Supporting young women and gender diverse people with lived experience of family and domestic violence to use their expertise to lead real change in their community
Young people who have experienced domestic and family violence and homelessness have unique and valuable knowledge and expertise to share when it comes to designing programs, policy and influencing the change we need to see to create a future free from violence and homelessness.
YWCA Australia’s Amplifying Voices program supports young women and gender diverse people with an experience of family and domestic violence and/or homelessness to co-design leadership programs that build essential advocacy skills.
It’s a positive, trauma-informed and culturally safe environment where participants learn political advocacy, media engagement, storytelling, and more, with the goal of shaping real policy change.
Survivors can connect and heal with other survivors, through the collective goal of making change for others.
The program is funded by the Northern Territory Government.
There are three distinct participant groups within the Amplifying Voices Program, to support the individual needs and skills of different communities. These are
Each group completes three phases: designing their leadership program or change-making initiative, participating in it, and engaging in advocacy with support from the program.
Participating in Amplifying Voices is healing and empowering for me. Knowing that the adversity I’ve gone through is contributing towards a change in helping other women in the same situations is something I had only ever dreamed of, and to be making a difference and being a part to a change makes me feel like I’m gaining control over my life and taking back the power from my abusers.
“My voice and my experience can change the way things have been programmed in the community. I feel hopeful for myself for being involved in this because it’s a stepping-stone for me by doing something I’ve been wanting to do for a very long time. Even before starting I had ideas about what I wanted to change”.
Having lived experience is a burden to carry sometimes and we have days where it can be a bit overwhelming but staying focused on the bigger picture always helps.
Are you or do you know a young Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander woman or gender diverse person who is interested in joining the program? Sign up below:
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