The NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics reports an escalation of reported sexual assaults in Sydney North over the last 5 years, with victims aged 16-20 increasing by 110%. To redress this lack of preventative programs, we will deliver Empowered Self-Defence (ESD) workshops to three local high schools in inner Sydney over 6 months: Each 3-hour ...
Birchtree Foundation Ltd
Tackling gender-based violence through Empowered Self-Defence in inner Sydney High Schools
GOAL
$15,480
Australia > NSW > Metro and Regional
Field of Interest
- Health/wellbeing and medical research
- Individual/family services and support
Target Population
- Women and girls
- People experiencing socio-economic disadvantage or vulnerability
Birchtree Foundation Ltd
Vision
Mental health is a fundamental human right. We exist to revolutionise mental health across Australia through access to exceptional mental health care and education.
Mission
We are a purpose-led group driven by a belief that trauma-informed mental health care and education are both required to improve mental health.
About Us
We were founded in 2015 to provide a safe therapeutic space for survivors of childhood maltreatment and neglect. We started as a social enterprise with 7 psychologists/social workers and have now grown to 55 clinicians, delivering over 800 therapy sessions per week, including free supportive counselling services within our two Sydney clinics.
Current priorities
The evidence-based Empowered Self-Defence (ESD) program aims to prevent gender based violence , especially on university campuses and high schools.
Our bespoke, co-designed educational programs are grounded in the latest neuroscience research, providing teams with the tools to develop greater self-awareness.
Impact of ACF Funding
Grants will enable us to deliver optimal impact and maximum momentum through a concerted campaign in the community rather than piecemeal workshops.
Evidence of Impact
Our evidence-based organisation has research partnerships with leading Australian universities. We offer clinical supervision to clinicians, clinical placements to students, and a clinical registrar program – helping shape the next generation of trauma-informed specialists.
Since 2018, we have proudly trained over 5,000 clinicians and allied health workers.
We deliver expert-led education and training to businesses, education providers, community and sporting organisations – helping them better manage their teams.
Project Summary
The NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics reports an escalation of reported sexual assaults in Sydney North over the last 5 years, with victims aged 16-20 increasing by 110%. To redress this lack of preventative programs, we will deliver Empowered Self-Defence (ESD) workshops to three local high schools in inner Sydney over 6 months:
- Inner Sydney High School (Surry Hills);
- Sydney Secondary College (Blackwattle Bay Campus);
- Riverside Girls High School (Gladesville).
Each 3-hour workshop will be attended by up to 100 students who identify as female and are enrolled in years 10-12, each workshop will be facilitated by two clinical psychologists and eight volunteers, all trained in ESD. To maximise familiarity and safety while minimising logistics, the workshops will take place in large halls within the high schools.
While martial arts have been developed by men for men’s bodies, ESD has been developed by females for female bodies, as illustrated by this video here. ESD teaches participants how to stay safe, rather than fight. Further information can be found here, as well as through a video here.
ESD addresses the whole spectrum of violence from verbal harassment to physical assault, incorporating feminist principles that recognise the social context of violence and challenge victim-blaming attitudes.
Project Outcomes
The completion of ESD programs has shown to significantly lower rates of sexual harassment and attempted rape (Senn, 2015). The workshops teach powerful moves that are easy to learn and effective in deterring harassment and assaults (Tark & Cleck et al, 2014).
The workshops foster a sense of physical and psychological empowerment by helping transition from a state of ‘I can’t’ to a state of ‘I can’ and ‘I know how to.’
Based on 10 years of expertise and feedback, we anticipate these outcomes for the 400 students:
newfound tools to prevent and resist verbal/sexual/physical assaults;
intuitive recognition of risk and early warning signs of danger;
discernment between healthy and unhealthy relationships;
readiness to tell someone, report and seek help if feeling unsafe or threatened;
power of using one’s voice to de-escalate danger;
‘soft’ skills such as setting boundaries and reading body language;
‘hard’ skills such as physical self-defence and martial arts;
replacing fear with self-confidence and self-worth.
Participants will complete pre- and post-outcome measures using the Self-Defence self-efficacy scale, Silencing the Self scale and a Knowledge Measure related to content from the workshop. They measure self-efficacy, confidence and tendency to self-silence.
Follow-up questionnaires will be completed 3 months post-workshop to measure the participants’ information retention.
Participants attain an enhanced sense of personal agency. They have reported improved self-confidence in their capacity to set boundaries and prevent/escape violent situations. The diverse toolbox promotes empowerment by giving participants the freedom to choose the skills
Budget Breakdown
TOTAL BUDGET: $63,180
FUNDING
| Funding source | Amount |
|---|---|
| Birchtree Foundation (in-kind, pro-bono two additional psychologists, as each workshop requires 4 psychologists, and we seek co-funding for two) | $3,900 |
| Birchtree Foundation (in-kind, R&D of ESD program tailored to this cohort) | $40,000 |
| Birchtree Foundation (provision of kick pads for ESD activities) | $800 |
| High Schools (in-kind provision of safe venues and on-site amenities) | $3,000 |
| not confirmed | $15,480 |
EXPENSES
| Expense item | Amount |
|---|---|
| From ACF: Printing laminated, waterproof, pocket-sized booklets as visual reminders of self-defence actions and lessons @$11.50 each x 400 students | $4,600 |
| From ACF: Refreshments for 400 students (60 total) | $1,980 |
| From ACF: In-house evaluation: tailored survey/questionnaire co-design and administration: pre, post and 3 months later – collection, analysis, reporting | $5,000 |
| From ACF: Fees for 2 Clinical Psychologists with specialised ESD training to ensure safety, set up, delivery, debrief | $3,900 |
| Birchtree Foundation (in-kind, pro-bono two additional psychologists, as each workshop requires 4 psychologists, and we seek co-funding for two) | $3,900 |
| Birchtree Foundation (in-kind, R&D of ESD program tailored to this cohort) | $40,000 |
| Birchtree Foundation (provision of kick pads for ESD activities) | $800 |
| High Schools (in-kind provision of safe venues and on-site amenities) | $3,000 |
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