Promising Practice Programs

Sexual Assault Resource Centre (SARC)
PO Box 852
Subiaco, WA, 6904

Judi Stone; Jennifer Barnard - Training and Education Coordinators
Phone: 08 9340 1820
Fax: 08 9381 5426
Email: judi.stone@health.wa.gov.au; jennifer.barnard@health.wa.gov.au

http://www.kemh.health.wa.gov.au/services/sarc/

Department of Health WA

August 2007

The program is currently still running.

The intention is for this program to run again.

The Education Unit at SARC developed a train the trainers program for school teachers, school health nurses, chaplains and youth workers (basically anyone who works with high school aged young people). The program includes a workshop, training manual and Power Point presentation. The manuals cover two separate age groups: Year 8/9 and Year 10-12, with a slightly different focus and level of information for each age group. Underpinning the program is the idea that sexual violence should be incorporated into the education setting in the aspect of the curriculum that deals with sexual health and relationships, rather than a one off discussion for an hour from an outside agency. Teachers and other people who work with young people are often uncomfortable talking about sexual violence. This program aims to increase their competence and confidence.

• Indigenous service provision and training
• Service provider professional development and training/Training for community groups/organizations
• Schools/education sector, children or young people (Prevention)

• State/Territory wide

• School community
• Young people
• Indigenous communities

What need in the community does the program meet?
Prevention and education of high school aged young people.

Increased confidence and competence for professionals working with young people in addressing the area of sexual violence.

How did the program originate?
The program originated due to the high number of requests for one hour presentations from SARC to high school students, and the realisation that:
a) this was not the most useful way for young people to take in the information about consent and sexual violence;
b) that SARC did not have sufficient resources to adequately service the metro school population; and finally
c) that access by rural and remote areas was important

Specific research used to inform the program

This is a new program.

If the program is for a non-specified general population, have there been specific strategies used to make it accessible to marginalised groups? Please describe these strategies.
Workshops are being run in the metropolitan area. A workshop has been run in Broome with Aboriginal Health workers. The manual and Power Point presentations have been distributed to rural and remote sexual violence workers and people who have attended any of our training who request it (from rural and remote areas). Aboriginal agencies have been invited to adapt the manual and Power Point into a format that is more appropriate for their community.

Does the program engage with other agencies/services/individual that respond to sexual assault? If so, how are they involved?
Aborihinal health workers and teachers are involved through their participation in the Train-the-trainer workshops.

Has the program been evaluated?
The program has been positively evaluated by workshop participants both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal. Other positive verbal feedback from workers in metro and rural and remote settings has been given.

If the program has been designed for a particular group or community, could it be replicated or useful for other groups or communities in responding to sexual assault?
Yes, it could easily be replicated, using appropriate language and activities for the community.

The conceptual framework comes from the experience of working with young people in addition to presenting information to over 4,000 high school aged students over 3 years. The information in both the manual and the Power Point presentation is informed by current research, legislation and statistics. The idea is that understanding consent and it's complexities is the key to reducing sexual assault among young people.

The emphasis is on the responsibility of the offender, while also aiming to provide strategies and advice for young people to stay safe. The framework draws upon the knowledge that young people who do disclose an experience of sexual violence will often tell a friend, and aims to equip young people to support their peers. This capacity building approach also engages teachers through the Train the Trainer model; in supporting young people to develop their knowledge and support skills, teachers also develop confidence and competence. At the same time, this demonstrates to students that the teacher is someone who can be approached for support in relation to issues of sexual violence.

Publications and presentations

• Understanding and teaching about sexual assault and sexual abuse: Year 10-12 (manual and Powerpoint presentation)
• Understanding and teaching about sexual assault and sexual abuse: Year 8-9 (manual and Powerpoint presentation)

These are available free of charge as a PDF and emailed powerpoint presentation for people who have completed a SARC workshop, or workers in the sexual assault/ sexual abuse field.

The manuals are also available as a hard copy for $30.00 each plus postage, packaging and GST.