Promising practice portal
This collaborative site invites councils to share examples of practices, projects and plans that they have developed to support and advance gender equality and the prevention of violence against women in their municipalities.
It aims to showcase accumulated wisdom and practice-based evidence from councils working in this space.
Submissions to this site allow the MAV to share not only existing work, but also knowledge. This will enable other councils to learn from your experience, and tailor programs and services to meet the needs of their communities. While each municipality is different, there are commonalities and shared goals.
The upload form is coming soon. In the meantime, please contact Kellie Nagle at knagle@mav.asn.au with any examples you would like to see included in the portal.
Practices, projects and plans
- Ballarat City Council: Strengthening Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Communities by Preventing Violence Against Women
- Darebin City Council: Creating Gender Equity in the Early Years
- Frankston City Council: Baby Makes 3 Ante-Natal Pilot
- Horsham Rural City Council: Act@Work
- Latrobe City Council: Local Government Gender Analysis Toolkit
- Macedon Ranges Shire Council: Rural Challenge: embedding gender equality in community groups
- Maroondah City Council: Our Codes, Our Clubs: Changing the Story to Promote Gender Equality Together
- Nillumbik Shire Council: Gender Equity in HR Tool
- Port Phillip City Council: Local Government E-Learning Project
- Whittlesea City Council: Gender Equitable Design of Community Facilities.
Ballarat City Council
Strengthening Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Communities by Preventing Violence Against Women
Date posted: August 2017
Partner councils / organisations | Women's Health Grampians |
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Project overview |
The Ballarat project, delivered in partnership with Women’s Health Grampians, aimed to prevent gendered violence in the Ballarat CALD communities.
This was done by raising awareness about the issue and supporting the community to take actions that support women and men to participate equally in all spheres of public and private life. The project delivered a series of workshops aimed at women and girls and men and boys respectively. Project development and delivery raised awareness across council about the role it has to play in preventing violence against women, and its responsibility to be more proactive about the safety of all residents, including those in the CALD community. The project increased perceptions of safety, agency, and empowerment for female participants through the provision of information and support options. The community workshops facilitated skill development and expression and facilitated a greater understanding of the causes of gendered violence. |
Project processes and learnings | Strengthening Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Communities by Preventing Violence Against Women – project processes and learnings (Word - 44.3KB) |
Local Government Innovation in Preventing Violence Against Women presentation (PDF - 1.93MB) | |
Project resources | Strengthening Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Communities by Preventing Violence Against Women Toolkit (PDF - 3.20MB) |
Darebin City Council
Creating Gender Equity in the Early Years
Date posted: August 2017
Partner councils / organisations | Women's Health in the North |
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Project overview |
Creating Gender Equity in the Early Years aimed to strengthen and build the capacity of the early years to create gender equitable early years practices in Darebin.
The key objectives of the project were the development of a resource for local government to foster equal and respectful relationships through the delivery of early years services, and to strengthen gender equitable skills and practices across Darebin early years centres. The project was undertaken and delivered with the support and expertise of Women’s Health in the North, and with guidance from a gender equity project team. It has successfully developed audit and assessment tools based on evidence on safe, inclusive, and gender equitable early years spaces. Each section of the resource for local government focuses on a theme or audience for improving gender equity in the early years, and is accompanied by a training video, additional resources and reflective practice questions. |
Project processes and learnings | Creating Gender Equity in the Early Years – project processes and learnings (Word - 41.8KB) |
Local Government Innovation in Preventing Violence Against Women presentation (PDF - 962KB) | |
Project resources | Creating Gender Equity in the Early Years: A Resource for Local Government (PDF - 724KB) |
Gender Equity in the Early Years Summary Document (PDF - 210KB) | |
Gender Equity in the Early Years - promotional video (YouTube - 2:45 length) | |
Gender Equity in the Early Years (YouTube - 11:21 length) | |
Professional Development for Gender Equity in the Early Years (YouTube - 6:37 length) | |
Creating Gender Equitable Spaces (YouTube - 7:17 length) | |
Providing Gender Equitable Services (YouTube - 5:55 length) | |
Reflections from Early Years Educators (YouTube - 8:10 length) |
Frankston City Council
Baby Makes 3 Antenatal Project
Date posted: August 2017
Partner councils / organisations | Carrington Health; Peninsula Health |
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Project overview |
The Baby Makes 3 Antenatal Pilot implemented an evidence based primary prevention program in partnership with Carrington Health and Peninsula Health.
