Our focus areas:
- Increase community resources, knowledge and skills for gender equity and prevention of family and gender-based violence.
- Increase understanding of and exposure to respectful relationships.
Key initiatives:
Gender Equity in the Early Years
We have a strong focus on supporting settings working across the early years. We offer opportunities for early years professionals, including educators, Maternal and Child Health Nurses and other professionals, to come together to learn and reflect on applying a gender equity and respect lens to their work.
View our Gender Equity in the Early Years flyer for more information.
Being Equal
The Being Equal program works alongside early childhood education and care (ECEC) services to promote gender equity and respectful relationships among children, educators and families. The aim is to create an environment where everyone is valued and respected with equal opportunities.
The program draws on the Our Watch’s Change the Story Framework which outlines the gendered drivers of violence, and the Respectful Relationships Education model in schools. We have worked with more than 20 ECECs since the program was piloted in 2018.
View our Being Equal Flyer for more information or discover further insights in our Being Equal Pilot Evaluation Report and Stories of Change.
Respectful Relationships in Schools
We support schools with implementing Respectful Relationships. The Respectful Relationships (RR) program supports schools to promote and model respect, positive attitudes and behaviours. Since 2016, RR has been a core component of the Victorian Curriculum from foundation to year 12.
Regional Violence Prevention
BHN is a key partner in the Promoting Respect and Equity Together (PRET) strategy, led by Women’s Health in the South East. We support local council initiatives and participate in the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence annually.
To find out more about our service or to get involved, email our Health Promotion team at [email protected]