Helenvale women to help fight violence, drug abuse
A GROUP of Helenvale women are ready to take on social issues and help others in need thanks to a life skills programme aimed at empowerment and bettering the lives of others.
The women, 48 from the Helenvale Women’s Group, graduated yesterday from a nine-week course presented by The Herald General Motors 2011 Citizen of the Year finalist John Preller.
The women received certificates during a ceremony held at the Helenvale Resource Centre yesterday.
Preller said he had conducted the workshop with the aim of empowering the group with skills and knowledge.
He had noticed that the Helenvale community was faced with domestic violence and substance abuse.
“Over the past nine weeks they attended life skills and community motivational training in areas of domestic violence awareness and understanding, substance abuse and peer pressure.
“I want them to be able to go to the Helenvale community to ignite a sense of awareness, share skills and the ability to overcome the problems they are faced with,” Preller said. The women came dressed in black T-shirts bearing the slogan, “Enough is enough”.
Unemployed mother of two Joycelyn Moses, 25, said she had learnt a lot.
“I was raped in 2012 by someone known to me. Since then I have been having difficulties talking about it. Things changed when I joined this group. For the first time I opened up about my experience.
“I now feel I can help other women in a similar situation,” Moses said.
Felicity Blou, 55, said her life had changed for the better.
“I used to stress a lot because I had nothing to do at my place. I have learnt a lot about dealing with domestic violence in my community and how to teach young kids and even the older people about substance abuse.
“It is good to know that there are people who are willing to listen to our problems without judging us,” Blou said.