By Gabriella Payne
Joy and laughter filled the air at Pakenham’s Living and Learning Centre last Thursday, as women (and a few men) from all different ages and backgrounds came together to celebrate the fourth birthday of the women’s friendship cafe.
What started out as a little idea has quickly become a thriving program at the Living and Learning Centre, and over the years has helped connect and engage women throughout our diverse community.
Jolene Stewart and Elaine Smith have been two driving forces behind the women’s friendship cafe, and have poured hours of time and love into the program since they launched it back in 2017.
Jolene and Elaine’s vision was to create a safe, warm and welcoming place that would help empower women through social inclusion and help connect them to friends, but also the wider community.
“This is a place for women, by women,” Jolene said.
“Cardinia Shire is a recognised growth corridor, with a lot of women moving to the area without any social network.
That’s where the friendship cafe steps in,” she said.
The women’s friendship cafe meets for “a cuppa and a chat” on Thursdays between 9am and noon and welcomes people of all different backgrounds and abilities.
Jolene said particularly for migrant women, it could be hard moving to a new area as it often proved “scary and lonely”, especially if they had limited language skills.
Often their children would go to school and adapt, but many women would find themselves alone and isolated – something that the women’s friendship cafe has been working hard to change.
“Friendships and connections are extremely important, even more so when moving to a new area,” Jolene said.
“This is a place to have a friendly informal chat in the hope of creating lasting friendships and belonging.”
At the celebrations on Thursday 22 April, dozens of women came together to mingle with one another and raise a cup of tea to the wonderful work that the women’s friendship cafe has done over the years.
Two members of the women’s friendship cafe, Jackie and Peggy, who both immigrated to Australia from Africa a few years ago, said that the program had helped shape their lives for the better.
“As an immigrant, I came here and I was totally lost, so when I learnt about the women’s friendship cafe, I found a new life,” Jackie said.
“I get a lot of support from my fellow women, so we are like one family.
The other thing is there’s a lot of connection, a lot of networking which has helped me a lot.
I was able to connect my children with other families just through the women’s friendship cafe, and besides that, I was also able to get a job.
So I’m still a volunteer here, but now I’m making money and I feel empowered because I have gained my independence as a woman and that makes me feel great,” she said.
Peggy said that the program had been equally as important in her own journey.
“The women’s friendship cafe is something that has changed my life,” she said.
“When I came here [to Australia], I didn’t have any friends, I was just sitting in the house alone.
Now when I come to the women’s friendship cafe, I have a lot of friends and we are sharing our problems and giving each other advice.
I really appreciate it and I love everything they do for us,” Peggy said.
Many women have joined the friendship cafe over the years and although some have moved on, Jolene and Elaine say they will remain “friends forever”, as the cafe’s doors are always open.
“Women of all ages, all abilities and all cultures are welcome here,” Elaine said.
“We are here for you.”
For more information about the women’s friendship cafe, visit https://www.livinglearning.org.au/ or pop by for a cuppa between 9am and midday at their weekly meet up on a Thursday, at Pakenham’s Living and Learning Centre, 6B Henry Street.
