Dear Sue and List, Thanks for your support - I agonized about how to go about doing this - ozmid works so well for fertile exchanges between and among midwives and consumers that I was keen to use ozmid rather than a separate list - but so many women I spoke to indicated that they don't partake in ozmid because they feel they don't have a capacity with small children to manage the volume of discussion. So we'll see how it goes... As I said, I and others will still remain active on this List. Thanks ozmiders for having us!!
regards Barb. > From: Sue Cookson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Date: Thu, 28 Feb 2002 08:48:50 -0800 > To: Vernon at Stringybark <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, ozmid > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subject: Re: National Consumers Network > > Hi Barbara, > Good on you for setting up the consumers list! > I would really appreciate if you could keep me up to date with the relevant > discussions via this ozmid list - I hope others agree!! > > Fantastic! > Sue Cookson > >> dear List, >> >> The message below was sent at the end of January but bounced because of an >> automatic block to the word s*bscribe. apologies for not noticing this >> sooner - the vigorous discussion on the List meant the reject notice got >> well and truly buried at the bottom of my inbox! >> >> ---------- >> From: Vernon at Stringybark <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> Date: Tue, 29 Jan 2002 18:11:23 +1100 >> To: ozmid <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> Subject: National Consumers Network >> >> Dear Listers, >> >> Below is a message I'm sending out to a big list of contacts about setting >> up a national consumers network. >> >> I have recommended that people interested in being a part of the network >> s*bscribe to the Ausbirthingcommunity list - a Yahoo group set up by Rachel >> Trewin for the Maternity Coalition a year or so ago. >> >> In so doing I just want to make clear that I am not intending to exclude >> anyone on Ozmid from participating in network discussions on that List. you >> are all invited to s*bscribe if interested. >> >> I'd also like to say 'thankyou' to this List for having hosted much of this >> discussion in the past - as a consumer I have been conscious of not >> dominating the Ozmid list with consumer issues, since that may not be of >> interest to all midwives. >> >> I don not envisage that the new consumer list will make much difference to >> consumer participation on Ozmid. There are a number of active consumers who >> currently s*bscribe and who intend to continue doing so even once the >> national consumer list gets up and running. We all learn such valuable >> information from Ozmid s*bscribers, and appreciate very much the >> encouragement and support many of you offer via the List. But not all >> consumers feel ready or able to keep up with the volume of discussion on >> Ozmid. A separate list for discussing consumer activism therefore seems >> relevant. >> >> For those of you who aren't interested in s*bscribing to yet another >> internet list, I'd be happy to keep Ozmid informed of any relevant >> discussions on the Ausbirthing list, if people want me to. I'd be happy to >> post major message to Ozmid as well as aus birthing. I would like to >> encourage other consumers who are already active on Ozmid to do the same. >> Comments pls? >> >> regards, >> >> Barb Vernon >> President >> Maternity Coalition >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> Dear colleague, fellow mothers, birthing services consumers, midwives, and >> activists, >> >> Happy New Year to one and all! >> >> 2002 is going to be an exciting year in maternity services - there is so >> much momentum for change towards more woman-centred care right across >> Australia at present. Many of us are active in our local areas - whether it >> be providing a support network to other women, running consumer information >> sessions, lobbying governments, writing letters to the local paper, etc. I >> am confident we will collectively prevail and see some significant new >> programs offering midwife-led care to birthing women in several States and >> Territories in the coming year. >> >> Last September and October I sent out a couple of messages inviting interest >> in forming a national network of groups and individuals interested in >> childbirth and maternity issues. There was a resoundingly positive response >> from all parts of the country. >> >> The idea is that by creating a way of communicating with like minded women >> across the country, we can all benefit from: >> - sharing ideas & experiences >> - saving time and energy by sharing articles & newsletter items >> - coorindating responses to media items of local or national interest >> - providing each other with support in lobbying governments to respond to >> consumer demands for more woman-centred maternity services >> - collectively having