When the day finally arrived, six of the women sat around a table with cups of tea and began talking with Betty-Ann. What took place was amazing. Concerns about women came pouring out. The women at Rabbittown Learners Program realized they really wanted to talk and listen to each other and somehow Betty-Ann's questions hit the exact chord. When the meeting was over, the women decided that somehow they were going to get more women back into the program. When it came time for the second phase, women from Rabbittown immediately expressed their interest.

The woman-positive activity

The Rabbittown Learners Program was initially set up to serve tenants in the area but has grown in size and reputation. At the beginning of the research, there were more learners from other areas of the city participating. The staff were concerned about this change and were particularly keen to encourage more women's participation. As their woman-positive activity they decided to connect with every woman in the area to find out why women from the community were no longer involved in the program.

In discussing how to approach the women, the group felt that it was important to ask for opinions about women's involvement in general and not to focus on why an individual woman would or would not choose to become involved. They hoped this approach would facilitate more discussion and felt that the women's opinions would be very insightful. The tutors - Bella Biddiscombe, Sandra Cadwell, Betty Jackson, and Cathy Short - decided to work in pairs for door-to-door visits. Shirley Hickey, the coordinator, was responsible for documenting the research.

A questionnaire was developed and each pair was to ensure that it was given to the woman in the household, going back several times if necessary to do this. They were to return at a specified time to pick up the completed questionnaire, discuss it with the woman, or help her fill it out. If there was discomfort with forms the tutors were to take mental notes of the discussion and record it when they returned to the centre.

This is what happened

From February to May of 1992 program workers went from door to door throughout the community. Each home was approached at least twice, but the staff were able to have discussions with only seventy-six women. They were excited to have been able to talk with so many women but felt badly about those they did not reach.

A high number of women in one particular area seemed not to be at home. Rabbittown staff were surprised and surmised that the person answering the door didn't want the staff to talk with the woman.