Become a White Ribbon Community
A community that has White Ribbon principles embedded in all sectors may qualify for formal accreditation and recognition as a White Ribbon Community. When all sections of a community, including local council, business, police, education and community based organisations, consider violence-preventing strategies in every community decision, true social change can occur.
Register to become a White Ribbon Community and help make meaningful changes
in the attitudes and actions of your community. Send your registration form to events@whiteribbonday.org.au.
5 Easy Steps to Host a White Ribbon Event
Challenge Creating Social Change
Genuine commitment is required to achieve social change. To have significant impact, communities must not only put in place strategies for change, but they must sustain them over a long period of time. They must also use a variety of strategies in a variety of settings, to reach all parts of the community. This requires planning, dedication and determination and can best be achieved by a group or team of committed individuals.
Why Become a White Ribbon Community?
* Receive national recognition of the value of your community’s efforts as a leader in the field of violence prevention.
* Share your good practice with other communities looking to implement similar measures.
* Network with other White Ribbon communities and benefit from their knowledge and experiences.
* Share your stories and experiences with the general public via case studies on the White Ribbon website and newsletter.
* Promote your accredited White Ribbon Community status on all your publicity material
Goals for a White Ribbon Community
Members of a White Ribbon Community work together towards a common goal of creating a community that is safe and free from violence.
A checklist of what is required to be recognised as a White Ribbon Community is below.
A White Ribbon Community:
* Accepts that building a community free from violence is everyone’s responsibility because we all have the right to feel safe, secure, respected and to participate fully in life;
* Acknowledges in a variety of ways that violence against women is an issue that affects the whole community and prevention activities are an important area of community activity;
* Is fully committed to social change to prevent men’s violence against women;
* Implements regular awareness raising events, projects or campaigns;
* Is committed to the principles of Primary Prevention of violence ie not only those directly involved or at risk of violence but the whole community;
* Is organised and implemented with significant involvement from a variety of men;
* Has a local government authority (LGA) participating fully with the relevant local groups and has some LGA budget allocated to staff who can spend some time working on the issue;
* Involves both key service providers and a broad range of organisations including those who are not directly involved in violence against women;
* Has mutually reinforcing activities directed at ending violence against women at multiple levels of the community and aimed at more than one target group;
* Has active White Ribbon Ambassadors who are networked together;
* Has a defined strategic plan with considerations of how to measure the success of their actions in order to adapt for the future, including:
- A long term goal that is realistic and achievable;
- Objectives which are specific and measurable with a definite timeframe;
- Actions for fulfilling the objectives – what you will be doing, when and by whom;
- Evaluation framework for deciding if the objectives have been met.
Read Darebin City Council's White Ribbon Strategic Plan for a great example of what a White Ribbon Community could aspire to.
5 Easy Steps to Host a White Ribbon Day Community Event
Visit our Resources page to download our PR Pack with template media releases and sample newsletter articles or to download our Community Fundraising Resources including fundraising application forms, fundraising guidelines and tips on holding events.
Some of Darebin City Council’s White Ribbon Projects
* White Ribbon Not Violent, Not Silent breakfasts
* White Ribbons sold at Customer Service Centres every year since 2005
* Faith leaders from Darebin Interfaith Council sign the Declaration Against Family Violence
* Men’s and Women’s Family Violence Help Cards produced and distributed
* Darebin Council Departmental Challenge organised to encourage Council participation in White Ribbon events during November.
Become a White Ribbon Community
Any community in Australia can apply to become a White Ribbon Community. Community activities that began from January 2009 onwards are eligible for consideration.
1. Register by downloading the registration form and emailing it to us at events@whiteribbonday.org.au.
2. Address each of the goals for a White Ribbon Community in a detailed proposal, demonstrating that you have implemented community activities which have:
(a) Increased awareness and knowledge of violence prevention throughout the community; and
(b) Taken action to prevent violence against women through primary or secondary prevention projects which address different sectors within the community e.g. schools/education, health and community services, justice, local govt.
3. Collect and demonstrate evidence to measure your community strategies in order to evaluate their effectiveness.
4. Share information about your project and the resources created as an example of good practice in order to help expand the knowledge base.
5. This registration process is still being refined so please send your feedback to events@whiteribbonday.org.au.
5 Easy Steps to Host a White Ribbon Event