Message from A/Executive Director People, Culture & Safety Garry Cook
It all starts with respect, and from 25 November we begin the 16 Days of Activism to remind us why calling out disrespectful behaviour is so important.
Safety and Respect are two of CFA’s Values, and they are a focus for us not only whilst we take part in this campaign but a focus in everything we do. This year, the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence will align Respect Victoria’s Respect Women: Call It Out campaign.
This campaign aims to create community conversations and hopes to increase the activity of the bystander; to call out the drivers of family violence and violence against women.
This huge focus on bystander intervention, on creating a culture change, is to ensure family violence and violence against women is not normalised. This goes for within our homes, in our workplaces and in our communities.
The Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) are funding community-based activities across the state as a part of this campaign and have also created a variety of resources in collaboration with the Domestic Violence Resource Centre Victoria (DVRCV).
To find resources that can support your event or activities, click here.
We at CFA are taking part, and on 10 December, we’ll be putting on bystander training, useful for anyone to understand how to interject and call out bad behaviour when we see it. The active bystander tools can be used to challenge any form of discrimination, harassment, or bullying.
This training will also coincide with International Human Rights Day, on 10 December, the final day of the campaign. However, the end of a campaign like this doesn’t conclude our conversations on domestic violence and human rights.
It is so important we continue those conversations and ensure that everyone has a home, workplace and community they feel safe in. If you witness any sort of disrespect or harassment, speak up and let someone know.
CFA Wellbeing Support Line
If you are not okay, or if you notice a change in someone you know, contact the CFA Wellbeing Support Line on 1800 959 232 to access free, confidential support that is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Wellbeing services are available to all CFA volunteers, employees and their immediate family members.
The support services include the Member Assistance Program with Psychologists and Counsellors, Traditional and Career Firefighter Peer Support Programs, Chaplaincy Program, Bullying and Harassment Hotline, Let Me Know web-based app, Centres Against Sexual Assault as well as other services provided by the Organisational Wellbeing team.
To view the complete range of services, visit www.cfa.vic.gov.au/wellbeing
1800RESPECT is a 24/7 support number, for anyone to gain support. (1800 727 732).
