Students Take Over Parliament!

The outstanding annual student event My Vote My Voice, conducted by the National Council of Women of Victoria, was held in the Legislative Council Chamber of Parliament House Melbourne on Friday August 9th 2024, 9:00am-12:30pm.

Keynote Speakers: Meena Singh, Commissioner for Aboriginal Children &Young People; Missi Joyce, Youth Council.

Students from 12 government and independent schools addressed the topic: Social Media – A Blessing or a Curse, designed to encourage students to consider the effect of Social Media on themselves, their peers and the wider community.

The schools were: MacRobertson Girls HS; Rosehill SC; Al Siraat College; Jiayuan Charity; Kingswood College; Beaumaris SC; Camberwell HS; Star of the Sea College; Melbourne Girls Grammar; Elwood College; Firbank Grammar; Ivanhoe Girls.

Meena set the scene initially by outlining her role as Commissioner. This is to advocate for and protect young people in out-of-home care (with relatives, share houses etc) youth detention centres and spaces where they are vulnerable. They advise government on how decisions affect young people, including the issue of minimum age of detention. They require organisations to be child safe and if not to rectify this.

The Commission works with a Youth Council made up of young people with lived experiences, who advise them and improve what we do. At a Forum designed to address why students should be involved in politics, the comment was made about the accuracy of information on social media, saying the print media would be better. As we know, this is not always the case.

Banning social media is not the way to go, as it can deprive people from the many positives: information from a range of sources; staying connected with friends/family and being supportive when needed and more.

Meena stressed that those who abuse social media must be held to account and punished. They should be banned! Young people need to make their own decisions, as they need to do for drugs, alcohol, sexual behaviour etc. A better approach is to provide education on social media safety to young people, parents and age-appropriate access.

Missi then spoke of her experiences after leaving home. Her siblings were broken up, so needed to keep in touch via social media, support each other. She also stated that young people need to make mistakes. If they have no experience of social media, when young and enter the ‘real’ world, they can be vulnerable to the negatives aspects.

Along with connections mentioned, you can find your passion - interest groups with the same focus e.g. music.

Students presentations followed. Some groups had carried out research, collected data from their peers and others to gain wider views, to inform presentation of their finding. This year’s students made a valuable contribution to the debate on the effect of Social Media on our young people and society.

Opportunities for Personal Development at NCWV

 We have three opportunities for personal development at NCWV. Click on the links below for more information

Opportunity for 2 members to attend the NCWA AGM and Conference in Adelaide

Treasurer

Honorary Secretary

Communications and Governance Support Intern

Website Coordinator and Podcast Producer

Join us at our 2024 student event: My Vote My Voice: Social Media – a Blessing or a Curse

Location: The Legislative Council Chamber, Parliament of Victoria, Spring Street, Melbourne

Date and Time: Friday 9 August, 2024; 9:00am for 9:15am start, finishing at 12:30pm

The outstanding annual student event My Vote My Voice, is conducted by the National Council of Women of Victoria. Students from Victorian government and independent schools, will address the topic: Social Media – A Blessing or a Curse. Students are encouraged to investigate issues related to Social Media and make a group presentation of their findings in the Legislative Council Chamber.

The keynote speaker will be Meena Singh, Co-Commissioner for Children and Young People (CCYP).

This is a wonderful opportunity to sit in this impressive Chamber and hear from inspiring young people about an issue that has been highlighted in the media and across the community.

Click here to view the program

Students are free thanks to the League of Women Voters, Victoria Bessie M. Rischbieth Trust grant. Costs for NCWV members, affiliates, guests, teachers and parents, will be $20.

It is a requirement for all those attending to be listed with security, so payment and registration is via TryBooking link.

Please RSVP by noon Wednesday 7 August 

Cyber Security: A Talk by Xavier Towns

At our July Individual and Council meeting we were overjoyed to welcome Xavier Towns to speak to us about his specialised Degree Course at Deakin University, Burwood Campus in a talk entitled: Cyber Security.

Cyber security and the potential danger associated with the use of computers and computer networks, is a topic of relevance to all of us. We live in a world of online transactions.

Xavier was happy to give up his time to share with us many of the issues related to the use of computers – in fact all devices -- and our cyber safety, and we valued greatly the opportunity to have an expert young person taking us through what is happening, and what we can do to protect ourselves. Xavier’s talk is in our July Newsletter

 

Students Took Over Parliament - inspiring!!

