Creating Change Through Conversation: Nurture Scholar Reflects on Engagement in DFV Prevention

“Informed conversation has the power to support DFV prevention.”

Nicole Morwitch shares how the Nurture Scholarship and IAP2 Australasia Certificate of Engagement helped evolve her approach to community engagement on the complex issue of domestic and family violence.

The Nurture Engagement Scholarship Program, established by the Engagement Institute (formerly IAP2 Australasia) Board, provides access to the IAP2 Australasia Certificate of Engagement for staff and directors of small not-for-profits. The program supports regional and under-resourced organisations by offering fully funded, virtual training to strengthen community engagement practice across Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand.

Below, Communications and Engagement Specialist Nicole Morwitch shares how the program helped deepen her approach to social engagement in the domestic and family violence sector:

Domestic and family violence (DFV) is a social issue impacting all Australians, whether directly or indirectly. It’s present in every community across the nation and it’s an issue that needs widespread social engagement if we are to decrease the incidence, and the subsequent impact for individuals, families and society.

As the Communications and Engagement Specialist for domestic and family violence support service, Jenny’s Place, my role requires me to create connections, conversations and action across the full scope of our community; individuals, organisations and government. The aim of these connections is of course to raise awareness about DFV, but it’s also an important opportunity to collectively lift the social stigma so commonly associated with the issue. Our aim is to help every community member understand the indicators and experience of DFV so that they stay safe, and feel more comfortable and confident discussing the issue with family, peer groups and wider networks. Informed conversation has the power to support DFV prevention and creates the social change we need to safeguard future generations. The IAP2A training helped me explore new ways to start and extend these important conversations.

An initial observation from the program was that it prompted me to analyse our existing engagement practice, which on reflection was quite linear. As we progressed through the learning modules I discovered ways to expand our existing practice by building my engagement methodologies tool kit, which has allowed us to open the public dialogue more effectively. Among the many practical learnings, we are now embedding surveys consistently across various communications channels and events to invite participants to be more considered and intentional about their understanding of DFV. This process also provides us a deeper insight into social perceptions and interest, knowledge gaps and gives us the opportunity to authentically engage our community. Through these insights we’re able to prioritise the information we share through communications campaigns and advocacy so that our work in driving DFV prevention is genuinely responsive to social need.

I am immensely grateful to have been selected for the IAP2A Nurture Scholarship program and I look forward to continuing to apply the knowledge I have gained through my work in the DV sector.

Learn more about the Nurture Scholarship Program here.