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What is weeo wiser

WEEO WISER supports all young women in rejecting abusive relationships by building knowledge, skills and attitudes that support non-violence.

WEEO WISER aims to:

  • Develop young women’s self-worth & confidence to have a relationship in which they are happy and safe
  • Encourage them to expect healthy relationships & to speak out against abuse
  • Develop an understanding of what constitutes violence in a relationship and carry a non- acceptance of all forms of violence
  • Provide information & support on legal information such as AVOs, & available support services, as well as what to expect when contacting these services
  • Challenge different cultural assumptions about relationships and gender  roles within them

WHY do we only work with young women?

receiving Aust Crime and Prevention awardThe WEEO WISER program only works with young women, with a focus on women in year nine in schools.

The reason why we focus on this year group is a combination of complementing the year nine/ ten PH/H & PE syllabus and also where the young women are positioned developmentally in their understanding and development of relationships.

Research and statistics constantly indicate that even in this time and age, women are predominantly victims and men are overwhelming perpetrators of domestic violence with gender-role conditioning continue to have a strong influence. We aim to equip young women with knowledge, skills and attitudes to feel safe, equal and respected in their relationships. As well as aiming to help them develop their own attitudes of non- acceptance of violence.

decked out in WEEOWISER tshirtsThe whole project is women focused and young women are engaged through all processes in managing the project. In 2005 we held focus groups with young women in Liverpool to explore what young women think about relationships and violence, to find out what they want to know more about and how they would like information delivered. Young women adamantly told us it’s easier to talk about relationship issues in a ‘girl’s only’ space. This is reflected in the education programs run by peer educators throughout 2007.

Why do we do evaluation and what should we expect if we access the program?

We are working in partnership with Dr. Margot Rawsthorne from the University of Sydney on the project evaluations to ensure our program develops young women’s understanding of violence in relationships and also happy and healthy relationships. Our program aims to create non- acceptance of violence in relationships, so we utilise evaluations to ensure our program meets its aims and works best for its young participants.

If your school were to participate in our workshops the participants would be asked to fill out a pre- and post- survey as a part of the workshop programs and the schools given a single page feedback sheet. Schools may be contacted later as part of its longitudinal evaluations to find out if the knowledge and skills learnt in the program are making a difference in young women’s lives.

WHAT have we found

paking workshop kits

The first evaluation report examined three aspects of this framework: the pre and post surveys the focus group with peer educators and the focus groups with stakeholders. We found:

  1. Along with strong awareness of physical and sexual violence there are also considerable shifts in young women’s awareness of non-physical forms of violence, such as intimidation, social isolation and controlling behaviours at the end of the program.
  2. Increased awareness of the seriousness of the long term impact of violence following completion of the program.
  3. The program provides a good example of ‘best practice’ in implementing preventative education with young women concerning healthy relationships.

WHY Peer Education?

  1. Peers usually share characteristics & life experiences directly with those passing on the information & skills. So peers are often seen as more credible by young people and have greater influence than adults.
  2. Anj Barker with peer educatorsPeer education is particularly effective with young women about relationships as young women usually consult peers more than young men.
  3. The focus groups with young women in Liverpool found workshops run by young women are best to get info & skills to young women.
  4. Best practice guidelines developed by UN Population Fund and Youth Peer Education Network have been used to develop & implement WEEO WISER as an effective peer-led prevention initiative.
  5. Peer education is a valuable approach to violence prevention with young people.