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November Newsletter
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Welcome from CEO Marianne Hendron
Welcome to this slightly early newsletter which we have brought forward because there are just so many things going on that need to be highlighted. Our AGM is imminent! We have chosen the theme “Building Respectful Relationships: A community approach” for the AGM and Forum which takes place on Tuesday 10 November 2015 in Ararat.
The theme picks up on the Victorian and Commonwealth governments’ stated commitment to family violence prevention, through the inclusion of Respectful Relationships education in the curriculum in 2016 from Prep through to Year 10. Respectful relationships focuses on challenging negative attitudes such as prejudice, discrimination and harassment that can lead to violence against women and in the community more broadly. Women’s Health Grampians would like to support schools and communities across our region to address discrimination and teach equality as part of preventing family violence and to support strategies to promote a “whole of community approach” to achieving a society and a culture that does not tolerate violence”.
Annual General Meeting & Forum
10th November 2015
1 Waratah Avenue, Ararat
11.00am to 2.00pm
Morning tea served at 10.45am
Lunch provided
Key Note Speaker: Maree Crabbe
The key note speaker Maree Crabbe, coordinator of the community education project, Reality & Risk: Pornography, young people and sexuality, will share insights from her work, and explain why the impact of pornography on young people is an issue we can’t afford to ignore. Her presentation is entitled: Eroticising inequality: pornography, young people and sexuality
Followed by: Panel Discussion & Q&A
The panel discussion and Q&A involves representatives from the youth and education sectors
Branko Lukic, Principal, St Arnaud Secondary College
Angela Hunt, Manager Community Development, Youth & Client Services at Ararat Rural City Council
Maurice Billi, School Focussed Youth Service/Grampians Community Health
Sarah Thistle, General Manager Education & Training at Family Planning Victoria
Please contact WHG directly if you have any special dietary requirements on e. adminb@whg.org.au or ph.1800 013 432
Minister Richardson Visits
In mid-October we were delighted to host the Minister for Women and Minister for Family Violence Prevention The Hon Fiona Richardson at our offices in Ballarat. It was a great opportunity to have a private and informal discussion with the Minister who oversees and has a vested interest in our key areas of work. We had the opportunity to highlight our resources and achievements in prevention of violence against women and gender equity and the Minister was most interested and encouraging in regards to our leadership work across the region particularly with local government.
The Minister shared her optimism about the potential of the tool, Measuring the Toll: The Family Violence Index, which is currently under development by the Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety (ANROWS) and which it is hoped will develop new methods of data collection and measures to better understand the extent and nature of family violence and the effectiveness of strategies to address it. We thank the Minister for taking the time to visit a regional service and hear first-hand of our challenges and achievements.
Katherine Gillespie WHG Chair, Marianne Hendron, CEO, Minister Fiona Richardson and Darlene HM, Program Manager
Women's Health Grampians invites you to our free event
Rethinking Sexual Health Promotion in Rural Victorian Settings
Thursday 3rd December 9.15am - 4pm
Cooinda Wendouree
This event is for anyone interested in or whose role includes any aspect of sexual and reproductive health promotion.
Dr Alan Crouch
 Senior Research Fellow
Centre for Excellence in Rural Sexual Health
The Rethinking Sexual Health Promotion in Rural Victorian Settings Seminar consists of four sessions, focusing in on key questions about the way we design, develop, implement and evaluate our programs and projects in sexual and reproductive health.
Session 1: “History – Theory – Evidence – Exemplars” explores the history of ideas underlying current practice in population health in general and health promotion in particular.
Session 2: “Applying the Matrix: Analysis – Re-Design – Re-appraisal” introduces the ‘concept matrix’, a tool to help shape our thinking (and re-thinking), when we design or re-design a program or project.
Session 3: “Evidence – Indicators – Measurement” focuses in on the practical aspects of project or program design, drawing on our application of the concept matrix.
Session 4: “Evidence, the Responsibility of Knowledge, and Ethics” summarises the key elements of sessions 1-3, and introduces the concept of paradigm shift in health promotion practice and concepts of ethical evaluation.
When: Thursday 3rd December, 2015 9.15am for a 9.30am start to 4.00pm
Where: Cooinda Wendouree (Ballarat Community Health) 10 Learmonth Road, Wendouree
Who: Anyone interested in or whose role includes any aspect of sexual and reproductive health promotion.
Cost: Free, Morning tea and lunch included – please specify any dietary requirements upon registration.
RSVP: Please register by 30th November, 2015
To register click here or contact WHG directly e. adminb@whg.org.au or ph.1800 013 432
#HandsUp for Gender Equality
What is the #HandsUp for gender equality campaign?
