It is just two months since our last Newsletter but we want to share with you the many updates and successes we have experienced here at Rotary SAFE Families & Inclusive Communities Initiative.

Inclusive Communities Initiative Update

Our ICI Team has grown dramatically with even more passionate and committed members. This is now our team:

With support from Rotary Hawthorn, Melbourne, Caroline Springs along with our African Australian and Indian Australian communities, our team includes 16 members:

  • Dorothy Gilmour, Rotary Hawthorn (Creator/Chair Rotary SAFE Families)
  • Peter Berg, Rotary Melbourne SAFE Families Ambassador/Co-Chair ICI
  • Ahmed Tohow, Rotary Melbourne (serves national and international Somali Diaspora organisations. 
  • Shakilah Wesonga, NDIS Local Area Co-Ordinator, Brotherhood of St Laurence, awarded the Global Peace Award in 2023
  • Lookman Lawal, Rotary Richmond
  • Ari Talantis, Rotary Hawthorn SAFE Families Team
  • Oscar Lumiere, Rotary Club of Kericho (Kenya)
  • Abak Dhieu, Girl Chat – African Youth Initiative
  • Robiel Abraham, CEO African Youth Initiative
  • Nathan Peeters, Director African Youth Initiative
  • Ron Moss, President Caroline Springs
  • Ramona Martino, Rotary Melbourne
  • Elijah Marangu PHD, Deakin University, Mental Health Programs
  • Pujah Gangopadhya, Rotary Melbourne
  • Aanal Patel, from viewing website
  • Pradip Patel, from viewing our website
  • Getrude Matshe, joining Rotary Melbourne
  • Vincent Chen, Rotary Hawthorn

If you would like to join with us to create a voice and support our many CALD community leaders, please email info@rotarysafefamilies.org.au

Photo below shows Dorothy providing a Mental Health Literacy Workshop to young Somali women who are stepping up to become community leaders with the African Youth Initiative.

 

 

Recently, Peter Berg and I viewed the most important and emotionally inspirational film created by the African Youth Initiative who work alongside our Inclusive Communities Initiative. Reclaimed Voices is a documentary by the African Youth Initiative (AYI) that tells the stories of South Sudanese and African-Australian young people in Melbourne.

The documentary challenges the media's portrayal of African-Australians by sharing the stories of young people and their families, and highlighting their experiences of loss, grief, hope, and redemption. It also explores the root causes and consequences of youth crime, and the potential for positive change.
  
The documentary aims to inspire empathy and understanding, and to encourage support for community-based youth justice prevention and rehabilitation.
The film includes candid interviews, personal stories, and expert insights. It also features the stories of Sabir Banek, a young man who was involved in youth crime, and the Kot family, who experienced two losses within six months.
After the viewing I was privileged but felt quite emotional to meet some of the wonderful African Australians who related their heart breaking human stories, with  amazing updates of their successful, purposeful settlement in Australia.

Rotary SAFE Families Update:

I want to share with you the impact of the horrible, covert abuse of our older Australians.

Here at Rotary SAFE Families, we believe that older peopleshould be able to live in dignity and be free of exploitation, physical or mental abuse. This is supported by the Charter of Aged Care Rights which provides for the 'right to live without abuse and neglect" as cited by the United Nations Principles for Older Persons.

Have you ever sat round with family and friends and discussed elder abuse? Did you know that Victoria Police have Police who only work with victims of elder abuse?

 

For this reason, I am sharing with you the Handout I have created from our Manual for Prevention of Abuse. Please become informed of the signals of elder abuse, how to reach out to a victim and locate the appropriate support agency to provide respect and safety for that older person being abused by one of their own family.

How_you_can_support_an_older_person_Handout_2.docx                    

 

Have you viewed our short film on Elder Abuse? Here is the link: Elder Abuse film

 

We hope you will have a better understanding of elder abuse and its scourge in our community.

Please feel free to download the film and Handout to create a dialogue of this seemingly

"taboo" issue of Family Abuse.

Remember: We know that abuse is difficult to talk about, but feel the fear and talk about it anyway!

 

Together, Let's Break the Silence around Violence!

 
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