Ash Bolt
The Geelong Regional Library Corporation will host a new event series bringing together regional community members and leaders to discuss global issues affecting the Geelong region, which kicks off tomorrow.
The library will host its first Talk It Up session, The Impacts of the Pandemic on Working Women, from midday, with a luncheon and panel discussion at the Geelong Library and Heritage Centre.
The COVID-19 recession has been Australia’s deepest since the Great Depression and while all Australians have felt some effects, the economic pain has not been shared equally.
This recession has hit young people, those in insecure work and women particularly hard.
Women are recovering from a ‘triple-whammy’ – they are more likely to lose their jobs, more likely to do a lot more unpaid work, and less likely to get government support.
The panel, who will explore this topic, examine opportunities and identify actions for the
future, includes Geelong MP Christine Couzens, Victorian Small Business Commissioner Lynda McAlary-Smith, gforce Aboriginal community coordinator Adele Bruechert, and Northern Futures executive officer Lyn Morgan.
Geelong Regional Libraries chairman Ron Nelson said the event series aimed to provide a platform for the discussion of important and topical issues, and highlighted the key role the GRLC played in the region’s COVID recovery period.
“Geelong Regional Libraries is proud to introduce the Talk It Up event series, and I think it will be a fascinating conversation on Friday on the very important topic of the impact of the pandemic on working women,” Cr Nelson said.
“We see Geelong Regional Libraries playing a pivotal role as a regional leader in helping our communities rebuild as we move into a new phase of ‘living with COVID’.
“It is so important that we, as a community and as a region, take time to discuss what the future will look like, and how we can support those who need it most as we emerge from the pandemic.”
GRLC chief executive Vanessa Schernickau said she was looking forward to hearing the insights of the panelists and audience members at the event.
“I look forward to hearing from our panelists, and our audience members, about what they’re seeing on the ground and how we can move forward – what has changed, how do we support our community and what does this next period hold,” Ms Schernickau said.