Women’s Health Grampians will be participating in Women’s Health East #HandsUp social marketing campaign, which advocates for gender equality in our communities and encourages individuals to think about why gender equality is important to them. This campaign will run over the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence, from 25th November – 10th December.
How to get involved?
To participate in the social media component of the campaign, organisations and community members are encouraged to:
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Take a photo with your hands up – this could even be an organisational photo, with a statement below stating why you have you #HandsUp for Gender Equality!
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Upload the picture to your organisation and personal social media accounts
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Importantly, tag @WHGrampians on Twitter or @Women’s Health Grampians on Facebook
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Use the official campaign hashtag #HandsUp
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Use the official poster (available on WHG’s website) to write your statement on why gender equality is important to you, for example “#HandsUp for women in leadership” “… to end men’s violence against women” “… for equal pay”, and show this in your photo.
Other ways to get involved?
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Use the #HandsUp official poster template to – decorate, colour in, draw on and write your gender equality message and display around your office/centre/service. Take some photos and share via social media too if you like!
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Print out templates to give to community members visiting your organisation – ask them to put their #HandsUp by decorating their own template with a message of their choosing.
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Use these templates as a display for your 16 days activity or event.
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Come up with your own #HandsUp message to use for your e-signature, or use one of the messages supplied, or use one of the 16 gender equality images created.
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Print out the supplied campaign messages and display around your organisation, or at your 16 Days event.
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Come up with another creative way to spread the #HandsUp message!
The Women’s Health Grampians Facebook and Twitter pages will act as a portal for sharing campaign messages and photos from followers across the 16 Days, and all relevant resources are available on the Women’ s Health Grampians website
If you have any questions about the campaign, please contact Dee Micevski at Women’s Health Grampians e. dee@whg.org.au or ph.1800 013 432
       
Community of Practice for Prevention of Violence against Women Discussion Paper
The GCOP-PVAW Session One Discussion Paper is now available from our website www.whg.org.au
The discussion paper covers the themes from the session presented in sections
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Achievements
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Opportunities
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Challenges
Also covered is information about the GCOP-PVAW and the participants
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Farewell to Andrea Walsh
In September we sadly bade farewell to Andrea Walsh whose contract with us came to an end – the fact that we extended it twice is an indication of how valuable her contribution was in the area of media and communications.
Andrea revitalised our website, developed comms strategies for our various program areas, designed newsletter templates, revised databases and was the driving force behind our success in being shortlisted for a Ballarat Business Award. She has certainly left a lasting legacy and we wish her very well in her new role.
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Online Guide
More recently, Minister Richardson helped launch a new online guide developed by Women’s Health Victoria and Women’s Health Services, The Equality and Safety for Women Guide which is for Women’s Health Services, local government, community organisations, businesses, schools, statewide and peak bodies, to support primary prevention efforts.
It is a very comprehensive resource, which includes information, evidence, tools, resources and best-practice examples and builds on years of women’s health service expertise in raising awareness about the link between family violence, gender inequality and poor health outcomes for women.
The guide is available at here
Victorian Women’s Health Atlas
The Victorian Women’s Health Atlas has been developed by Women’s Health Victoria, in collaboration with other state-wide and regional women’s health services as a tool to assist in the identification of gender impacts on these key health areas:
The Atlas provides a coordinated State approach to support Women’s Health Services and other health planners, to enable comparison between LGAs, Regions and the State. The purpose of the Atlas is to increase the availability of reliable data for evidence based decisions about service design, emerging priorities and program planning.
The atlas is available here
Dimboola Community Night
WHG was recently involved in the planning of a very successful Community Night at Dimboola, with the theme: Let’s take a stand against Family Violence. Sponsored by Des and Robyn Lardner’s Dimboola Pharmacy, and held at the Dimboola Memorial Secondary College (DMSC), the event was a stimulating mix of speakers, table discussion, video presentations and music, as well as delicious supper provided by the school students with about 80 community members in attendance.
The format and content for the evening were well received and proved to be a successful way to address a difficult and “heavy” topic with a broad community audience. Speakers included Kyle Plunkett a prevention advocate from Ararat, Anne Gawith, Principal of DMSC, Acting Inspector Brendan Broadbent and Emma Kealy MP, Member for Lowan. Speakers and subsequent discussion highlighted the role everyone across the community can play in identifying, responding to, educating about and preventing family violence.
