Women in Focus Webinar Series

Webinar 1: Supporting Young Women to Thrive

For many young women in WA, life circumstances such as poverty, trauma, lack of services or unmet needs, lead to poor social, economic and health outcomes. These outcomes can have far reaching impacts and may lead to entrenched disadvantage.

The community service sector play a significant role in developing positive social determinants that enable young women and act as protective factors against the ongoing impacts of social and public health issues, such as gender-based violence, racism, discrimination, inequality, poverty and social exclusion. Importantly, these protective factors also support young women to live empowered, happy, safe, and secure lives.

This webinar provides a space to discuss how we enhance work to support and enable young women in WA, through investment in positive social determinants that support positive life outcomes. During the webinar you will hear from three innovative programs working with young women, including:

• Brave Foundation – an Australian not-for-profit that equips expecting and parenting young people with resources, referral, and education opportunities to facilitate happy, healthy, and skilled families over time.
• Shooting Stars – an initiative of Glass Jar Australia which empowers Aboriginal girls and women across Western and South Australia to make informed choices about their education and employment journey, helping them shoot for the stars.
• Sexual Health Quarters – The HERS Project – (Hura, Empowered, Resilient, Sisters) program is a peer-education program for young women aged 16-29 years from migrant and refugee backgrounds, that builds knowledge, confidence and skills in sexual rights, consent and respectful relationships, and sexual health.

A representative from each program will provide an overview of their work and share learnings about supporting young women to build supportive and nurturing environments. Representatives will then join a panel discussion based on the question: How can the community service sector support young women through investment in positive social determinants that prevent poor social, economic and health outcomes, and promote positive ones?  Webinar attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions and join the discussion.

This webinar will be hosted by Alison Evans, CEO of the Centre for Women’s Safety and Wellbeing.