Australian CRIME AND VIOLENCE PREVENTION Awards Winning ...

also been adapted to suit children in years five and six. The group teaches anger
recognition skills, identification of personal triggers, strategies for taking control
of anger, dealing with guilt and healthy expressions of anger through games with
prizes and fun activities in a supportive environment.
Long-term goals of the project include preventing domestic and family violence (with
ongoing intergenerational benefits), by teaching young people healthy ways of dealing
with anger and aggression. It is hoped that these skills will be carried by participants
into their adult lives and that they will pass the same skills on to their own children.
The courses we have run have had a 300 percent higher demand than anticipated
and courses are always full. In addition to this, as a direct result of the need for this
kind of work, a resource tool Breaking Point, Breaking Through was published and
rolled out across the sector in New South Wales—for workers working with families
of adolescents with anger issues. This was a joint project between the family support
program of Richmond Community Services Inc, the Prevention of Violence Against
Women’s Unit in the Department of Community Services and the University of Western
Sydney. The written resource consists of a literature review, information on adolescent
violence to assist in casework and the RAGE group program. Training on the resource
has since been run and more training sessions are planned as interest from the sector
has been exceptionally strong. In addition to this, our family support workers have
provided training to the Department of Community Service’s workers in delivery of the
RAGE program and are in demand to provide similar programs to other organisations.
Contact: Ms Yatra Sherwood, Richmond Community Services Inc.
Phone: 02 4588 3503
Email: rcsi@pnc.com.au
Girl Power (Victoria)
Award: Certificate of Merit
Girl Power was developed in response to the perceived needs of vulnerable young
women who are:
• experiencing instability or impending crisis in their lives
• are socially disconnected
• who become involved in dysfunctional and ‘unsafe’ relationships as a means
of support.
The Girl Power: Self Protection and Leadership Program aims to reduce crime
committed by and/or against at-risk young women by:
• increasing self-protective behaviours
• building individual resilience and coping skills
• increasing self-esteem and assertiveness in relationships
• improving their problem-solving skills
• enhancing personal motivation and goal-setting skills
• increasing their awareness of and links to community based support services.
Girl Power has two main components—self-defence instruction and information
sharing and discussion around issues such as domestic violence, drug and alcohol
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