The Sisterhood Project
Impact Pillars:
Community Connection & Good Health
People, Capacity and Resource Building
Impact Areas:
Health & Wellbeing
Education & Research
Participants
Up to 300 parents and families in Gisborne & surrounds
Equipping new parents with lifesaving skills
The Sisterhood Project, with support from a grant from Community Bank Gisborne & District, is delivering free baby and child first aid and health literacy courses for new parents in Gisborne and surrounds.
These courses aim to equip parents with essential skills to prevent and respond to common childhood injuries and emergencies—ensuring children are safer, healthier, and better cared for.
Key project objectives
Deliver inclusive first aid courses to approximately 300 new parents, fostering stronger community ties through shared learning and mutual support
Ensure that at least 80% of participants feel confident in responding to childhood emergencies, contributing to better health outcomes for children in the region.
Why this program matters
Parenting can be overwhelming, especially for young parents, low-resourced families, or those from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds. Barriers such as cost, transport, or childcare often prevent families from accessing vital health education.
The Sisterhood Project is breaking down those barriers by:
Offering free first aid training tailored to the top five causes of injury or death in children
Assisting with transport and childcare to help families attend the training
Building partnerships with local community groups and health organisations to reach those most in need
Feedback from participants
As at 1 September 2025, the Sisterhood Project has run seven courses in total across the Macedon Ranges and had 158 parents register to attend, with four courses remaining.
So far, 100% of participants have reported that:
the courses improved thier confidence levels to manage childhood accidents and illnesses
they are likely to perform CPR on a person in the community following attending one of these courses
“I really appreciated the content had some focus on living in a rural area where emergency services may not be immediately available. I felt a lot more confident now that I have basic first aid knowledge.”
“This was so relevant to our community and Grace did a fabulous job as she was extremely knowledgeable very relatable as a mum herself.”
“I feel more competent checking my daughter for respiratory illness which is something I experienced a few weeks before the course when she had pneumonia and I wasn’t quite sure whether she needed to go to hospital or what to do. Since doing the course I feel much better in assessing her illnesses and know what to look for.”
Improving child health outcomes
By equipping parents with practical tools to prevent and respond to accidents, the program directly contributes to better child health outcomes. Importantly, it also reduces health disparities by ensuring families facing disadvantage have equal access to life-saving education.
