Women's Safety Program

The Women’s Safety Program is a series of 12-week programs that provide education and training workshops for vulnerable women with a sensory or physical disability or otherwise considered ‘at risk’, that aim to increase self-reliance, empowerment, and personal safety.

The program will include self-defence lessons and workshops delivered by experts that explore topics such as respectful relationships, self development, what you can do to help others, and online safety.

The Women’s Safety Program is generously funded by the Australian Government Department of Social Services’ Strong and Resilient Communities – Inclusive Communities grant.

There is no cost for eligible participants or their carers/support persons.

Workshops & Classes

The 12-week program will include weekly face-to-face classes with some online activities.

Each 12-week program will include:

3 Self-defence lessons
3 Self-empowerment classes
2 Respectful Relationships classes
1 Financial wellbeing session
Online Safety sessions
And more…

Within these workshops, we will explore:

Domestic Violence (DV) and the DV cycle
Conflict resolution
Communication styles
Healthy vs unhealthy relationships
Managing stress and trauma
Coercive control and other controlling tactics
What you can do as a bystander to help others
Online safety
Safety from sexual violence.

Lessons and workshops are to be delivered in an accessible manner by external trainers that specialise in the topic.

Locations

Face-to-face workshops and classes will be held in the Griffin Centre, Canberra City.

Self-defence classes will be held at the Canberra Martial Arts & Fitness Studio in Woden.

Dates & Times

The Women’s Safety Program will run six 12-week workshop programs across 2023 and 2024.

Workshop Groups and their dates are as follows:

Group 1 – Tuesdays: 21 Feb – 2 May 2023 – Finished
Group 2 – Tuesdays: 6 June – 22 Aug 2023 – Finished
Group 3 – Thursdays: 10 Aug – 26 Oct 2023 – Closed for enrolments
Group 4 – Tuesdays: 12 Sep – 28 Nov 2023 – Closed for enrolments
Group 5 – Tuesdays: 6 Feb – 23 April 2024 – Open for enrolments
Group 6 – Thursdays: 7 Mar – 21 May 2024 – Open for enrolments

Allow 3 hours for classes.

Group workshops are held on either Tuesdays from 10.30 am to 1.30 pm or Thursdays from 1 to 4 pm.

Self-defence classes to be held on Sundays, from 11am – 2pm.

If you have a preference for a particular Group’s set of dates, please nominate that Workshop Group on your enrolment form. Otherwise you will be enrolled into the next available Group.

Eligibility

To be eligible for this program you must be:

A woman or identify as a woman
Be 18 years old or over
Live in Canberra or surrounds*
Willing and able to attend weekly classes
Have a sensory or physical disability or impairment
or
Be considered in an ‘at-risk’ or ‘vulnerable’ circumstance, demographic or situation.

Examples of ‘at-risk’ or ‘vulnerable’:

Invisible chronic illness or mental health
Refugee or migrant with limited support / facing other hardships or barriers
Single parent under financial or domestic stress
Indigenous or culturally diverse background
LGBTQI+
Having previously experienced Domestic or Family Violence
Grown up or living with others where the misuse of alcohol or drugs is a regular occurrence.

*Open to participants from surrounding areas, willing and able to undertake the travel on a weekly basis.

The Women’s Safety Project is preventative program that empowers women to understand relationship dynamics and develop strength so they can make choices and act for their safety and others.

To enrol into the Women’s Safety Program click here:

To access the Women’s Safety Program class materials click here:

For more information about the Women’s Safety Program email sarc@eflc.org.au

The Women’s Safety Program is an initiative of Eyes for Life Canberra through the Department of Social Services’ Strong and Resilient Communities – Inclusive Communities grant.

Funded by the Australian Government Department of Social Services.
Visit www.dss.gov.au for more information.

Phone: 02 6176 3406

Email: sarc@eflc.org.au

Office hours: Tues – Thurs 9.30AM – 4.30PM

We are not open on Mondays or Fridays