Annual Events Program

The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence is a global campaign dedicated to ending gender-based violence and raising awareness about the impact of violence against women. It begins on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (November 25) and ends on International Human Rights Day (December 10) to emphasise that violence against women is a violation of human rights.

This year, Council will also be supporting Respect Victoria's Respect Women: Call it Out campaign, which encourages people to call out sexism, sexual harassment and disrespect towards women.

You can get involved by joining the following community events:

• Walk Against Family Violence
Join people across Victoria to raise awareness of family violence by participating in a "walk from home" event on November 25.
Wear orange and go for a walk or wheelchair around the block, a walk with a friend, or find a group to join. 
WHEN: 25 November (all day)
Register at https://walk.safesteps.org.au/

• 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence – Resource List 
Darebin Libraries have curated a resource for children, young adults and adults that challenge stereotypes and promote gender equity. Visit the Darebin Libraries catalogue to find out more: https://tinyurl.com/yxuwn7uu

• Women in Sport with the One Woman Project
This free online seminar offers a brief presentation on gender stereotypes and a Q&A session with women athletes. We will hear stories from the speakers about their experiences with discrimination, and how sports give them a sense of community and empowerment.
WHEN: Friday 27 November, 1.00pm – 2.30pm, register here.
Wednesday 9 December, 6.00pm – 7.30pm, register here.

• Djirra Basket Weaving Workshop 
Aboriginal women are invited to join Djirra for Woven basket making with Ngumpie Weaving to learn the basic skills of basket weaving. 
Tegan Murdock is a proud Barkindji, Yorta Yorta woman and the founder of Ngumpie Weaving. All materials will be supported and posted to your home so all you need to do is jump online and have fun! 
WHEN: Thursday 26 November, 11.00am – 12.30pm 
You can download the PDF flyer here. To avoid missing out, please make sure to register by calling the Koori Women’s Place on 9244 3333 or kwp@djirra.org.au

• Stand Together, Safe and Equal Interfaith Webinar
Stand Together, Safe and Equal Interfaith webinar aims to raise awareness about the importance of promoting healthy relationships and safety for women and children in multicultural and faith communities, as well as to explore the actions that communities can take to start the journey of responding to family violence. 
This event is a collaboration between the Darebin Interfaith Council and the Hume Interfaith Network.
WHEN: Thursday 3 December, 5.30pm – 6.30pm
Register here

• Gender Equity with Nelly Thomas 
Nelly Thomas is an award-winning Australian comedian and author and her areas of interest include gender, social justice, wellbeing, equity and the early years.
Come along to a free live Zoom event to hear Nelly speak about gender in the early years and answer your questions.
WHEN: Thursday 3 December, 7pm - 8pm
Register here.

• Everyday Racism and Sexism with the One Woman Project 
A discussion with Blak, Indigenous and Womxn of Colour about experiences of racism and sexism, and about being an active bystander.
WHEN: Tuesday 8 December, 6.00pm – 7.30pm, register here OR Saturday 12 December, 3.00pm – 4.00pm, register here

If you or someone you know is experiencing family violence, help is available. You can reach 1800Respect (1800 737 732) Australia’s National family violence information, counselling and support service. If you are in immediate danger, call triple zero (000).

You can find more information about specialist family violence services here.

 

FUSE features an amazing line up of artists, artworks and events in the Spring program from September to November 2020.

FUSE is Darebin’s brand-new multi-arts festival, held in Autumn and Spring each year, designed to accommodate a range of different access points for audience and practitioners.

The festival includes nearly 50 events to be enjoyed while observing COVID-19 restrictions currently in place. Between September 1 and November 29, there will be a curated festival, commissioned work, and supported community engagement.

Check the FUSE website for the full festival program.

The week was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in 2010. They recognised that mutual understanding and interreligious dialogue constitute important dimensions of a culture of peace and established World Interfaith Harmony Week to promote harmony between all people regardless of their faith.