My Vote My Voice, Mon 7 August 2023; 9:15am-12:45pm

The outstanding annual student event My Vote My Voice, conducted by the National Council of Women of Victoria, was held in the Legislative Council Chamber of Parliament House Melbourne. Students from government and independent schools, covering many cultural backgrounds in Melbourne, addressed the topic: What are the barriers to Human Rights in Australia? How can we begin to overcome them. Secondary students from 10 schools made group presentations of their findings from research and, in one case, a survey.

Prior to these student presentations, our Keynote speaker was Lauren Matthews, Director of Programs at the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission. She leads the policy, legal, education, consulting and information functions of the Commission - focused on addressing discrimination, human rights, racial and religious vilification, and change and suppression practices. The Education and Engagement Branch is focused on providing clear, accessible legal information and helping individuals and organisations to understand their rights and responsibilities, via training sessions, consultancy and their Enquiry Line. Previously, Lauren practiced law as a solicitor within Australia, including human rights law, discrimination, refugee, criminal law, family law, child protection, and family violence. For 10 years, Lauren served internationally, primarily with the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Geneva, as well as in field operations in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Nepal. She served as an International Legal Adviser in Sri Lanka for the International Independent Group of Eminent Persons monitoring the national Commission of Inquiry into serious human rights violations. “Only positive outcomes are coming from Victoria’s Charter of Human Rights. It is a vehicle to promote and protect the values of Victoria for a diverse, equal, respectful and just state.” For details of her speech, see August Newsletter.

Student presentations followed this most appropriate and informative start to the morning. There were students from 10 schools: Bayside P-12 College Williamstown Campus, Al Siraat College Epping, Kingswood College, MacRobertson Girls High School, Elwood College, Western English Language School, Footscray High School, Rosehill Secondary College, Firbank Grammar, Melbourne Girls Grammar. A group from each school addressed the topic: What are the barriers to Human Rights in Australia? How can we begin to overcome them. The students presented brilliantly, showing how well they had researched the topic, speaking clearly and with passion. All concluded that a Federal Human Rights Charter was essential and urgent. For more details, see August Newsletter.

Panel members, Fiona Patten, past MLC, Cr Kylie Spears, past Mayor and President of the Australian Local Government Women’s Association, and keynote speaker Lauren Matthews were extremely impressed, suggesting that the students consider local government and/or State government positions in the future! The official photographer has uploaded photos to Dropbox.

Award Winners

NCWV 120th AGM Thursday 7 September

We look forward to you joining us at the 120th AGM. Our Speaker is Helen Dalley- Fisher, Convenor of Equality Rights Alliance, the peak body with which we are involved in advocating with the Federal government.

Helen will reflect on the achievements since the 2022 Federal election and the program for the year ahead.

The Notice and invitations to participate as an Adviser or Committee Member will be circulated shortly.

Think about how you might be more involved.

Start time: 12 noon sharp

Health Week - Wednesday 6 September from 12 until 2pm at the Melbourne Town Hall Yarra Room

Ronniet Milliken welcomed Councillor Dr Olivia Ball - City of Melbourne representing NCWV’s Patron, the Hon Lord Mayor Sally Capp AO. Cr Ball is portfolio lead for Health, Wellbeing & Belonging and deputy portfolio lead for Aboriginal Melbourne and Deputy Chair of Council’s Disability Advisory Committee

As a psychologist, Olivia has an understanding of health issues. She outlined what the City of Melbourne is doing: At local government level, we don’t run hospitals. Most local governments are getting out of aged care. The only direct healthcare we provide are vaccinations and maternal & child healthcare where a healthy life starts. Local government also has an important role in building community and other social determinants of health – like connection to nature, access to public pools, recreation facilities, affordable housing and healthy eating.

The state of your health is correlated to distance from the nearest park or nature reserve, and the distance to your nearest fast-food outlet. Health is both physical and mental. Local government has an active role in addressing isolation and loneliness providing community facilities and supporting community activities and efforts to create community. For example:

• Funding Project Respect – a Melbourne organisation by and for women trafficked for sexual exploitation.
• Immunization nurses have been caring for refugees who have fled Afghanistan and Ukraine with initial home and immediate healthcare and social needs addressed in before being resettled across the city and state.
•  A collaborative effort, Project Night Justice, working with Victoria Police, Crime Stoppers, Full Stop Australia and Melbourne Uni to make our streets safer for women and gender-diverse Melburnians. This offers training and accreditation to nightlife venues to recognize and support women experiencing harassment or assault
• funding training for hairdressers in how to recognize and refer clients experiencing domestic violence.
• The City of Melbourne is currently converting a disused industrial building in Little Bourke St into 50 studio apartments for people sleeping rough or at risk of homelessness – with secure floors for women.

Provide free menstrual products in council libraries and municipal bathrooms to help address period poverty

To read more: September 2023 newsletter