Blue Mountains News

The NSW Social Cohesion Grants for Local Government seek to identify social cohesion opportunities and challenges in local communities and support local councils and their community partners to deliver innovative solutions.

Responding to the results of a Blue Mountains public safety survey conducted by local youth activist group, EViE (Ending Violence, Improving Equality), which demonstrated a rise in harassment of women and gender diverse people in public spaces, Council has used the grant funding to launchSafe To Be: In Our Community.

TheSafe To Be: In Our Community program includes free Bystander Intervention Training sessions, community workshops, public artworks, educational resources and partnerships with local high schools and the Blue Mountains Writers’ Festival.

Bystander Intervention Training enables community members to safely assist if we witness harassment. It was developed by Right To Be, an American non-profit organisation and leaders in the international movement against harassment.

Right To Be’s training centres around the 5Ds of bystander intervention; Delay, Delegate, Direct, Distract and Document. The 5Ds provide simple strategies that can be safely used by any person. Learning the 5Ds empowers everyday people to build inclusive public spaces and create safe and welcoming environments for all.

A specialised Bystander Intervention Training session focused on training local men will be held 12pm Friday 7 November. The training is facilitated by a US-based instructor with attendees able to join online individually or attend the live-streamed session at Council’s Cultural Centre.

Mayor Mark Greenhill said, “Everybody has the right to safety, including in public spaces, and all of us can contribute to creating safer communities.

“When we see an incident of harassment or discrimination, we want to help but often we don’t know how to. This free training will equip members of our community to safely support each other. Anyone can use the 5Ds to help - they are designed to be safe and to not escalate situations.

“I am hoping to see an enthusiastic response to our free Bystander Intervention Training, especially from men. I know there are a lot of men in our community who are appalled by harassment and violence against women. This training is an excellent opportunity for those men to proactively improve public safety for women and gender diverse members of our community.”

Member for Blue Mountains, Trish Doyle MP, said, “I am pleased that the NSW Government is supporting such worthwhile initiatives and congratulate Blue Mountains City Council on securing this $113,000 State grant to roll-out training and resources that focus on building a stronger, safer, and more cohesive community.

“In recent history we have seen a spike in disrespect, misogynistic language and hate violence, which is deeply worrying.

“This grant has a special focus on women’s safety, and we want to ensure our communities are places where all women feel respected and safe.

“It comes on the back of other important funding we gave earlier this year to support older local women facing housing insecurity through the Homes for Older Women project. Older women are Australia’s fastest growing group facing homelessness. We funded this community-based solution to the tune of $182,000.

“Both grants are practical ways we can build a safe community for our most marginal.”

Bystander Intervention Training to support members of the LBGTQIA+ community is scheduled for 10.30am Saturday 22 November. Members of the community and their allies are encouraged to participate.

Council is also partnering with local high schools to deliver youth-focused Bystander Intervention Training to students to equip young people with the tools to safely support each other if they experience harassment.

The Blue Mountains Writers’ Festival program features three free events supported by Council, a writing workshop, a poetry slam, and a creatives panel, to help young people develop creative tools to share their stories.

To register for a free Bystander Intervention Training session please visit:here

To view the Blue Mountains Writers’ Festival events supported by Council visit:here

Read more about NSW Social Cohesion Grants for Local Government: here