The program was designed to support new parents to negotiate their roles and to build knowledge and skills in equal and respectful relationships during the transition to parenthood. The Baby Makes 3 Antenatal Pilot aimed to build awareness and understanding within expectant first time parents of how gender roles affect relationship equality, the importance of gender equality in new families, and why gender equality is important in preventing violence against women. Baby Makes 3 was successfully transitioned into an antenatal setting in this project, with effectiveness and added value identified from being an existing Baby Makes 3 site. Responses and levels of engagement from participants were positive, and facilitators found that the antenatal setting made the project much more accessible to fathers. |
Project processes and learnings | Baby Makes 3 Antenatal Project – project processes and learnings (Word - 47.1KB) |
Local Government Innovation in Preventing Violence Against Women presentation (PDF - 2.42MB) | |
Project resources | Baby Makes 3 Antenatal Project Model Summary (PDF - 741KB) |
Baby Makes 3 Antenatal Pilot Keleher Consulting Evaluation (PDF - 0.98MB) |
Horsham Rural City Council
Act@Work
Date posted: August 2017
Partner councils / organisations | West Wimmera Shire Council; Yarriambiack Shire Council; Hindmarsh Shire Council; Women's Health Grampians |
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Project overview |
This project involved the roll out of the Act@Work program across the 4 Wimmera municipalities in partnership with West Wimmera Shire Council, Yarriambiack Shire Council, Hindmarsh Shire Council, and Women’s Health Grampians.
It involved a baseline attitude survey active bystander training, an organisation needs assessment, and development of an action plan to guide councils’ work on the prevention of violence against women and gender equity. It enabled councils to provide support to women experiencing violence whilst also addressing the underlying causes of violence with a view to prevent their occurrence in workplaces and in the broader community. Throughout the development and delivery of the program across the 4 Wimmera municipalities, the Act@Work project promoted equal and respectful relationships between men and women and promoted gender equality by combatting rigid gender stereotyping, confronting workplace culture, beliefs and attitudes, and reducing discrimination against women. |
Project processes and learnings | Act@Work – project processes and learning (Word - 43.9KB) |
Local Government Innovation in Preventing Violence Against Women presentation (PDF - 936KB) | |
Project resources | Act@Work Action Plan - Horsham Rural City Council (PDF - 633KB) |
Act@Work Action Plan - Hindmarsh Shire Council (PDF - 743KB) | |
Act@Work Action Plan - West Wimmera Shire Council (PDF - 635KB) | |
Act@Work Action Plan - Yarriambiack Shire Council (PDF - 704KB) | |
Act@Work website |
Latrobe City Council
Local Government Gender Analysis Toolkit
Date posted: August 2017
Partner councils / organisations | Gippsland Women's Health |
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Project overview |
Specifically designed for the local government setting, the Local Government Gender Analysis Toolkit enables councils to incorporate gender analysis into the core business of local government.
