Women are leaders in the community, their rights are respected, they have no barriers to civic, economic or recreational/social participation and feel safe and supported in their homes and communities Decrease barriers to women’s economic participation e. g transport, local employment, childcare Increase women’s economic security through improved financial literacy skills Increase opportunities for women to build and participate in supportive social networks and group activities Build the capacity of women to become leaders in their communities and advocates across a range of settings Men have positive, respectful relationships and these are modelled within their social context; they have the confidence, and are supported, to respond to sexist and discriminatory attitudes and behaviours Increase opportunities for social connection among men including peer modeling of respectful and equitable relationships Encourage workplace cultures that support family friendly arrangements and work environments for men and women Increase understanding among men in the community that the use of violence is not acceptable Community members and groups have knowledge about the local prevalence and impacts of family violence, and are empowered to speak out against family violence and support others Increase awareness of the needs of the City of Whittlesea in relation to family violence for National, State-wide and Local reforms Plan and implement timely resources and services across the municipality Increase the understanding of the local context and trends to inform actions Plan for the built environment to promote community connections and safety and link priorities to infrastructure planning Increase awareness about the prevalence and impact of family violence on women and children and work towards decreasing community attitudes that contribute to gender inequality Develop gender equity and inclusion in Council and community settings to decrease gendered barriers to participation Establish mechanisms and reporting on gender participation (civic, economic, recreational/social) Family violence prevention strategic actions Prevention Strategic Actions Council Target Group Implementation Year
*Denotes Gender Equity Strategy Responsible Departments New (N) Current (C) Needs funding ($) Business as Usual (BAU) Children Young People Families Men Women Communities 2015 2016 2017 2018 *Investigate opportunities to monitor local community attitudes to violence against women and gender equity with data disaggregated by priority populations (e.g. National Survey on Community Attitudes to Violence Against Women) Organisation Improvement Community Services Planning N x x x x x x x x Develop place profiles identifying gaps in service and support data for children, young people and their families, seniors and people with a disability Family, Children & Young People Aged and Disability Organisation Improvement LCI C x x x x x x X *Develop indicators of gender equity within the organisation and inclusion of projects within departments business plans Organisation Planning N x x x x x Council service provision and planning *Ensure Council’s work with young people encompasses respectful relationships and gender equity principles Family, Children & Young People C x x x x x *Conduct a youth accessibility audit of Council facilities and ensure a gender lens is applied Family, Children & Young People Major Projects C (BAU) x x *Apply a gender lens to City of Whittlesea owned facilities, being built and upgraded, to ensure equitable access for women and girls Major Projects Leisure and Community Inclusion C (BAU) x x x x
Prevention Strategic Actions *Denotes Gender Equity Strategy Council Responsible Departments New (N) Current (C) Needs funding ($) Business as Usual (BAU) Target Group Implementation Year Children Young People Families Men Women Communities 2015 2016 2017 2018 *Utilise gender analysis and sex disaggregated data in planning and advising on the public realm, land use, facilities planning, parks and open space. (refer Gender Equity Strategy) Community Services Planning N (BAU) x x x x x x x x x x *Council’s Urban Design Framework (to be developed) includes consideration of urban design principles that promote gender equity. Strategic Planning and Design Health Access and Bushfire Recovery Leisure and Community Inclusion N x x x x x x x x Implement the processes of the Growth Area Social Planning Tool to identify programs and facilities, ensuring a safety lens is applied to their development and design All planning areas C (BAU) x x x x x x x x x Provide training for Council services and partner agencies/services in “father/male inclusive practice” and fostered throughout council and partner agencies and embed in service delivery Family, Children & Young People Aged and Disability N (BAU) x x x x x x x x x Facilitate the development of playgroups for fathers and young parents Family, Children & Young People C x x x x x x x *Ensure Economic Development Strategy is informed by a gender analysis Economic Development N x x x x x
