A Healesville supper will hear how the community is fostering respectful relationships.
Community members and services across the Yarra Valley are invited to have supper with the valley’s community leaders on Thursday 6 December.
They’ll share stories of how they have been promoting respectful relationships in the community as part of 16 days of activism against gender-based violence.
The Healesville Change the Story partnership organised the Community in Action supper, which is expected to feature lively panel discussions.
The event is most importantly one of celebration.
Women’s Empowerment Work co-facilitator and a guest speaker at the event, Marimba Wilkie, said hearing about violence in the community and the experiences of women across the nation was a challenge.
“This event is an opportunity for the community to come together to focus on men and women working together, how this looks and how healthy, respectful relationships can be a strong feature of all our lives,” she said.
Eastern Community Legal Centre (ECLC) is involved with this event through the Healesville Women 4 Women project, which seeks to improve access, connection and empowerment for women in Healesville.
“We are keen to showcase the amazing work that has been happening in the valley over the past year and particularly the people behind it,” ECLC community development co-ordinator Anita Koochew said.
“As many people would know, it takes courage and initiative to inspire change in our communities to normalise respectful relationships.”
Ms Koochew will also speak at the event alongside Ms Wilkie and Healesville Football and Netball Club president Grey Hay, Healesville Hospital and Yarra Valley Health counsellor Alan Honeycombe, and Dad’s Group Healesville facilitator and local parent Graeme Mawson.
Women’s Empowerment Work co-facilitator and psychotherapist Jan Alexander will speak on men and the release of defendedness, and Scott Crawford will talk about promoting and delivering respectful relationships in school communities.
The Community in Action supper will run from 6.45pm to 8.30pm at the Darron Honey Centre, Maroondah Highway, Healesville.
The event is free and light supper will be provided.
RSVP by Sunday 2 December at eventbrite.com.au.
Healesville Rotary, the Healesville Uniting Church and Health Promotion at Healesville Hospital and Yarra Valley Health are supporting the evening.