It has sought to do this in the same way that risk assessments are currently incorporated, with the toolkit being designed for council officers with no training in gender analysis and with an easy-to use feel that is not resource intensive. A successful partnership between Latrobe City Council and Gippsland Women’s Health, the project demonstrated the value of local government engaging external subject matter experts to assist in developing effective internal programs and processes. The resulting toolkit assists councils in analysing and responding to gender inequality in the delivery of events, information, programs, projects and services. |
Project processes and learnings | Local Government Gender Analysis Toolkit – project processes and learnings (Word - 40.7KB) |
Local Government Innovation in Preventing Violence Against Women presentation (PDF - 620KB) | |
Project resources | Local Government Gender Analysis Toolkit (PDF - 10.9MB) |
Macedon Ranges Shire Council
Rural Challenge: embedding gender equality in community groups
Date posted: August 2017
Partner councils / organisations | City of Greater Bendigo; Women's Health Loddon Mallee; CFA District 2; AFL Central Victoria; AFL Goldfields |
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Project overview |
Rural Challenge worked with CFA brigades and football-netball clubs in the Macedon Ranges Shire and City of Greater Bendigo to enhance gender equality and prevent violence against women through organisational change.
The primary aim of the project was the development of gender equity action plans for CFA brigades and football-netball clubs in the two involved municipalities that were focused on practical activities to embed the principles of gender equality and the prevention of violence against women through lasting organisational and cultural change. Individual transformational change of male and female community leaders was fostered throughout the project, and a ‘Rural Challenge Toolkit’ created to provide a replicable model to be used in rural and regional areas. Rural Challenge was successfully delivered by Macedon Ranges in conjunction with the City of Greater Bendigo, Women’s Health Loddon Mallee, CFA District 2, AFL Central Victoria and AFL Goldfields. At the conclusion of the project, the ten participating organisations have a strategic roadmap and commitment to make organisational change informed by an enriched understanding of gender equality and preventing violence against women. Rural Challenge demonstrated councils capacity to lead in this space, and to bring together diverse partners from a range of sectors to take a community development approach to this work. The availability of the toolkit provides a valuable resource for regional and rural councils and organisations wishing to undertake similar activities. To access the Rural Challenge Toolkit and Guidance Video please contact Women’s Health Loddon Mallee via whlm@whlm.org.au. |
Project processes and learnings | Rural Challenge – project processes and learnings (Word - 47.3KB) |
Local Government Innovation in Preventing Violence Against Women presentation (PDF - 0.99MB) | |
Project resources | Guidance video: Rural Challenge pilot project information night video (Vimeo - 12:27 length) |
Maroondah City Council
Our Codes, Our Clubs: Changing the Story to Promote Gender Equality Together
Date posted: August 2017
Partner councils / organisations | Knox City Council; Yarra Ranges Council; Inspiro Community Health; Together for Equality and Respect; Outer East Children and Youth Area Partnership Steering Group |
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Project overview |
Our Codes, Our Clubs was an action research project involving 9 local sporting clubs from various codes within the municipalities of Maroondah, Knox and Yarra Ranges.
The project – delivered in partnership with Knox City Council, Yarra Ranges Shire Council, Inspiro Community Health, Together for Equality and Respect Partnership, and Outer East Children and Youth Area Partnership Steering Group – sought to develop local sporting clubs' understanding of the practical action they can undertake to promote and normalise gender equality and prevent violence against women in their communities. In developing this understanding, Our Codes, Our Clubs aimed to encourage local sporting clubs to increase the number of initiatives they implement to promote gender equality and to create long term, structural, and cultural change within their clubs. A gender equity audit was developed and distributed to all local sporting clubs within the 3 participating municipalities and the stories of some of the participating clubs showcased in an educational video produced in an advertorial format. The video was accompanied by a research report and fact sheet highlighting practical actions that can be undertaken by sporting clubs to embed gender equity. The project demonstrated to the sporting and wider community the participating councils’ commitment to collaboration and their support of the adoption of gender equitable practices and positive cultural change across sporting codes. |
Project processes and learnings | Our Codes, Our Clubs: Changing the Story to Promote Gender Equality Together – project processes and learnings (Word - 41.9KB) |
Local Government Innovation in Preventing Violence Against Women presentation (PDF - 1.04MB) | |
Project resources | Gender equity self-assessment tool for sport and recreation clubs (version June 2018) (PDF - 2.90MB) |
Equality is the Game! Sporting Club Committee Resource (PDF - 4.88MB) | |
Equality is the Game video (Vimeo - 4:40 length) | |
Research Findings - Our Codes, Our Clubs (PDF - 941KB) |
Nillumbik Shire Council
Gender Equity in HR Tool
Date posted: August 2017
Partner councils / organisations | Banyule City Council |
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Project overview |
Nillumbik Shire Council’s project involved researching, reviewing and developing a gender equity tool (including the development of a set of standards for gender equity) to be applied across councils' internal employment practices.
