Regional Children’s Nurse Second-Time Finalist in Rural Women’s Award

Victorian Paediatric nurse, and founder of The Sisterhood Project, Grace Larson has been nominated as a finalist in the Agrifutures Rural Women’s Award two years in a row.

Grace’s work with The Sisterhood Project, a charity that funds first aid and CPR courses for disadvantaged parents and carers, has seen her recognised alongside three other rural women in Victoria in the running for the Award. 

Children in rural and remote Australia are the most likely to die from preventable accidents and injuries, with over five classrooms (100 children) full of kids from rural Australia each year, compared to less than two classrooms (40 children) full for metropolitan children.

The Sisterhood Project works to support families in disadvantaged areas, such as rural and remote Victoria, low social demographic regions, and culturally and linguistically diverse communities.

Grace Larson, co-founder of The Sisterhood Project, said they use a tailored and collaborative approach to overcome the barriers for parents or carers to learn how to save their child in an emergency.

“We engage community groups that support these cohorts, and parents and carers themselves, to better understand the barriers. We then come up with a training solution that resolves as many of these as possible,” Grace said.

“For example, some young mothers in remote locations face transport and finance barriers, along with restrictions to childcare, all which may restrict them attending a baby and child first aid course.” 

“The Sisterhood Project provides the funds, transport and child care support to allow the mothers to attend a course and learn vital life saving skills such as how to recognise a serious respiratory illness in their child or how to perform CPR,” she said.

The Rural Women’s Award Victorian winner will be announced in March and will receive $15,000 towards their project. They will also go on to represent Victoria at the National Award, a Gala event at Parliament House in September. The national winner will receive a further $20,000 towards their project, and the national runner-up $15,000.

If successful, Grace will develop an automated computer program to connect first aid providers with organisations and people in need. The money will also fund 90 first aid courses across Victoria for disadvantaged families.