Equal Playing Field successfully completed its 4th Batch Change-maker’s Training themed Super Heroes, that brought 18 young people together at Gateway Hotel from September 25– 30.
As part of an Australian-Aid funded Programme, EPF runs its EPF Academy changemaker’s training every six months to equip new volunteers to deliver its Equal Playing Field for School Programme (EPF4S) currently at the schools here in Port Moresby, and in the near future, roll-out to other provinces.
The training covered themes like understanding violence against women, gender equality, child abuse and child protection, and how to deliver respectful relationship education to Papua New Guinean Schools.
Participants learn that gender based violence (GBV) is about the abuse of power whether, the power is real or perceived.
Throughout the duration of the training, absorbed new information about the changing gender norms, roles and responsibilities, and why working with adolescent pupils in schools is a very effective way in ending violence against women and children for our current and future generations.
Equal Playing Field’s CEO and co-founder, Adam Everill, challenged the new volunteers to join with the EPF Family; PNG’s largest group of respectful relationship educators, in leading change in their families, communities and country as a whole.
The training also provided for some, an avenue to share their personal experiences about violence and find some form of healing.
Equal Playing Field’s Trainee Project Officer, Lolowo Gimiseve, further stated that knowing almost everyone has experience with violence, and the training was an opportunity to come out and speak about violence. Lolowo expresses that the society believes violence is a norm and the defying silence, stigma and discrimination haunts individuals from living their lives to the fullest.
“I personally believe that we are reaching new heights every time we run these sort of training because of the richness of the experiences shared. Equal Playing Field is truly evolving as a movement for change for the young people and by the young people themselves. Seeing young people having the same passion that I have to fight against violence against women and children was empowering as an individual. Facilitating sessions that had them connect, gave me a renewed sense of hope that, that change is really at our finger-tips through our togetherness,” Ms Gimiseve added.
The theme for this change-maker’s training was superheroes. Describing superheroes as selfless individuals who fight against evil and bring about a better cause; justice, peace, fairness and order.
EPF’s flagship programme, Equal Playing Field for School (EPF4S), is an eight- week healthy relationship programme that uses sport as a tool of all kind to engage adolescent boys and girls in frank and open discussions on relationships, define healthy, positive and non-violent expressions of masculinity to create stronger, safer and happier communities.
Equal Playing Field’s model has been recognised as an ’emerging best practice’ at two recent international conferences in Fiji and Australia. They are described as leading the way in developing a whole-of-community approach for the Pacific, continuing to innovate and grow with the help of their staff and the communities they work with.
You can also check out Equal Playing Field Facebook page for more information.