The project aimed to create behavioural and cultural change within council by applying a gender equity lens to the way it recruits and allocates work, the way staff access conditions of the Award, EBA and organisational policies. The resulting product, delivered in partnership with Banyule City Council, is a simple, three-page, user-friendly equity tool that can help to identify barriers to achieving gender equity within the workplace. Additionally, it can be used annually to audit employment practices and systems for gender equity. The project has been an important conduit for professional development in gender equity (giving officers an opportunity to learn to apply a gender lens in the workplace), and has allowed for more discussion about the need for PVAW/gender equity work in the organisation, including the HR/OD units. The tool has been designed to be used by other councils and community organisations. |
Project processes and learnings | Gender Equity in HR Tool – project processes and learnings (Word - 42.4KB) |
Local Government Innovation in Preventing Violence Against Women presentation (PDF - 807KB) | |
Project resources | Gender Equity Employment Analysis Tool.pdf (PDF - 394KB) |
Port Phillip City Council
Family Violence/Gender Equity eLearning Module
Date posted: August 2017
Partner councils / organisations | Bayside City Council; Kingston City Council; Stonnington City Council; Monash City Council; Glen Eira City Council; Women's Health in the South East; Southern Metropolitan Primary Care Partnership |
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Project overview |
The eLearning module was developed by the City of Port Phillip in conjunction with Women’s Health in the South East, the City of Bayside, the City of Kingston, the City of Stonnington, the City of Monash, the City of Glen Eira and the Southern Metropolitan Primary Care Partnership.
It aimed to build workforce capacity to implement a whole of organisation approach to the prevention of violence against women and to embed a gendered approach to workforce development, policies, and practices. Engaging multiple partners gave depth to the project and increased its applicability to a diverse range of audiences while simultaneously raising opportunities for its application to settings outside of local government. The eLearning module was also successful in reinforcing the importance of all staff having a strong foundation of knowledge on gender equity and family violence, as well as highlighting the role that a broad range of council departments can play in preventing or family violence through applying a gendered lens. |
Project processes and learnings | Family Violence/Gender Equity eLearning Module – project processes and learnings (Word - 43.4KB) |
Local Government Innovation in Preventing Violence Against Women presentation (PDF - 1.15MB) | |
Project resources | Family Violence/Gender Equity eLearning Module |
Whittlesea City Council
Gender Equitable Design of Community Facilities - developing a design guide
Date posted: August 2017
Partner councils / organisations | JMA Architects |
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Project overview |
Gender Equitable Design of Community Facilities involved the completion of gender equity in design guidelines for new or redeveloped council community facilities.
In partnership with JMA Architects, the project aimed to ensure that Whittlesea’s community facilities are designed and built as safe, welcoming, and inclusive places that are respectful of and able to be equitably accessed and used by people of all genders. The completion of the guidelines has created a tool to embed gender equity in community facilities and provides a resource to be shared, adapted, and built upon by all local governments. The development of the design guidelines provided a mechanism to highlight inequality in the allocation of council facilities and council budgets, and was useful for progressing conversations about gender equity and PVAW more broadly among staff. The guidelines have improved the knowledge base of where facilities need improvement, making it easier to council to take up funding opportunities that have a focus on increasing female participation. |
Project processes and learnings | Gender Equitable Design of Community Facilities - developing a design guide – project processes and learnings (Word - 43.1KB) |
Local Government Innovation in Preventing Violence Against Women presentation (PDF - 1.24MB) | |
Project resources | Gender Equity in Design Guidelines (PDF - 1.96MB) |