opportunities in times of drought

For decades, Country Women’s Association (CWA) scones have been heralded as the best, and on Monday 2 September a group of about 70 people will discover that they also have healing powers.

Charles Sturt University (Charles Sturt) has partnered with Regional Development Australia (RDA) Riverina and Country Women’s Association Uranquinty Evening Branch for a ‘Sconversation’.

‘Sconversation’ will open a conversation and raise awareness for women’s mental health in regional NSW, especially during the drought.

Charles Sturt Director of External Engagements for Wagga Wagga and Albury-Wodonga Ms Samantha Beresford said the event provides a forum for women to discuss mental health issues.

“Charles Sturt is proud to be partnering with RDA Riverina and the CWA Uranquinty Evening Branch in ‘Sconversation’,” Ms Beresford said.

“It is a chance for women in regional areas to come together to raise awareness on women’s mental health in regional NSW while enjoying a delicious CWA scone.

“The event also provides an opportunity to honour Charles Sturt University alumna Jo Palmer and hear about her business, Pointer Remote Roles.”

Mrs Palmer, who is also a member of the CWA Uranquinty Evening Branch, graduated in 2007 with a Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood and Primary).

Her career since has been expansive, from teaching, to starting a tutoring company called The Learning Tree, to starting a sponsorship and event management business with another Charles Sturt alumna, to her most recent venture, founder and CEO of Pointer Remote Roles.

Pointer Remote Roles is a job-matching platform to connect businesses with talent working remotely from anywhere Australia.

Mrs Palmer said earning extra income remotely, especially in times of drought, has become necessary for many rural families.

“The reasons people are working remotely in the city are so different to those working remotely in the bush,” Mrs Palmer said.

“To access a job remotely, that can be the difference between a family making it through until it rains.

“We are providing opportunities for people to access an additional income stream in dry times.”

As the 2019 NSW/ACT Agrifutures Rural Women’s Award winner, Mrs Palmer will speak at ‘Sconversation’ about how to connect people with skilled workers in remote locations and what the CWA is doing to advocate for women’s mental health.

RDA Riverina CEO and Director of Regional Development Mrs Rachel Whiting is also the inaugural President of the CWA Uranquinty Evening Branch.

She said both organisations have similar goals in connecting people in order to make our regional communities stronger.

“Starting a Sconversation is what the CWA of NSW is asking communities across NSW to do during its annual Awareness Week, but also at any time,” Mrs Whiting said. 

“Put the kettle on, go for a coffee and a chat, and talk about what’s going on in your lives.

“The CWA is promoting that sharing a problem with someone else is the first step in mental health.

“This is also an opportunity for CWA Uranquinty Evening Branch to put women’s mental health on the map in our communities and raise awareness of the need for more support.”

‘Sconversation’ will be held at The Deck, building 230 at Charles Sturt in Wagga Wagga on Monday 2 September from 10.30am to 11.30am.

The CWA's Awareness Week runs from Sunday 1 to Sunday 8 September.