Older Women's Network Queensland Inc.

19/08/2026

The Craft group started in March 2013 as an addition to the Gympie OWN meetings.

Several members thought it would be an advantage to have an informal get together for those wanting to work on their craft in the company of others.

This gradually evolved into the idea of making items useful to the community so over the years there have been many knitted rugs, crocheted rugs, tea towels and coat hangers for the aged care homes, along with crochet hand towels and coat hangers donated to other community groups to sell on their street stalls.

For the last few years the main focus has been knitting beanies, gloves and scarves for the Women’s Refuge.

The ladies all enjoy getting together for a coffee and a chat while helping in the community, we call them the ‘coffee, craft and chat’ group.

11/08/2026

The OWN Bribie Island Branch thoroughly enjoyed their Soup and Games Day; their July social.

The morning began with tea/coffee and homemade biscuits. Raffle tickets were purchased, the funds going to their local charity Bright Bags QLD.

Several games of BINGO got their brains working. Lots of fun and laughter.

For lunch there were nine different soups, including two Gluten Free options, to choose from.

Thanks to those who volunteered (time and ingredients) to make the delicious soups. Accompaniments of sour cream, fresh chives, cream, cheese, coconut cream, coriander, crusty bread and croutons added that special touch.

A similar event will definitely be on the calendar for 2027.

For more information on our OWN Bribie Branch: [email protected]

04/08/2026

Ending homelessness starts with making sure every person has access to safe, secure and affordable housing.

During Homelessness Week, it is important to listen to the voices of people across our communities, especially older women who continue to face high levels of housing insecurity and homelessness.

Without a safe place to call home, people are at greater risk of harm, poor mental and physical health, and ongoing uncertainty. No one should have to live that way.

Everybody's Home Campaign is conducting its 2026 Housing Survey and is asking everyone to take part (whether you're a renter, homeowner, have a mortgage, experiencing homelessness, looking to buy a home - everyone). Your experience, views and concerns matter, and sharing them is one way to help push for the housing solutions our communities urgently need.

Your responses will support the Everybody’s Home campaign for a safe, decent and affordable home for everyone.

The survey takes around 7–10 minutes to complete. Some questions are required and others are optional. Any identifying information you choose to provide will be kept confidential, and survey findings will be reported anonymously.

Please take a few minutes to complete the survey and encourage others to do the same.

https://everybodyshome.com.au/take-action/housing-survey/

16/07/2026

This morning, we proudly launched our brand-new branch in The Leap. We’re thrilled to grow the OWNQ family and create another welcoming space for women to connect, share, learn, and support one another.

OWN The Leap Branch will hold their meetings at Yakapari Country Crafts and Community Centre, a beautiful location in the Mackay region.

We look forward to supporting the new branch!

15/07/2026

The making of OWNQ’s second quilt...

Looking back, it is special to see how an idea became something real. Creating OWNQ’s second quilt was not a quick or easy task. There was plenty of measuring, planning and problem-solving along the way.

That is part of what makes projects like this worthwhile. They bring people together, encourage cooperation and skills sharing, and give everyone a real sense of achievement.

The idea sounded simple enough: each branch would create a quilt square to represent itself. In practice, getting the size, design and details right took some working out. But, as usual, our members took up the challenge.

Many members had little or no quilt-making experience, but regular online catch-ups helped keep things moving. Ideas were shared, plans were made, and over time the squares began arriving at the office. Some even inspired poems about the early stages of the project.

The squares were then stitched together by a member with quilting experience. The result is a well-made quilt that reflects the work of many branches. It strengthened connections across OWNQ and gives us something to keep and value as part of our history.

02/07/2026

“My disability exists not because I use a wheelchair, but because the broader environment isn’t accessible.” – Stella Young, comedian, journalist and activist.

The above quote is a powerful reminder that disability is shaped not only by individual circumstances, but also by how accessible and inclusive our communities are.

In May, Shirley, a new OWNQ member, joined our annual Face-to-Face Branch Support Team Meeting as a guest presenter. As a hearing loss advocate, she spoke about the life-changing impact of real-time captioning.

OWNQ explored captioning options for branches a few years ago, but the technology available at the time was not as easy to use as we needed. However, as an organisation, we knew many members lived with hearing loss, and we knew this made it harder for them to participate in OWNQ activities. We weren’t sure what to do but we knew we had to do more.

Shirley introduced an option that our branches could potentially adopt. Her presentation gave Branch Support Team members plenty to consider and sparked further interest in the technology and service available to seniors experiencing hearing loss.

We took the opportunity to learn more about Shirley and her advocacy work by asking a few questions.

Can you tell us a little about yourself and your experience of living with hearing loss?

It was when I was 4 it was noticed I may have a problem with hearing. I wore hearing aids all through school until I lost my hearing as an adult. Living with hearing loss was, in the beginning, frustrating, isolating with many people not believing I had a hearing loss because I could speak normally. After living with total deafness for 10 years I was fitted with cochlear implants and have experienced a return to the hearing world in every way I can.

When did you begin advocating for more inclusive communities?