more impact on decision-makers >> - etc etc. >> >> You may recall I raised the issue last year of legal protection and >> suggested that we might need sponsorship from an existing national >> organisation such as AIMS or Maternity Coalition. I now think such a step >> is unnecessary for the time being. Most groups I've had contact with have >> their own incorporation already. Groups which don't could consider >> obtaining their own incorporation or joining one of the incorporated groups >> in their local area or State if desired. >> >> Rather than get bogged down in inventing a new national organisation, I >> think we should just get on with the business of networking. A good deal of >> networking is occurring already between groups in various states. It's my >> firm view that we would all benefit from this networking being more >> comprehensive of all groups, and more organised. That will save us >> reinventing the wheel, given we all lead busy lives. It would also enable >> us to very quickly mobilise national comment, opinion or action on issues >> that affect more than one State, or where there is a need by a local group >> for wider support. >> >> SO LET'S JUST DO IT!! >> >> A key to any such network operating is obviously communication. So I >> propose we use an internet List to enable us to readily be in contact with >> each other. Clearly a List doesn't replace the need for other types of >> contact - phone, newsletters, conferences, meetings, etc. But it will be a >> useful and affordable communication tool. >> >> Currently many consumer activists subscribe to the Ozmidwifery List hosted >> by Ace-Graphics. It has been great that Ozmid Listers have been happy to >> have consumers participate in List discussions and post messages for other >> consumers. However not all consumers are interested or able to keep up with >> the volume of email generated by Ozmidwifery on a whole host of midwifery >> issues. I therefore think it is valuable for us to have a separate List >> predominantly for consumers to exchange ideas, experiences, alert others to >> political actions, media articles and press releases etc. Interested >> midwives, childbirth educators, doulas, etc, would of course be welcome to >> subscribe and comment too. >> >> Some time ago, the Maternity Coalition set up a Yahoo Group called 'Aus >> Birthing Community'. The list currently has about 60 subscribers but is not >> regularly in use. I think it provides a quick and easy mechanism for our >> national network without having to do anything more than invite a wide range >> of people to subscribe and start posting messages! I therefore invite all >> of you to subscribe to this List if you are interested in being part of a >> national birth network. The List can be accessed at the Maternity Coalition >> website: >> >> www.maternitycoalition.org.au >> >> Click on the Ausbirthingcommunity banner and follow the Yahoo instructions >> to subscribe. Subscription is automatic and the list is not moderated. >> Please let me or Rachel Trewin know if you are having any trouble with >> subscribing. >> >> Once you're on, please post a message to the List introducing yourself or >> the Group you're a part of, and identifying any particular interest you or >> your group has (e.g. special interest in support for women who've had >> caesarean or whatever). It would also be handy to flag both your Group's >> name and the State you're in on each message sent - as it's not always >> clear. That will help in trying to ensure that all relevant groups know >> about the List and are invited to participate if they're interested. >> >> The List could easily be added to other groups' webpages as a link - there >> is no inherent link to Maternity Coalition. Indeed I would encourage any >> group who has its own website to add the Aus birthing community link to your >> page and tell your members about it. >> >> I will send messages suitable for the National Birth Network to all the >> addresses I have collected via email for another month or so to give people >> time to subscribe to Ausbirthing. After that we'll move over to the List >> only. >> >> Once you have subscribed, please send me an email to let me know and I will >> delete you from my email address group for the network - otherwise you'll >> get any messages twice! >> >> I look forward to talking to you all some more on the Ausbirthing List. >> There is so much to discuss.... >> >> yours in good birth for all women... >> >> Barb Vernon >> Mother of 2 beautiful boys, >> Canberra. >> >> Currently National President of the Maternity Coalition. >> >> P.S. Please forward this message to anyone you think may be interested who >> is not included in the addressees above!! >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> -- >> This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. >> Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe. > -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe.