Recognising the imperative need for dialogue among different faiths and religions to enhance mutual understanding, harmony and cooperation among people, the General Assembly encourages all States to spread the message of interfaith harmony and goodwill in the world’s churches, mosques, synagogues, temples and other places of worship during that week, on a voluntary basis and according to their own religious traditions or convictions.

For more information about the week, please visit: https://www.un.org/en/observances/interfaith-harmony-week

 

WORLD INTERFAITH HARMONY MORNING TEA

The World Interfaith Harmony Week aims to promote harmony between all people regardless of their faith, religion and beliefs.

Darebin Council and the Darebin Interfaith Council are inviting the community to connect and enjoy conversation in over morning tea.

Date: Wednesday 10th February

Time: 10am to 11.30am 

Venue: 81 High St, Preston (Northern Community Church)

COVID-safe protocols will be in place.

A flyer for the event can be downloaded here. 

Please RSVP to Celia Chang on 0421 658 571 or celia.chang@darebin.vic.gov.au

 

The theme for 2020 “Always was, always will be” acknowledges the nation’s story at the dawn of time and didn’t begin with documented European contact.  This theme is learning about the 65,000-year history of this Country and the first footprints on this continent belonging to the First Nations peoples, maintaining ongoing spiritual and cultural connections to the land and sea. 

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were the first Australian diplomats, astronomers, artists and farmers.  

NAIDOC 2020 invites all Australians to embrace and acknowledge the true history of this country – a history which dates back thousands of generations.

Here are some things you can do to celebrate NAIDOC Week in Darebin in November:

• Watch this video of Darebin Aboriginal Advisory Committee Co-Chair Jenaya Kastamonitis and member Ellie-Jean Singh to learn about NAIDOC Week and some of the ways you can learn more about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and history.

• Find out  more about the Traditional Owners of the land on which the City of Darebin is located - the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung people on the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation website.
  
  
• Wurru-Wurru. As part of Council's FUSE festival, six local artists have been curated by Yorta Yorta artist and musician Allara Briggs Pattison to create new works of music, dance and visual art. Check it out online via our FUSE website. 

• Hear and see artwork created by some of the 700 Darebin school students who took part in the 2020 NAIDOC Yarning Conference in Darebin: 

- Poster artwork video
- Video of selected poems from across all participating Darebin schools
- Download the booklet to read all of the poems from students

• Discover Darebin’s long-standing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage and culture with the Darebin Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Recognition and Discovery Map.

• Get out in nature and walk the Darebin Spiritual Healing Trail in Darebin Parklands.

• You can also listen to DAAC Statement on Black Lives Matter read out at the start of the June 9 Council Meeting.

• Read Welcome to Country by Aunty Joy Murphy and Lisa Kennedy as a family. You can also read the stories of our history on the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation website.
  
  
• If you’re a Darebin Libraries member you can access thousands of movies and documentaries for free via this link. The Darebin Libraries team have also put together a great list of relevant books and DVD’s that can be picked up through our Click and Collect system. For more information, please visit the Darebin Libraries website.
  
   

 

Refugee Week is an annual event that provides a platform where positive images of refugees can be promoted in order to create a culture of welcome throughout the country.  The aim of the celebration is to create better understanding between different communities and to encourage successful integration enabling refugees to live in safety and with respect for their stories and their incredible contribution to Australia.

 The week also includes The United Nations World Refugee Day on 20th June.

Refugee Week is a unique opportunity for us all to experience and celebrate the rich diversity of refugee communities through theatre, music, dance, film and other events which take place all over Australia and provide an important opportunity for asylum seekers and refugees to be seen, listened to and valued.

For more information about the week, please visit www.refugeeweek.org.au

 

Bukjeh Workshops 

Darebin Arts is partnering with artist, activist and facilitator, Aseel Tayah and the team at community art project Bukjeh present a program of workshops, events and conversations celebrating Refugee Week. This program is supported as part of Darebin Council’s COVID-19 Recovery package providing support and relief to community and local businesses.