In 1990 I joined CICADA Queensland, a support group for people with cochlear implants, and after a few years I became Secretary, a position I held for 25 years. I began advocating for more inclusivity within communities while in that role, as I have done ever since in various roles with other organisations.

What technology do you use in your daily life to help you stay connected, participate fully, and do the things you enjoy?

In my daily life, I use all technology available to me to enable me to stay connected. For example, I use Captel extensively to make appointments, contact and have a conversation with friends, use text messaging with people who cannot hear on phones. I also use Messenger whenever possible to keep in touch with family. I use the computer to create newsletters, and email to reach out to people and organisations, create Flyers to notify people of events they can attend. I also use live captioning whenever possible. I simply enjoy that contact with people and helping them.

Can you explain what live captioning is and the difference it can make for someone with hearing loss?

Live Captioning, also known as real-time captioning, is often delivered using CART – Communication Access Realtime Translation. Captioners use a stenotype machine, which has only 22 keys and operates using chord-based combinations rather than individual letters. The machine connects via USB or Bluetooth to specialist software such as Eclipse or Case CATalyst, which translates steno keystrokes into readable text in real time – output to screens, projectors, Zoom or broadcast feeds. In live sessions, experienced captioners often reach 250-300 words per minute (wpm) with 99.8% accuracy. It’s not unknown for captioners to reach an astounding 360 wpm.

Captions can also benefit many other people in our communities, not just those with hearing loss. Can you tell us more about that?

Captions can benefit a wide community, even hearing persons, as at times a speaker can be hard to hear, a person may be at the back of the audience and not be able to hear. Non-native speakers improving language comprehension, people in noisy environments, those with ADHD or auditory processing difficulties, people learning to read and anyone watching in a sound-sensitive setting are said to use captions regularly. The transcript results in more accurate written reporting of meetings or AGM minutes.

What are some simple things our branches can do to make regular meetings and activities more inclusive?

In my experience people attending meetings like to learn about different subjects they otherwise wouldn’t know about, e.g. if the area local chemist has organised a box for recycling blister packs. Organising games, something like a Trivia session with people in groups, morning teas at different cafes, a lunch at a favourite restaurant. Keeping members up to date with what is happening around them in their local environment. A Buddy system can be created that is known to be very successful.

What would you say to older women who have gradually withdrawn from social activities because of their hearing loss?

Older women who have gradually withdrawn from social activities often do not know of local clubs and organisations, they lack confidence to attend meetings as they cannot follow conversations, particularly if they have a hearing loss. I say to older women go attend a meeting – you have nothing to lose and everything to gain and you will be met with warmth and understanding by members, who will help you get over the hard yards.

Useful Resources:

https://deafconnect.org.au/services/interpreting
https://www.captel.com/
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.audio.hearing.visualization.accessibility.scribe&hl=en_AU
https://hearingwellnessjourney.com/podcast/
https://www.youtube.com//videos

01/07/2026

Calling all grandparents!



Are you a grandparent or older relative of a child aged 3-8 who lives in a different time zone from you ( anywhere in the world)?



A QUT PhD researcher is inviting grandparents and older relatives to join a meaningful study about how intergenerational families stay connected across distance.



What’s involved:
✅ 3-week online diary survey
✅ 3-5 minutes per day
✅ A short online follow-up interview
✅ $30 thank you gift card



The diary survey asks simple questions about your interactions, such as when they happened, how you communicated, and how long they lasted.



Your experience will help inform future technologies that support intergenerational family connection.



Approved by the QUT Human Research Ethics Committee, approval number 11017.



For more information or to express interest, please contact:

Zane Zhou
PhD Student
Queensland University of Technology
[email protected]

09/06/2026

04/06/2026

OWNQ held two key events last week.

Our Housing – Which Direction Is Right for You? workshop, supported by the Queensland Government's Empowering Queensland Women Grant Program, brought together 80 women in Mackay for a full day of learning about housing services and living arrangement options as you age.

We were very privileged to have expert speakers from Q Shelter Caxton Community Legal Centre, Services Australia, Footprints Community, Relationships Australia Qld and who presented on a range of topics including older women and homelessness, the legal aspects of over-50s lifestyle villages, downsizing, financial information services, planning for retirement, housing services for older women, and financial abuse.

We also held a special panel where four women shared their personal housing experiences moderated by Deb Rae.

Thank you to everyone who made this event possible, in particular our OWN Mackay members, who played a key role in organising the day.

We hope the women who attended left feeling more informed and confident about where to go for support and advice.

OWNQ also held its annual Face-to-Face Branch Support Team Meeting at the Brisbane Libraries Nundah Library. These in-person gatherings allow OWNQ to thank and acknowledge the important work our teams do in their local communities. They also provide a valuable opportunity to share ideas and learn from one another.

We were fortunate to have Shirley Edwards, a new member and Hearing Loss Advocate, join us. Shirley spoke about the importance of making our communities inclusive and accessible. One way to achieve this is by providing real-time captioning at our branches.

Captions support people with hearing impairments, language barriers, and information processing difficulties. Shirley demonstrated how easy it is to organise live captioning, and the significant, life-changing impact it can have on our friends, family, and community members. Watch this space as we'll be sharing more with you as we learn more from Shirley.