Movement-Based Bystander Training

Last week 16 year 11 boys participated in a 90 minute face-to-face workshop delivered by NRL and Melbourne Storm players. The workshop was part of the Voice Against Violence program and the Melbourne Storm’s Stand up, Speak Out, Take Action initiative.

The session included a high-performance field session and an interactive education session.

The program aimed to:

• increase participants awareness and understanding of gender based violence and the different forms it takes
• provide practical advice on how each and everyone of us can contribute to preventing it.

Below is a quote from Alan Tongue explaining the training program:

“The NRL Voice Against Violence program is an education initiative that aims to assist the sporting clubs and community to ‘stand up’, ‘speak out’ and ‘take action’ to prevent violence against women and children. This is achieved through theory and practical based activities which have been designed around Rugby League. We believe that through these learning experiences, the participants will have a greater capacity to contribute positively to a more socially cohesive society. Voice Against Violence's delivery method is a non-formal educational approach. It is achieved by using Rugby League as the vehicle to educate key competencies of individuals and groups in order to contribute to personal development and sustainable social change. I am looking forward to working alongside ‘Women’s Health Grampians’ in delivering these vital messages across our communities.”

One of the Damascus participants provided this reflection after the experience:

At the CoRE NRL active bystander training on Wednesday the 12^th of March, we collaborated with St Patricks College to learn more about domestic violence and it’s impacts. We went through a series of drills, that linked back to stats on domestic violence, such as how hard it can be to move a ball through a group without any communication, linking back to how hard it is to be in a relationship without any communication.

I enjoyed the practical side linking with the theory of it all, it was a really interesting way to learn about it all. A lot of the stats caught me by surprise, as I didn’t realise it was such a prominent issue in our community today, and all the ways in which domestic violence come about, as it isn’t just physical abuse. The best part of the experience was getting to work with the St Patricks boys and getting the privilege to learn through sport.

This was a wonderful opportunity and no doubt relevant to young boys and men.

The Season of Lent

We are now in the Liturgical Season of Lent. A time of quiet reflection and an opportunity to renew our spiritual life and be the light in the world that God asks us to be.

As a community, we actively support Project Compassion. Our desire is to work toward a world where all can share in the earth’s resources and live abundantly. We give, so the most vulnerable can not only survive, but thrive.

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