Support our unique program that empowers young women to protect themselves against domestic violence (in all its forms), be mentally healthy and resilient and and lead healthy sexual and reproductive lives.
We need to raise $20,000 to keep this program going.
Young women today face many challenges:
- Increasing levels of domestic violence and rape. Between 2010-2014, domestic violence reports rose 2.7% across NSW: in the Illawarra they rose 6.2%.
- Increasing levels of anxiety, depression and stress. In young women: 1/16 experience depression, 1/6 anxiety. Females were twice as likely as males to report high or very high levels of psychological distress.
- Increasing exposure to sexual and reproductive health risks. 78% of students in Year 11 and 12 have experienced some form of sexual activity; chlamydia (which can lead to infertility) increased 39% young women between 2008-2012; in 2002 28% of young women reported having unwanted sex. In 2008 it was 38%.
Overlaying this is the pervasive, insidious and increasingly violent objectification and sexualisaton of girls and women, particularly through the internet and social media - which provides not just the foundation for, but also fuels the challenges above.
We have developed a unique young women’s program to empower young women to resist and withstand theses challenges. Using Aboriginal teachings and a range of evidence based strategies, the program works directly with girls and young women to build resilience and develop the skills, knowledge and confidence to self-protect across three critical categories: domestic and family violence, mental health and sexual and reproductive health.
Our program is one our young women need, deserve and having run it for the past 18 months, truly value.
We work closely with community, schools and alternate education providers (such as Youth Off the Streets) to support young women to access safe and appropriate health information, services and programs and the experience of leadership, connection and community.
Our strategies empower young women to be informed, independent and resilient. Run by our outstanding young women’s Social Worker, Denika Thomas, our program includes:
- One-on-one counselling and support
- Delivery of the Lovebites programs in schools (about healthy relationships);
- Delivery of our uniquely designed 10 week program called Journey Stones in schools, which draws on Aboriginal teachings (Denika is Aboriginal) to support evidence based strategies that develop self-confidence and self-esteem, self-reliance and community connections as well as understanding violence and how to protect against it.
- Delivery of our exceptional domestic violence program for young women whit intellectual disabilities
- In-school meditation programs
- In-school health programs, tailored to the groups requirements. For example, we are running an 8 week program at Wollongong Flexible Learning this term.
- A safe weekly ‘creative space’ after school at the Centre, which is a gateway to the range of Centre services.
- Mothers and Daughters program - which covers a lot, but includes understanding the changes that will happen in puberty, and protecting against body image issues (esp given the increasing objectification and sexualisaton of girls and women’s bodies)
- An Annual Young Women’s Health Forum. This year we had 150 year 9 and 10 girls learn about STIs (chlamydia in particular), cyber safety, meditation, pelvic floor and vaginal health..amongst other things!
All these services are in high demand, with waiting lists for Mothers and Daughters, Lovebites and Journey Stones. We are the only service in the Illawarra that offers this to young women. Not bad for $30,000!
The impact of this program is significant for a large number of young – often at risk – women. We work with them so they can manage their mental health now and develop mental health resilience that will last a lifetime. We also develop knowledge and life skills that will allow them manage their sexual and reproductive health and to sufficiently protect themselves against domestic violence by learning about healthy relationships and how to identify and escape violent ones’.
This is an outstanding program that delivers results – but it is unfunded, and so to continue it we need to raise $20,000.
You will be supporting the young women of the Illawarra. An excellent investment!
The Illawarra Women’s Health Centre is a feminist community organisation that provides safe, accessible, appropriate and specialised health and wellbeing services to all women in the Illawarra, at little or no cost.
Established 30 years ago, the Centre is unique in the Illawarra, offering inclusive, comprehensive and professional health services, programs and activities regardless of age, race, ethnicity, sexuality or disability. Our highly regarded Centre has a vision of a society where ‘women and girls are respected, safe, free and healthy and achieve their fill potential; where they enjoy wellbeing, prosperity and equality, and fully participate in a local and global community’. We have a strong reputation for putting this vision into practice. We are especially well known for the support and services we provide vulnerable and marginalised women, especially those who experience sexual assault and domestic violence, experience mental health issues and chronic and complex health issues.