New bilingual community educators in FGM

The NSW Education Program on female genital mutilation (FGM) completed 14 days of training on 14 September 2017.

Seven bilingual women from six CALD communities, including Egyptian, Kurdish, Gujurat, Somali, Swahili and Sudanese, have been trained to work as bilingual community workers with the program.

The training consisted of 14 full days learning facilitator skills, adult education principles and methods, health information and education on FGM.

The aim of the training was to equip participants in facilitating the Women’s Health and Traditions in a New Society (WHATSIN) program, which is part of the NSW Education Program’s community education program.

WHATINS is an 11-session program that covers a variety of health topics and information to women about health services available in NSW, including maintaining a healthy lifestyle, child protection and the NSW Legislation against FGM.

The program is facilitated by women in their own language in a safe environment, where they can discuss and share information.

Read some of the feedback from the trainees below:

“I received detailed information about FGM and the harms or consequences it has on a woman’s health”.

“I enjoyed sharing and listening to different perspectives from others in the group.”

“I have learnt a lot about my rights, child protection and domestic violence laws and information on FGM.”

“The most useful thing I understood was about the woman’s body parts and hormones”.

“I enjoyed listening to the information and the stories that we all shared.”

To refer women to the WHATINS programs, contact Linda George on 9840 3910.