GenWest offers workforce development and training sessions to organisations in Melbourne’s western metropolitan region.
Gender equitable workplaces benefit from improved productivity and economic growth, increased organisational performance, and enhanced ability to attract and retain employees.
Workplaces are an important environment for fostering a culture that rejects violence, and where colleagues can practice and promote bystander action.
Through policies, procedures and leadership, workplaces can create a supportive environment for those experiencing family violence can seek assistance.
About the training
GenWest’s training equips workplaces with tools and knowledge to achieve gender equity in the workplace.
Training consists of four evidence-based training packages delivered to workplaces and volunteer organisations in Melbourne’s west. The packages focus on:
- Prevention of gender-based violence
- Gender equity
- Bystander action for the prevention of violence against women (co-delivered with Women’s Health Victoria)
- Workplace Equality and Respect standards
These training sessions will:
- Increase awareness of what constitutes all forms of violence against women
- Increase awareness and understanding of the extent and impacts of gender inequity
- Improve skills and confidence to challenge discriminatory attitudes, practices and behaviours
- Build participants’ capacity to recognise behaviours which do not support gender equality, and how to take action when this occurs.
- Guide a step-by-step process that enable workplaces to assess their organization and identify key actions to integrate workplace equality and respect standards into their core businesses.
For more information or to enquire about opportunities for workplace training, please contact us on info@genwest.org.au or 1800 436 937.
“So much of the workplace was originally designed and built to the exclusion of women, [this training] is shifting hundreds of years of assumptions.”
Participant at Gender Equality Action Planning, Law and Justice session
The Preventing Violence Together team delivered numerous training sessions to nearly 800 attendees this year.
Gender Equality Action Planning training was delivered alongside GEN VIC and other women’s health services.
This training was delivered to defined entities in the Victorian Government (for example Victoria Police, Victoria Legal Aid, Department of Justice).
There were 460 attendees across 16 sessions, and the feedback received on the training was exceptional. Participants reported that the facilitator had created an open and inviting space to raise challenging topics, and that they left feeling empowered to spread the messages within their workplaces. Other participants praised the facilitator’s level of knowledge, and the approachable way they had delivered such complex information.
GenWest partnered with the Eastern Domestic Violence Outreach Service to deliver the Hair 3Rs (recognise, respond, refer) program.
The program involves delivering training sessions in hair salons, so that hairdressers can better support customers when they suspect they are experiencing family violence. This program has delivered training to 38 participants across three salons, with more to come.
“I truly believe this training should be mandatory in Australian hairdressing apprenticeships... Some things are beyond our scope and skillset and we can proudly say we now know when to recognise that.”
Hair-3Rs training participant
