Inspiration, Colour, Warmth & Wonderful Food
The Rotary SAFE Families African Inclusive Communities Initiative, which is a partnership between Rotary Melbourne and Rotary Hawthorn has in its leadership group Dorothy Gilmour, co-founder of SAFE Families and a member of Rotary Hawthorn, along with Ahmed Tohow and Peter Berg from Rotary Melbourne. The project is progressing well and opportunities have arisen to interact with other multicultural communities.
Last Sunday, Dorothy felt privileged to be invited by Victoria Police to present Rotary Melbourne and Hawthorn’s Rotary SAFE Families Inclusive Communities Initiative at the Police/Sikh community event at the Gurdwara Sahib, Hoppers Crossing.
Victoria Police and Rotary SAFE Families are building relationships between the Indian community and Police, to encourage the reporting of crime and particularly family violence (a big under-reported problem within their community) and encourage Police and Protective Service Officer recruiting.
Dorothy presented our “3R’s” of prevention of family to anyone, anywhere, anytime. The “3R’s” were a hit with both Police and the Indian community.
We are stoked that Victoria Police acknowledged SAFE Families diverse and inclusive approach to prevention of abuse and are now discussing ways we can work together to reinforce that abuse is not appropriate and is a crime.
After the Sikh rituals, thirty Victoria Police and Dorothy’s presentation to 500 plus in the temple, she was provided a beautiful lunch and other tasty treats, visited the huge kitchens where up to 1,000 people come for a meal each Sunday at no cost.
She was made to feel so welcome and loved every minute of her time spent with the wonderful Police and Sikh community. Dorothy later commented how it was also a lovely reminder of her very special, life changing time spent in India in 2018.
Thank you Victoria Police for inviting us to present our joint SAFE Families model.
We are wanting Rotary Clubs to identify the Australians in their neighbourhood where English may be their second language. We have the resources to provide our many diverse cultures with the information to prevent the family abuse that is occurring without the information around safely reporting this abuse. www.rotarysafefamilies.org.au
Abuse prevention begins with You and Me!
By Dorothy Gilmour for Rotary SAFE Families Inclusive Communities Initiative
