Endeavour Group has this week announced it will offer domestic and family violence awareness training to all 28,000 of its staff members across Australia.
Staff across BWS, Dan Murphy’s and ALH Hotels in more than 1600 communities will receive the training, which has been developed by the group in close consultation with national sexual assault, domestic and family violence counselling service, 1800RESPECT.
BWS Managing Director Scott Davidson said the Endeavour Group staff interact with thousands of customers every week. The training will educate these staff on what constitutes domestic and family violence, what to do if they see signs of abuse, how to report it and what support systems are in place.
“We want our team to feel supported and to have the best information readily available to deal with critical issues, so they can remain safe and continue to serve local communities effectively and with empathy,” Davidson said.
“Earlier this year a female sought refuge in a BWS store, while seeking safety from her male partner. Team members quickly locked the door and called the police. The team acted bravely and did the right thing to keep the woman, team members and other customers safe inside the store. The new training will build awareness, but also empower team members to handle situations like this safely.
“The ripple effect of educating team members who live and work in so many Australian communities can be truly powerful.”
The training initiative will be rolled out in stages across the Endeavour Group network, including all in-store and hotel staff as well as delivery drivers, customer service agents and support offices. This is in addition to existing support offered by Endeavour Group internally, for team members who may be impacted by domestic and family violence themselves, including access to personal leave, financial assistance and mental health resources.
Endeavour Group’s General Manager of Endeavour X, Claire Smith, said: “Our drivers deliver directly to doorsteps, so they interact with customers at their own homes every day. This training will be invaluable for both them and the community as they can encounter people in potentially vulnerable situations
“At Endeavour Group, we are committed to creating a more sociable future together, which is why we’re really pleased to work with organisations like 1800RESPECT to enable meaningful change.”
Also involved with the development of this initiative was NSW Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence, Mark Speakman, who engaged with Endeavour Group’s Learning and Development Team alongside 1800RESPECT.
“Domestic violence destroys lives, and it’s clear that the only way to stop this scourge is by working together. Raising awareness and training workers can only have positive impacts and may very well save someone’s life,” Minister Speakman said.
The importance of such a strategy was echoed by Fiona Mort, Head of 1800RESPECT, who said it is vital for everyone to work together to tackle this issue.
“Sexual assault, domestic and family violence is prevalent in every postcode of our country. It does not discriminate. To address this issue at its core requires everyone to play their part to turn it off at the tap. This includes corporates, government, local community groups, schools, universities and amongst friendship circles. A program like this is a step in the right direction,” Mort said.
Likewise, Anne Ruston, Federal Minister for Families and Social Services, and Minister for Women’s Safety, applauded the Endeavour Group initiative while encouraging other Australian companies to think along the same lines.
“Domestic and family violence is a complex issue that must be addressed by working collaboratively across the private and public sectors,” Minister Ruston said.
“It is great to see companies such as Endeavour Group taking a leadership role in creating change by building a positive workplace culture and educating staff.”
Where to seek help
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic or family violence, there is help available. Contact:
- 1800RESPECT – call 1800 737 732: National Sexual Assault, Domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service for people living in Australia
https://www.1800respect.org.au/ - Men’s Referral Service – call 1300 766 491: Takes calls from Australian men dealing with family and domestic violence matters
http://mrs.org.au/ - Kid’s Help Line – call 1800 55 1800: Australia’s only free, private and confidential, telephone and online counselling service specifically for young people aged between 5 and 25.
http://kidshelpline.com.au/ - Lifeline – call 13 11 14: For anyone across Australia experiencing a personal crisis or thinking about suicide.
https://www.lifeline.org.au/