As part of its support for the White Ribbon campaign against domestic violence, Council’s senior staff and Lifeguards took part in a series of Mentors in Violence Prevention training sessions and a community event at Park Beach Surf Club at the weekend.
“Domestic and family violence is a blight on society. Training and events to highlight the issue will help get the message through that we all need to stand up, speak out and act,” said Coffs Harbour Mayor Councillor Denise Knight, who has been a long-standing supporter of the White Ribbon campaign.
Council staff and Lifeguards undertook workshops in the Mentors in Violence Prevention (MVP) programme – Bystander Training.
This training has three main goals:
- To help people develop a range of options for intervention in specific situations and scenarios;
- To foster a peer culture that motivates everyone to get involved in challenging and interrupting all forms of abuse and to help create a climate in which abusive attitudes, beliefs and behaviours are seen as unacceptable, uncool and unwelcome;
- To help people of all ages and backgrounds develop the skills to become leaders and mentors to others on the issues of sexual assault and relationship abuse prevention.
All the Council staff involved signed the White Ribbon oath pledging to stand up and speak out to prevent violence against women.
The event at Park Beach Surf Club was run by the Coffs Coast Committee Against Domestic and Family Violence and supported by Council. It featured a range of speakers, dance performances, activities and a fund-raising sausage sizzle for the Club’s nippers.
Pictured are Council’s Lifeguards after signing the oath at the community event.
