Empowers Partners, Communities and Stakeholders to Implement Gender Equality

WHISE has worked with a variety of partners and stakeholders in the last 12 months to not just raise awareness about the significance of gender equality, but also to empower and provide them with the tools necessary to implement gender equality in the various settings people live, work and participate in.

While an awareness about the importance of implementing gender equality in our communities is vital, it is equally important for communities to be given the tools to be able to implement gender equality in the many settings where gender inequality still exists.

In empowering our partners, communities and stakeholders with these tools, we can significantly shift and challenge many of the norms and views about gender roles and stereotypes.

Support Programs

    Building Gender Equality in our Region

    Frankston City Council

    To support the implementation of Councils Gender Equality Action Plan, WHISE is partnering with Frankston City Council (FCC) to deliver a 4 part capacity building program to all leaders (150) across the Council The Training program comprises 3 webinars on key content associated with gender and leadership , plus one face to face coaching (reflective practice) session for all leaders and seeks to:

    • Create a consistent base line understanding in the organisation’s leadership/managers of the role and purpose of the Gender Equality Act and its value to Frankston City Council
    • Develop in participants understanding of the foundational concepts of intersectional gender equality and how they apply in the workplace of Frankston City Council
    • Deliver foundation level understanding and framework on key issues facing Australian workplaces including sexual harassment and strategies that can be employed to prevent it and intervene. 

    SOCIAL VALUE IMPACT:

    Program name: Frankston City Council Gender Equality Leadership Training

    Net Benefit to Community : $907,618.

    The net benefit per participant is $7,147.

    Benefit Cost Ratio : 127.92

    Social Impact as calculated through the Australia Social Value Bank for the delivery of the Critical Friends Network.
    The values used in this cost benefit analysis have been derived using the wellbeing valuation method from data gathered through the HILDA (Household Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia) and Journeys Home Survey.

    Glen Eira Council - Listen Learn Lead

    As part of the work to implement Glen Eira Council’s Gender Equality Action Plan, WHISE is partnering with council to facilitate Listen Learn Lead sessions. This framework is a key action for the Council and will involve WHISE facilitating three sessions with key stakeholders – women leaders, emerging women leaders, and senior executive – to discover the barriers on women’s equitable participation in leadership. 

    Australian Grand Prix

    The collaboration with the Australian Grand Prix continues. AGPC are speaking to WHISE about supporting the implementation of gender impact assessments. WHISE has sent AGPC a proposal for work comprising a range of options for the organization.  

    The partnership with the Australian Grand Prix Corporation continues. WHISE designed and delivered a 2-hour session for the AGPC’s Gender Equality Committee on GIA practice and process. The high-level information session on GIA’s was a positive, collaborative discussion with the Committee. 

    Puffing Billy Railway

    Our work and collaboration with Puffing Billy Railway continues. WHISE delivered a 2-hour information session on how the Gender Impact Assessment works in practice. Delivered to both paid staff and volunteers (25 people) online, the session sought to enable participants to see the value of the process, and to make it accessible.

    After this WHISE continued its partnership with Puffing Billy to support the organization to undertake and develop its first Gender Impact Assessments. Using a strengths-based approach, WHISE sought to work with the organization to build sustainable capability on GIA practice. 

    Gender and Disaster

    WHISE has signed an MOU with Gender and Disaster Australia (previously GAD (Generalised Anxiety Disorder) POD) to deliver the “Lessons in Disaster” training package. The MOU enables WHISE staff (2 staff) to be trained in the delivery of the training package and then use the materials and approach in our own region and, if required, in partnership with other facilitators. The requests for WHISE to deliver this training to partners have started to come through with some partners – particularly those on peri-urban areas – particularly at risk of experiencing the gendered impacts of disaster. 

    Capacity Framework

    WHISE commenced work to design and community a framework to describe the capacity and capability development. The goal of this framework is to aid our partners understand what the broad skills, knowledge, and capacity WHISE believes are needed within organisations and workers to undertake intersectional gender equality activity and work.

    At this stage it is a piece of visual architecture bringing together key concepts, principles, and areas of work which over time will evolve to shape and inform the way that WHISE undertakes intersectional gender equality capacity building in our region. The goal is to shape something that can enable WHISE’s GE (Gender Equity) team to act more proactive and strategically with our partners. 

    Feminist Friendships A Gender Equality Community of Practice 

    WHISE commenced the process to set up a targeted and structured community of practice specifically to support our gender equity and gender equality work. Manager of Gender Equity and Capacity Krissy Nicholson has designed a practice framework under the title of “Feminist Friendships” which will use peer-reflective practice to enable gender equality practitioners to come together to reflect, learn and support each other in their work.

