Presentation at Making Links Conference 2010 in Perth, Western Australia. www.makinglinks.org.au

1. Online technology + leading women’s health experts =
innovative education Australia-wide
Aleeza Zohar
Communications Manager
Making Links Conference 2010

2. The Jean Hailes Foundation for Women’s
Health
• National not for profit women’s health organisation
• Dedicated to improving the health and wellbeing of
all Australian women
• Based in Clayton, Victoria
• Three units:
– Medical Centre for Women
– Research Unit
– Education Unit

3. Health information for women
• Respond to women’s health needs through
research, community and professional education and
clinical care
• Translate latest research into practical health and
lifestyle approaches for women
• Offer variety of mediums / formats to engage
women and provide practical information in
recognition of the variant of different learning styles

4. Background: face to face education
• 3 national seminars per year
• 1990s to early 2000s up to 600 per event
• Reaching approx 1,500-1,800 women per year
• More recently up to 200 per event
• Reaching approx 450 per year

5. What are the challenges in trying to reach
out Australia-wide?
• People live in dispersed communities across
Australia
• Can’t reach out to all face to face in a cost and time
effective manner
• Can’t be everywhere
• Cost – productivity – efficiency are all compromised

6. Webcast: what is it?
• A video and/or audio broadcast transmitted either
live or delayed via the internet using streaming
media technology with many people able to watch
simultaneously – kind of like watching TV
• Can learn about property investment, through to the
best sales pitches, human rights, parenting and
education events

7. Why webcast?
• Diminishing numbers face to face
• Reach out to women living in regional Australia
• Desire to reach as many women as possible across
the country in a cost effective manner
• Time to develop and trial a new education model
utilising technology to engage with new and bigger
audiences

8. What are the benefits?
• No need to travel – great for those with mobility issues
• Can watch on your own – or in a group
• Australia-wide – even global!
• Interactive text chat
• Live polls and surveys – immediate feedback
• Record to archive for later use
• Cost – productivity – efficiency are all increased
• Trackable audience behaviour
• Engaging audience – see, hear, read
• Targeted audience delivery
• Brand building

9. What are the opportunities?
• To build on relationships with community groups
• To increase subscriptions to our national magazine
and email updates, and visits to our website
• Media, promotion and marketing
• To provide a reliable source of information that
women can revisit
• 60% of 2008 webcast new to the Foundation
• 54% of 2010 webcast new to the Foundation

10. Why integrate webcasts into the marketing mix?
• Human voice is powerful tool
• Retain 10% of what you read as opposed to 50% of
what you read and hear
• Interactivity is an added bonus
• Helps speed knowledge and understanding
• Measurable

11. What are the strengths of webcasts?
• Delivery of a consistent message to remote locations
• Engaging with audience
• Potential to engage with large audience
• To reach people who otherwise wouldn’t have
access
• Cost effectiveness

12. What are the weaknesses of webcasts?
• Speed of internet access – often a bigger issue in
regional areas
• Being able to ‘deal’ with technology failures – in
group and individual settings
• Reputation resting on success of technology

13. Webcast 2008 – Life begins at Menopause?
• In 2008 we produced our first webcast
• Topic: menopause, including treatment options,
emotional and physical changes, ways to self
manage
• Health experts included gynaecologist Dr Elizabeth
Farrell, psychologist Dr Mandy Deeks and
naturopath Sandra Villella

14. Results from the 2008 webcast
• Reached almost 2,000 women across Australia
including 69 groups in regional and metropolitan
areas
• 500 watched from home
• 69 community groups, from 3 up to 300 women at
each
• Significant increase in visits to website, downloads of
our fact sheet resources and subscriptions to our
free women’s health magazine

15. Increase to Foundation resources 2008
Increase in website visits Jan-June 2008
0
50000
100000
150000
200000
250000
January February March April May June
Increase in menopause fact sheet download Jan-June
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
1600
1800
January February March April May June
• Approx 1,000 new subscriptions to
women’s health magazine

16. Webcast 2010 – Making Your 40s Fabulous!
• This year we ran our second webcast
• Roller coaster of physical and emotional changes
including hormones, libido and stress as well as
preventive health tips to make the most of health
• Health experts included Dr Rosie King, Dr John
D’Arcy and Dr Elizabeth Farrell

17. Results from 2010 webcast
• Approx 500 individuals watched from home
• 71 groups – from 2 up to 140 women at each, total of 1,750
• A possible 100+ more as 6 groups did not complete evaluation
• 8 group events have already taken place post event – approx
300 attended
• 654 have watched the archived version online post event
• All up – viewed so far by approx 3,300
• Significant increase in visits to website, downloads of our fact
sheet resources and subscriptions to our free women’s health
magazine and email updates
• Cost per head more than halved from face to face

18. Location of host sites 2010
• 86% regional
• 14% metro
• Nearly 3,500
resource packs
sent to group
hosts

19. Location of host sites by state 2010
Host Sites by State
40%
20%
11%
14%
6%
6%
3%
0% VIC
NSW
QLD
SA
TAS
WA
ACT
NT

20. Audience responses
• 88% of hosts found the style of webcast engaging and
enjoyable
• 88% of hosts said they would consider hosting a webcast
again
• 84% of individuals found the style of webcast engaging and
enjoyable
• 50% of individuals said this was their preferred method of
receiving health information
• 84% of individuals said they would consider participating in
another webcast

21. Group host responses
• “This was my first time to access a weblink & so I was hesitant
to enrol at first & worried when the IT stuff presented a
challenge but now I am enthused to do it again and now have
confidence to start advertising and promoting an event earlier
next time.”
• “Even though we only had a small number of women attend I
think they are more aware of the Foundation & can now
access this information for their own benefit.”

22. Individual responses
• “I found the information very informative and enjoyable. It was
great to listen to very qualified speakers whom we would not
be able to see in a rural / remote location.”
• “…I enjoyed the evening. I found it informative and good to
know that I am not alone! It has given me confidence to
discuss it further with my husband (when the time is right) and
know that there are professionals out there who may be able
to help. Also, viewing it with a group of ladies in the same age
decade was supportive and good fun. Although less
convenient, it was much better going out and not watching it at
home with kids (and a husband!) annoying you! It made me
think about things that I rarely think about e.g. the future! I
liked the lines "Prioritise Delegate and Prune. A valuable
evening, thank you.”

23. Overall picture
• Don’t be afraid to take advantage of new technology
• Technology getting better each day
• Seek out experts in the field
• A major advantage is its sheer convenience
• Lessens the issue of access
• Gives people chance to take control and manage
their own learning – own pace
• Technology has made the dissemination of
information faster, easer, smarter

24. www.jeanhailes.org.au