“I was particularly impressed by the organisation’s ambition plan for its RESPECT Project, which undertakes important work encouraging positive attitudes in young boys in order to combat generational domestic violence.”
DAVID SHARPE
Sharpe Advisory Director
What is Respect?
The RESPECT is a music program for boys under 12 years old, teaching them about domestic violence and gender equality, with a view to prevent and reduce domestic violence in the future. Over 12 weeks, the boys write, record and perform an original song, and also become active agents of social change and role models in their schools.
How does it work?
This 12 week early intervention harm reduction project takes place in primary school with facilitators who are also professional musicians, working alongside Family Violence counsellors. The learning style emphasises open discussion, allowing participants to solidify their learning about acceptable behaviour in relationships.
Participants write and rehearse an original song, and perform it at their school assembly, and at a showcase at Bankstown Central Shopping Centre, which is packed with audiences. The song is also filmed and made into a professional film clip, which is released online, garnering thousands of views. Each year RESPECT directly works with around 150 boys aged under 12 in schools and in our showcase performance.
The program’s success
The program transforms young men into active agents of social change and role models in their schools. This project has been assessed by Murdoch university as a model project that leads to long term change in the boys that are a part of it. It has been proven to increase awareness and understanding of Domestic Violence & healthy relationships in 98% of participants. Teachers tell us about the culture of the school shifting over the years that we return.
RESPECT has been assessed by Murdoch University as a model project that leads to long term change in the boys that are a part of it.
This project is supported by the Australian Government through the Department of Social Services, and the Bankstown Communities for Children partnership through The Smith Family.