The excellent speech by Anne Gawith on the role of schools and educators in prevention of violence is available on our website
Dimboola Community Night, 15 October 2015, Dimboola Memorial Secondary College
White Ribbon Day
This year we are delighted to note that there are an unprecedented number of White Ribbon events taking place across the Grampians region
We will continue to update our website so if you are holding an event or know of an event not listed here please contact us on e. adminb@whg.org.au or ph. 1800 013 432
The White Ribbon Day website has information about the campaign, ways to get involved and a list of events.
Wimmera
Wimmera Community Street March - a road to safer lives
On White Ribbon Day 25th November A community street march through CBD Horsham demonstrating commitment to ending the use of violence and upholding the safety of women and children.
The march is open to men, women, and children and will finish with a free BBQ and guest speakers
The walk starts at 12.30pm-1.30pm at the Horsham Aquatic Centre car park in Firebrace Street Horsham.
For more information contact Ross Anders (03) 5362 1200
Edenhope College
On Friday 27th November at Edenhope College there will be sessions running for Grade 5/6/7 and a separate session for 8,9,10. The focus is on promoting what white ribbon day is about and opening up the discussion on violence against women (and within relationships). For more information contact Vanessa Eastwood e. eastwood.vanessa.l@edumail.vic.gov.au
Grampians - Pyrenees
Ararat
On White Ribbon day 25th November, residents of Ararat and surrounds are invited to participate in a “Say No to Domestic Violence” walk at 5:00pm from the Performing Arts Centre to Alexandra Gardens where there will be an oath swearing ceremony, tree planting and a community BBQ.
Walk from: Performing Arts Centre (Depart 5:00pm) Walk to: Alexandra Gardens (Arrive 5:20pm)
For more information contact Janeen or Danielle on 53550200
Stawell
On White Ribbon Day 25th November there will be a BBQ at Cato Park in Napier Street Stawell.
For more information please contact Corrina Graham (03) 53587400
Central Highlands
City of Ballarat’s 2015 White Ribbon Day
On White Ribbon Day 25th November the City of Ballarat invites you and your staff to get involved in the City of Ballarat’s 2015 White Ribbon Day event. The City of Ballarat is inviting the community to organise a walking group to join us in the CBD for a nonviolence oath swearing and BBQ. The event begins at 11.30 am outside the City of Ballarat's Customer Service Centre, 25 Armstrong Street South, Ballarat. The City of Ballarat's Charter for the Prevention of Violence against Women will be available for signing on the day.
Visit the website for more information
Ballarat White Ribbon Day breakfast
On White Ribbon Day 25th November the Ballarat White Ribbon Day Committee invites you to attend their White Ribbon Day breakfast featuring Luke Brennan, 2015 White Ribbon Day Ambassadors and the Ballarat White Ribbon Day choir.
Wednesday 25th November 7am - 8.20am Held at the OCA Pavilion, St Patrick’s College.
For more information and to register click here
Stars on the lake
CREATE-RESPECT
An evening lantern walk to Fairy-Land Lake Wendouree to publicly recognise and celebrate young adults taking responsibility for creating respectful relationships.
Night-picnic, youth bands and youth presentations
BYO food, no alcohol, food vendors at the event
10.30 pm finish.
Over 900 students from Ballarat Secondary Colleges and youth groups will be involved in CREATE–RESPECT forums. The forums will help young adults deepen their understanding of respectful relationships, challenge gender role perceptions and assist participants in developing strategies for embedding a respectful culture in their schools, their homes and the community. (And at the same time make a bunch of lanterns and banners for the STARS ON THE LAKE event).
STARS ON THE LAKE: produced by Child & Family Services Ballarat Inc. (CAFS) in partnership with WRISC, City of Ballarat, Victoria Police, White Ribbon and Women’s Health Grampians.
CREATE–RESPECT SCHOOL FORUMS
Mt Clear Secondary College Nov 16 — 20
Phoenix Secondary College Nov 23 — 27
Ballarat High School Nov 30 — Dec 3
Evening Forums
Koorie Youth Ballarat Nov 18
Zaque Nov 25
b.you Nov 26
Congratulations Michelle
The 2015 Melbourne Cup was won by a local Ballarat jockey Michelle Payne this year. While we acknowledge differing views on racing, we wish to congratulate her not only on the win but on highlighting gender inequality in the racing industry and the community more broadly.
These quotes from her post race interview say it all
"It's such a chauvinistic sport, I know some of the owners wanted to kick me off,"
"I want to say to everyone else, get stuffed, because women can do anything and we can beat the world."
SmartSafe+
SmartSafe+ is a phone app that can help you collect evidence to obtain or prove a breach of a family violence intervention order. At the moment, it’s only suitable for people living in Victoria, Australia, and it may not be the safest option for everyone – take the safety assessment to see whether SmartSafe+ is right for you. More information is available here
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