Prevention Strategic Actions *Denotes Gender Equity Strategy Council Responsible Departments New (N) Current (C) Needs funding ($) Business as Usual (BAU) Target Group Implementation Year Children Young People Families Men Women Communities 2015 2016 2017 2018 Include children and young people’s voices as key stakeholders in the Consultation and Engagement Framework in line with Child Friendly Cities and Communities framework Organisational Planning Family, Children & Young People N$ x x x Provide training for Council staff in consulting with children Family, Children & Young People C x x x x x Include young people’s voices in the development of settings and community buildings including implementation of the Spaces 8 to 12+ Creating Engaging Spaces for Young People into planning, delivery and advocacy Family, Children & Young People Planning C x x x x x Community strengthening Identify opportunities to support and promote women’s peer networks, lifelong learning, recreation and sport Leisure & Community Inclusion Community Services Planning Community Cultural Development N Refer action 2 x x x x x Increase participation of families in Council events and promote services at these events Community Cultural Development, Family, Children & Young People C (BAU) x x x x x *Consider gender equity in the City of Whittlesea Community Development Grants program processes and allocation of funds Leisure and Community Inclusion N (BAU) x x x x x x x
Prevention Strategic Actions *Denotes Gender Equity Strategy Council Responsible Departments New (N) Current (C) Needs funding ($) Business as Usual (BAU) Target Group Implementation Year Children Young People Families Men Women Communities 2015 2016 2017 2018 *Develop a Community Building Strategy which applies a gender lens, targets at risk groups and focuses on social connection for community members Community Services Planning N x x x x x x x x x Communications and social marketing *Develop an external and internal Communications Strategy across the continuum of prevention, early intervention and intervention to: Promote key gender equity messages Raise awareness of the prevalence and impact of family violence Early warning signs (the types and impacts) Promote respectful relationships and behaviors Support services available Promote key messages about how to respond when an adult or child discloses family violence Highlight value of the importance of fathers in children’s lives Explain what to expect in accessing services Communications and Marketing Community Services Planning Family, Children & Young People N$ x x x x x x x x
Prevention Strategic Actions *Denotes Gender Equity Strategy Council Responsible Departments New (N) Current (C) Needs funding ($) Business as Usual (BAU) Target Group Implementation Year Children Young People Families Men Women Communities 2015 2016 2017 2018 Advocacy *Advocate for funding for whole of school, best practice respectful relationships education and sexual assault prevention programs in schools Health Access & Bushfire Recovery Family, Children & Young People C x x x x x x Keep Councillors, Local, State and Federal members of parliament abreast of local issues in relation to Family Violence Health & Bushfire Recovery Family, Children & Young People C (BAU) x x x x x x x x x x Conduct regular updates to the Family Violence Advocacy Fact Sheets to ensure City of Whittlesea’s advocacy strategies are in line with relevant local issues and key stakeholders are engaged Health, Access & Bushfire Recovery Family, Children & Young People C (BAU) x x x x x x x x x x Advocate for early provision of community development and service provision in growth areas to prevent vulnerability and retrospective provision in established communities Advocacy Community Services Leisure and Community Inclusion C x x x x x x x x x x Service Sector Facilitation and Partnerships Work with early childhood education and care providers, networks supported by Council to promote positive role modelling of equal and respectful relationships Family, Children & Young People N (BAU) x x x x x x x
Prevention Strategic Actions *Denotes Gender Equity Strategy Council Responsible Departments New (N) Current (C) Needs funding ($) Business as Usual (BAU) Target Group Implementation Year Children Young People Families Men Women Communities 2015 2016 2017 2018 Work in partnership with schools around the importance of respectful relationships and gender equity Family, Children & Young People N$ (BAU) x x x x x x Support policy and professional development opportunities for schools and teachers, to build school capacity and readiness to implement whole of school respectful relationships education and sexual assault prevention programs Health, Access and Bushfire Recovery Family, Children & Young People N x x x x *Scope opportunities to pilot a program with peak sporting bodies and sporting clubs, to build gender equity and promote equal and respectful relationships Leisure & Community Inclusion Health Access and Bushfire Recovery N x x x x x *Facilitate implementation of equity and inclusion programs in sporting and recreation clubs such as ‘Everyone Wins’ and ‘Healthy Sporting Environments’ to embed in usual business Leisure & Community Inclusion Health Access & Bushfire Recovery N Refer Action 2 x x x x x x x x *Facilitate improved opportunities for women’s local economic participate and financial capability Economic Development N x x x x x Identify financial literacy skills training for women, currently being delivered in the municipality and identify opportunities to support the delivery for priority population groups Community Cultural Development Community Services Planning N x x x
