Case Study: Ballarat City Council

Men Leading Change to Prevent Violence, Ballarat Leadership Forum

Why it is important

Gender-based violence is a whole of community issue and following a devastating period of gendered violence locally, it was an important time for the key organisations in Ballarat to galvanise and take action as a community. The City of Ballarat partnered with Women's Health Grampians to host a leadership forum aimed at men in the community.

The forum engaged leaders from the 135 organisations, businesses, sporting clubs and groups across Western Victoria who are signatories to the Communities of Respect and Equality (CoRE) Alliance. Participants learnt about the importance of preventing gendered violence and how to lead and implement primary prevention work and address the underlying drivers of gendered violence in their workplaces and communities.

188 people attended, 60% male attendees, 52 CoRE organisations represented. A key to the success was planning the forum with men, this included consulting them on the imagery used, the event name and the direction of the event. From the feedback received Council briefed each speaker on finishing their presentation with a tangible action for forum attendees to take away. A call to action was important to the men.

Call to action

A reminder to allow time for consultation with key stakeholders when planning an event. Council had a very different event name before consulting with men and asking them what the event should be called.