Bukjeh connects people of all ages and backgrounds through storytelling, dance and respectful conversations. Bukjeh is usually presented inside a repurposed disaster relief tent. However, due to COVID-19, Bukjeh will deliver this engaging program online.

“Connection and belonging are important for all of us even though we must practice physical distancing,” says Aseel Tayah.

Key Dates: The program commences on Monday 15 June with new programs every weekday until 23 June.
Cost: All workshops and events are free to attend.
Location: Workshops will be held via Zoom and are accessible via the Bukjeh website.

No prior knowledge is required to participate in the program of events.

More information and booking info: https://bukjeh.com.au/programs

Messages of Support – Footpath decals in Darebin

Council is not able to hold in-person community activities to celebrate Refugee Week 2020 because of COVID-19 restrictions. However, it is still important to adapt how we acknowledge and celebrate Refugee Week.

 

In East Preston and East Reservoir, local community groups and schools have generously contributed their messages and drawings in support for refugees and asylum seekers.

The messages reflect the hope and inspirations, as well as a warm welcome from the community, and have been turned into neighbourhood footpath decals for everyone to enjoy.

 

The contributions are from Your Community Health, East Preston Islamic College and East Reservoir Neighbours for Change.

See if you can spot the decals along

• Strathmerton Street and Dunne Street in Reservoir
• Tyler Street, Greenbelt Avenue, Crevelli Street and Newton Street in Preston

 

 

It is an annual celebration which promotes the rights and welfare of children and young people globally.  Now more than ever, it is important that we provide opportunities for children to have a say and to ensure that their voices are heard.

Children and young people aged 0-18 years in Darebin are invited to respond to this statement:

“Things that are important to me are….”

View this flyer for methods of response, submission deadlines (updated to Saturday 11 December) and display of submitted items at Darebin Libraries and Bundoora Homestead Art Centre’s digital gallery.

A selected number of entries will be displayed at Darebin Libraries and in the digital gallery at Bundoora Homestead Arts Centre. It is recommended that participants take a photo of their submitted items as original items cannot be returned. The Council may contact participants about the potential future use of submitted works in Council media and publications and/or exhibitions.

Please note that there are no prizes for submissions. Entries must include the full name, contact telephone number and email address for the entrant.

Please contact our Early Years Team should you require assistance with participating in this activity at early.years@darebin.vic.gov.au

Children's Week is running from Saturday 24 October to Sunday 1 November 2020, with thousands of Victorian children taking part in the festivities across the state which celebrate childhood.

The theme for this year’s Children’s Week is 'Children have the right to choose their own friends and connect safely with others’. Visit the Victorian Department of Education to learn more about this years theme.

Due to COVID-19 quarantine restrictions, the Early Years Team have assembled a program of nine activities for children aged 0-12 years of all abilities to simply have fun at home and in community.  All activities involve minimal resources which are easy to access. 

If you have any questions about Children's Week and participating in any of the activities, please email early.years@darebin.vic.gov.au or call Julie Graney on 0413 807 858.

 

International Women's Day is a day when individuals, organisations and governments around the world celebrate the social, cultural and political achievements of women. It's also as a day to raise awareness and take action against gender-based discrimination and violence.

This year, due to COVID-19, we have planned our celebrations a little differently. The main event in Darebin’s International Women’s Day calendar is the Molly Hadfield Social Justice Oration - a free public lecture held in recognition of local resident and community activist Molly Hadfield and her contributions to a fairer and more inclusive society. For #IWD2021, instead of the traditional in-person event, we’ve commissioned writers and creatives to produce a written piece and visual artwork inspired by themes of social justice. We can’t wait to share the final work with you once it’s complete – stay tuned!

Contact Council's Gender Equity Officer - Diversity@darebin.vic.gov.au or call 8470 8498

Darebin City Council is continually following the up-to-date advice of the leading authorities on the Coronavirus, in relation to the safety of our community and staff. We will continually provide updates of any changes through the FUSE festival website.