family violence Family, Children & Young People Build the capacity of Council staff to raise awareness and build links between men and services and/or local community groups to improve social connections Community Cultural Development Leisure & Community Inclusion Family, Children & Young People Health & Bushfire Recovery N Implement leadership training for community leaders in family violence early intervention Community Cultural Development N $ Communications and social marketing Promote resources for young people to increase their awareness of early warning signs in their own peer relationships Family Children & Young People N (BAU) Advocacy Advocate for increased service provision to support young peoples’ wellbeing and mental health Advocacy, Family Children & Young People C Advocate for safe and affordable housing options for community members and vulnerable groups including young people, in particular a Youth Foyer model of housing. Advocacy Family Children & Young People C (BAU) Advocate for more services for men in the Advocacy Health,Access & N
municipality Bushfire Recovery Service Sector Facilitation and Partnerships Support the development of a resource kit for Early Childhood Education and Care services, schools and other professionals working with children and young people on how to identify and respond to early warning signs of family violence and violence in peer relationships Family Children & Young People Health, Access & Bushfire Recovery Communications & Marketing N$ Include identifying family violence sessions in training offered by Council’s Family, Children and Young People Department for professionals including those working with children and educators and promote widely Family Children & Young People C Support the implementation of the Whittlesea CALD Communities Family Violence Project Health, Access & Bushfire Recovery C (BAU) Continue to promote the use of the Northern Region Family Violence Help Cards and identify initial contact points for women experiencing family violence and other local supports Family, Children & Young People N$ Work with agencies and networks interfacing with community members (with a focus on the priority at risk populations and community members at Family, Children & Young People Leisure and Community Inclusion Health Access & N$
Council service provision and planning Develop and disseminate information for the community about how to respond to family violence and support people experiencing family violence Family, Children & Young People N$ Explore and implement data collection mechanisms for Elder Abuse with partner agencies to inform service provision (e.g. Home and Community Care etc.) Aged & Disability N Council organisational and workforce development Facilitate training for all City of Whittlesea staff about identifying family violence and tailoring training for staff interfacing with community members in the identification of Family Violence and appropriate responses and referral pathways for (not limited to): Maternal and Child Health Immunisation staff Local Laws Staff Environmental Health Staff Home and Community Care Workers Volunteers Customer Service Staff Partner agencies and staff Learning and Development/ People and Culture N $
Provide support for employees experiencing family violence through the continued implementation of the City of Whittlesea Family Violence and Workplace Support Policy and associated procedures including, safety planning and employee entitlements Human Resources Health Access & Bushfire Recovery C Community strengthening Raise community members’ and services’ awareness of family violence supports available Community Services Directorate Communications and Marketing, C Conduct local forums to highlight key advocacy issues as relevant Community Services Directorate C Advocacy Develop and implement advocacy strategies for justice services such as a family violence specific court to be located in the City of Whittlesea Advocacy C Develop and implement advocacy strategies for equitable access to local specialist family violence services for men, women and children Advocacy Health Access & Bushfire Recovery C Service Sector Facilitation and Partnerships Promote through existing networks appropriate supports for children and young people experiencing family violence Family, Children & Young People C (BAU)
2. The City of Whittlesea’s services, programs and policies, are inclusive and gender equitable. Policies and strategic documents conduct and respond to Gender Equity Analysis Increase use, collection & reporting of sex disaggregated data in services, programs and policy. Address gender equity of community consultations across the organisation Apply gender lens to the allocation of the City of Whittlesea’s resources (including community funding, facilities use) Utilise Gender analysis to decrease gendered barriers to participation and increase inclusiveness of City of Whittlesea’s services, groups and programs 3. The City of Whittlesea’s places and spaces facilitate community connection and are safe, welcoming, respectful & inclusive of all genders. Incorporate gender equity principles in design & function of public spaces, community facilities, parks and recreation Increase use of gender analysis and sex disaggregated data in planning and advising on the public realm, land use, facilities planning and parks and open space. Facilitate increased gender equitable inclusiveness of community settings 4. The City of Whittlesea is facilitating equitable opportunities for civic and economic participation and advancing gender equity in our community. Utilise media and communication opportunities to promote non-stereotype gender roles and raise awareness of gender equity Provide leadership and advocacy for improved gender equity within local government sector, local community, state and federal government settings Support and facilitate increased representation of women in community & civic leadership positions