    The process will be inclusive of the requirements of the Gender Equality Act, managing resistance in the workplace, negotiating self-care and other components of enabling and creating an intersectional gender equitable workplace. Using the concept of ‘feminist friendships’ as a methodology for practice, promotes courage and vulnerability, critical reflection, and learning, and developing friendships with other likeminded gender equality practitioners.

    We have designed our program to foster meaningful connections and enhance the learning experience through the organization of small groups, each limited to a maximum of 15 participants. These groups are structured into three distinct components:

    • Community of Practice: This component brings all group members together bi-monthly to engage in reflective practices, strengthen connections, share experiences, collaborate on problem-solving, and provide critical feedback. The topics for discussion in these sessions are tailored to the specific interests and needs of the group.
    • Peer Reflection and Connection Triads: In addition to the bi-monthly meetings, participants will be divided into smaller triads consisting of three individuals. These triads serve as a space for more intimate interactions and discussions between meetings, enabling members to support one another, reflect on their experiences, and deepen their connections.
    • Specialized Individual Coaching: As part of the program, all members will have access to two individual coaching sessions, each lasting 1.5 hours. These sessions will be conducted by our experienced Women's Health Coach/Facilitators, providing personalized guidance and support to help participants achieve their specific goals and address their unique challenges.

    By structuring our program in this way, we aim to create a dynamic and supportive learning environment where participants can connect, grow, and receive individualized attention from our knowledgeable facilitators.

    Building the Capacity and Capability of Organisations to create Equitable Workplaces 

    WHISE continues to be a proud member of the Action for Gender Equality Partnership (AGEP) and has collaborated with our partners on the following projects:  

    Court Services Victoria

    WHISE is collaborating with Women’s Health in the North to support delivery of training on gender impact assessments and consultancy to address the gender pay gap. WHISE’s role in this project is in supporting the work of Court Services Victoria to analyse its pay gap, facilitate and support the organisation to build strategies to address the pay gap and, build capability for sustainable implementation of those strategies.  

    Transport Accident Commission

    In partnership with Women's Health East and Women's Health Grampians, WHISE designed and supported delivery of customized online training sessions to support the organisations implementation of Gender Impact Assessments. Comprising one pilot program followed by roll out across the organisation via another 5 sessions.  

    Commission for Gender Equality in the Public Sector - GIA Case studies  

    Through AGEP, WHISE is part of the team contracted by the Commission to design and deliver 4 long-form expanded case studies (of about 4000 words each). The case studies are available on the website of the Commission for Gender equality in the Public Sector website and comprise: 

    • Local Gov - Waste collection (Hard Rubbish) part of Waste Management Plan  
    • Health - Cardiac Rehabilitation service 
    • Higher Ed - Vocational Education qualification/framework  
    • Housing - Social Housing Framework 

    Events

    Women Deliver  

    The WHS collaborated to deliver sessions and provide support to the Victorian Governments Women Deliver Regional Conference on 6 June. WHISE provided support and facilitated a session at the conference on the work of the women’s health services and their impact. 

    Jobs and Skills Summit

    Aligned with our work on workforce development there is a range of advocacy activity that the CEO has been involved in around gender equity in skills policy. This has been driven by the forthcoming Jobs and Skills Summit that has seen a great opportunity for WHISE to share its evidence and practice about intersectional gender equity in TAFE and VET with other stakeholders and gender equity advocates. Key activities including:  

    • Collaborating with a network of organisations and providers who seek to improve equity in male dominated trades. The key activity is developing a set of key messages with which to align advocacy and use to influence the agenda and consultation in and after the Summit. 
    • Meeting with the Equality Rights Alliance (one of the national women’s alliances) to provide advice and input on their national advocacy for the Summit
    • Writing to the Australian Minister for Skills Brendan O’Connor to share our practice and experience – a meeting request was made with the Minister, and one is being organized with the Minister’s advisors 
    • Collaborating with the Women’s Health Services CEO’s on a set of key priorities for the Federal Government to consider in the design and implementation of their work to create a gender equality strategy – this included key asks on skills policy 
    • Putting in a response to call for presentations at the national TAFE Directors Conference in Adelaide – one with Melbourne Polytechnic and the other with WAVE (Women and Vocational Education) 
    • Attending and presenting at the Victorian TAFE Association Conference in Bendigo August 24th o gender equity and TAFE 
    • Presentation at Chisholm TAFE Staff Conference on Gender Equity.

    Greater South Eastern Melbourne (GSEM)  

    The group of partners called "GSEM” were formed to advance the economic growth and social wellbeing of the area of Melbourne. WHISE increased its involvement in this partnership and network including providing advice to the network on how to apply an intersectional gender lens on proposals and bids for the region and applying a gender lens to the skills shortage issues in the Southern Metro region. 

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