Presentation by Manjula O'Connor
Tracks
Norfolk & Karrie Webb Room - In Person
| Wednesday, November 30, 2022 |
| 12:00 PM - 12:20 PM |
Overview
Professor Manjula O'Connor, Chair FV Committee of RANZCP
Speaker
Mr Craig Taunton
RESPECT Program Manager
Outloud
RESPECT and UNITY - Teaching Singing and Songwriting as Early Intervention for Primary-School Aged Children
Abstract
The Respect and Unity Projects are early prevention programs. They target boys (Respect) and girls (Unity) in years 5-6 (aged 10-12).
Over two terms, the participants learn singing and songwriting through the lens of understanding the drivers, and preventing violence against women. The students write their own song, rehearse and perform it to their school and community, and we create a music video clip that garners thousands of views on YouTube.
RESPECT has run for 8 years, won several awards, and has been evaluated by three different universities, and found to be extremely successful, with over 98% of participants having a strong understanding of the causes of FDV, and are committed to not being perpetrators, and calling out disrespectful behaviour in peers. It has been granted ‘promising program’ status by the AIFS. UNITY is a new program set to start in 2023.
The projects run within local public primary schools in the Bankstown area. The programs provide an opportunity to intervene early and with young children as they develop their attitudes toward relationships and gender roles and stereotypes with the aim of reducing future rates of violence and promoting safe, empowered and healthy relationships through increasing participants understanding of:
- Healthy and unhealthy relationships
- setting and respecting boundaries
- gender equity and debunking gender stereotypes
- Gendered drivers of violence and inequality using OurWatch’s research and community of practice.
The program content integrates education on domestic violence, respectful relationships and gender equity delivered by specialist facilitators. To embed this learning, the program uses storytelling and performing arts (music and spoken word) to explore and promote positive attitudes and improved behaviour towards girls and women, and to develop pride in advocating for respectful relationships that support gender equality with the aim of promoting healthy and equal relationships in the future.
Over two terms, the participants learn singing and songwriting through the lens of understanding the drivers, and preventing violence against women. The students write their own song, rehearse and perform it to their school and community, and we create a music video clip that garners thousands of views on YouTube.
RESPECT has run for 8 years, won several awards, and has been evaluated by three different universities, and found to be extremely successful, with over 98% of participants having a strong understanding of the causes of FDV, and are committed to not being perpetrators, and calling out disrespectful behaviour in peers. It has been granted ‘promising program’ status by the AIFS. UNITY is a new program set to start in 2023.
The projects run within local public primary schools in the Bankstown area. The programs provide an opportunity to intervene early and with young children as they develop their attitudes toward relationships and gender roles and stereotypes with the aim of reducing future rates of violence and promoting safe, empowered and healthy relationships through increasing participants understanding of:
- Healthy and unhealthy relationships
- setting and respecting boundaries
- gender equity and debunking gender stereotypes
- Gendered drivers of violence and inequality using OurWatch’s research and community of practice.
The program content integrates education on domestic violence, respectful relationships and gender equity delivered by specialist facilitators. To embed this learning, the program uses storytelling and performing arts (music and spoken word) to explore and promote positive attitudes and improved behaviour towards girls and women, and to develop pride in advocating for respectful relationships that support gender equality with the aim of promoting healthy and equal relationships in the future.
Biography
Finn is the Artistic Director and CEO of Outloud, a CALD-focused youth arts organisation that brings together professional artists and service providers to create life-changing projects in Western Sydney. She has previously worked with Perth Festival as the Young Creatives Coordinator, pvi collective as Company Coordinator, The Smith Family as the WA State Events Coordinator and Communities for Children Project Officer, Crack Festival as Co-Artistic Director, and City of Darwin as Project Officer, Youth and Community Development Department. Finn is also a multi-award-winning writer, director, and dramaturg, and has been programmed internationally at major venues and festivals in this capacity. She is passionate about creatively collaborating with artists and communities to create extraordinary work that give transferrable life skills.