There are 20 planned backyard garden tours and workshops to get you inspired to grow your own fresh healthy food. Topics including permaculture, aquaponics, backyard quails and chicken keeping, organic pest and disease management, propagating, composting and fruit tree maintenance. There are also two free open gardens where you can explore the abundance of a local community garden and school kitchen garden.

Tours and workshops run from between 60-120 minutes and cost $12 full / $6 concession. Take advantage of our $8 / $4 discount offer when you buy tickets to three or more events in the one transaction. Kids under 16 can attend for free.

To see the program and buy tickets, visit ww.fusedarebin.com.au

 

The 2020 Darebin School’s NAIDOC Yarning Conference was held virtually on October 20, 2020. More than 900 students from 18 schools participated in the event, which was hosted by Spark Health.

A booklet has been produced featuring many of the beautiful poems and posters created by students for this year's conference. Click here to download the booklet.

We look forward to presenting the 2021 Yarning Conference next year, hopefully in person. Stay tuned for more details.

IDAHOBIT also affirms the strength, resilience and contributions of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex and Questioning (LGBTIQ) people and their families, allies and supporters. In Darebin, we are proud of our diverse community. As the closest level of government to the community, we believe that we have an important role in challenging homophobia, biphobia and transphobia and promoting social inclusion and human rights for all, regardless of sexuality, sex characteristics or gender identity.

We recognise that discrimination can have serious negative consequences on the social and emotional well being of our residents. We are committed to strengthening community cohesion and connectedness by celebrating diversity and promoting respect for all. 

 

 

National Sorry Day is an Australia-wide observance held on May 26 each year. This day gives people the chance to come together and share the steps towards healing for the Stolen Generations, their families and communities. Stolen generations refer to Indigenous Australians who were forcibly removed from their families and communities.

National Reconciliation Week (NRW) is celebrated across Australia each year between 27 May and 3 June and commemorates two significant milestones in the reconciliation journey: the anniversaries of the successful 1967 referendum and the High Court Mabo decision. The week is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures and achievements and to explore how each of us can join the national reconciliation effort.

Update (22 April 2021) :  

Early Years Parenting Programs 

Early Years Parenting Programs are targeted to new parents and families with pre-school children in Darebin.  In April, we will be introducing two new parenting programs for families in Darebin.

• A dental hygiene program, Brush, Book, Bed for families with young children aged 0-5 years will be delivered as a single 1.5 hour session each Tuesday afternoon.  It is a highly interactive and educational session helping parents and carers to teach children to brush their teeth and practice good dental hygiene.  Sessions include songs and play-based learning strategies.  Parents and carers participate in the program with their children in the session.  Registration via Eventbrite session time 1pm-2.30pm (Term 2, Tuesdays dates available 27 April - 22 June).
• The Parent-Child Mother Goose program which is an ongoing weekly group including rhymes, songs and storytelling for parents/carers to enjoy with their children.  Parent-Child Mother Goose is an evidence-based program that strengthens attachment and interaction between parents or carers and their young children by introducing them to the pleasure and power of using rhymes, songs and stories together.  The program is targeted to Darebin families with children aged 0-4 years who are seeking regular attendance at a quality interactive program delivered by qualified facilitators on a weekly basis.  This will be an ongoing group and places are limited.  Registration via MS Bookings. (Term 2, Thursdays dates available 22 April - 24 June). Please book on the 22 April date on the MS Bookings calendar as this is the start date for the weekly program. When the booking is full you have the option to register for the waiting list also available on the 22 April date.

Should you wish to make suggestions for the schedule of Early Years Parenting Programs, please forward your feedback to Early Years leader at early.years@darebin.vic.gov.au. 
 

Further resources for parents with young children listed below;

Information for Parents re COVID-19 
coronavirus.vic.gov.au
https://raisingchildren.net.au/guides/coronavirus-covid-19-guide 

Playgroup Victoria – Play Ideas 
Playgroup Victoria have published play at home ideas for families in isolation: 
https://www.playgroup.org.au/news/20-days-of-play-at-home/