NEWSLETTERISSUE 2 2016

Every child deserves to feel safe

IN THIS ISSUE . REMEMBERING PORT ARTHUR . ANDY’S STORY . HOW OUR PROGRAMS MAKE A DIFFERENCE . DIGITAL LICENCE SCHOLARSHIPS . KEEPING AUSTRALIA SAFE FROM GUN VIOLENCE

Look at us! Our 20th year presents an opportune time to update the look of our brand.

One thing that has not changed is the drawing: of Alannah and her little sister Madeline, holding hands. Created as part of a family portrait drawn by Alannah Mikac just months before she died, it has very special meaning and it continues to be an honour to have her drawing representing our Foundation.

Our website has been revised; not only does it look more contemporary, it is also much easier to navigate. Learn about the Foundation, our programs, the latest news, events and campaigns, as well as how you can get involved, from volunteering to fundraising to donating.

Have a look at amf.org.au

Starry’s set to shine Starry Starry Night, our spectacular annual gala ball, is the Alannah & Madeline Foundation’s major fundraising event.

This year’s Starry Starry Night will be held on Saturday 19 November at Palladium at Crown in Melbourne. It will be a particularly special event this year, as we not only remember all those lost and affected by the Port Arthur tragedy 20 years ago, but also celebrate the work of the Foundation in helping keep our children safe – work that could not have been achieved without our wonderful supporters.

Join host Melissa Doyle AM and hundreds of other celebrities and guests as we bid on some amazing auction items, win prizes and dine and dance the night away. Don’t miss out!

For tickets and sponsorship opportunities, please visit amf.org.au

OUR HISTORY

The Alannah & Madeline Foundation is a national charity focusing on protecting children from violence and creating behaviour change in the community to reduce bullying and cyber bullying.

The Foundation was set up in memory of Alannah and Madeline Mikac, aged six and three, who were tragically killed with their mother and 32 others at Port Arthur, Tasmania, in 1996. Our vision is that every child will live in a safe and supportive environment.

International Patron HRH Crown Princess Mary of Denmark

National Patron The Hon Malcolm Turnbull MP, Prime Minister of Australia

Patron and Founder Walter Mikac

Chief Executive Officer Lesley Podesta

Chairman John Bertrand AO

OUR BOARD

Peter BlundenRichard BrougTerry Hearity OAM

Launa InmanHolly KramerGreg SutherlandPaul Waldren

International Advisory Board Dr Edward de Bono

CONTACT US

PO Box 5192 South Melbourne VIC 3205 t 1300 620 747 e info@amf.org.au w amf.org.au

/AlannahandMadeline

/alannahmadeline

/alannahmadeline

/alannahandmadeline

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Chairman’s message This year is a particularly significant year for the Alannah & Madeline Foundation.

On 28 April we marked 20 years since the horror of Port Arthur. I was honoured to speak at the Foundation’s candlelight vigil that night, standing alongside our Founder, Walter Mikac. He is a truly remarkable Australian.

As Walter says “the power of love and creation will always triumph over the power of destruction and revenge,” and you only need to meet him to believe it’s true.

The legacy he has created in the Foundation has enabled us to reach 1.6 million children through our programs. It’s a passionate team that continues to deliver our world-

leading programs every day.

The significance of the 20th anniversary of Port Arthur presented an ideal time to welcome new CEO, Lesley Podesta. Lesley spoke eloquently at the vigil, was surrounded by media coverage and launched our gun petition – all in her first week on the job. That’s impressive in anyone’s language.

Lesley continues in steering us toward our vision that every child should live in a safe and supportive environment as well as the celebration of 20 years of the Alannah & Madeline Foundation in April 2017.

As always, there are many ways to get involved with the Foundation, from partnerships, to volunteering,

donating and attending events.

We thank you all for your continued support and I look forward to welcoming you at one of our events in the near future.

John Bertrand AO

CEO’s message I am delighted to be writing this message as my first in the role of CEO of the Alannah & Madeline Foundation.

I’d firstly like to thank Dr Judith Slocombe for handing over the reins in such an ideal manner; her leadership and steering of the Foundation over the past 10 years has enabled me to seamlessly step into the role.

The welcome by, and support from, the Board and staff has made my transition into the role seem effortless.

I have also greatly valued meeting our donors, partners and volunteers over the past couple of months and I look forward to spending more time with you all.

Reflecting on these first months, it is a privileged challenge that I have taken on. Standing together with Walter Mikac at Federation Square in Melbourne on 28 April, we reflected on and commemorated all those lost and affected by the tragedy at Port Arthur on that date in 1996. You can read more about this poignant occasion further in this newsletter.

At the same time we launched our gun petition, calling on the Australian Government to ensure gun laws return in line with the National Firearms Agreement 1996 that were enacted immediately following Port Arthur. Two decades on, some groups are now calling for the Agreement to be loosened and for easier access to guns such as the Adler A110. There is no place for these guns on our streets. We urge you to unite with us and sign the petition to help keep Australia a safer place to live. You can sign the petition at change.org

As you can also see, our newsletter and logo have been refreshed. Our newly updated websites are easier to navigate and have more, accessible information. Whilst our look may have changed, our values remain firm.

We welcome your feedback on our new look.

As we continue to deliver our programs, plans are well underway for 2017, when we celebrate our 20th year of helping keep children safe from violence.

It’s also with great pleasure that we congratulate our Chairman, John Bertrand, on becoming a member

of the Order of Australia (AO) for services to children’s welfare and sports administration, in particular swimming and sailing, and the mentoring of young people. In addition to being our Chairman, he also chairs Swimming Australia and The Sport Australia Hall of Fame. A well deserved honour.

But for now, in this newsletter you can read updates on all our programs and the demonstrated difference we make, see diary dates for key events as well as how your generous support directly helps children in need every day.

Until next time,

Lesley Podesta

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Remembering those lost at Port Arthur 20 years agoOn Thursday 28 April at Federation Square in Melbourne we stood together to mark the 20th anniversary of the Port Arthur tragedy.

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#purplefor portarthur Iconic buildings and landmarks around Melbourne lit up in purple – the colour of the Foundation – on the night of the 28 April in commemoration.

Thank you to 120 Collins building, AAMI Park, Bolte Bridge, Federation Square, Forum Theatre, Melbourne Arts Centre spire, Melbourne Star, Melbourne Town Hall, Parliament House Victoria, Royal Exhibition Building and State Library Victoria for shining purple for Port Arthur.

See the slideshow on our Facebook page /AlannahandMadeline

Hosted by media personality and Foundation Ambassador Melissa Doyle AM, the event included moving speeches by Founding Patron Walter Mikac, Chairman John Bertrand AO, and CEO Lesley Podesta, with performances by the Australian Youth Choir, media presenter and singer Gorgi Coghlan, guitarist Jon Delany and the Foundation’s very own violinist, Jeremy Blackman.

Hundreds of guests paid tribute to those lost by laying flowers and candles on a heart-shaped memorial.

Walter said the event was a wonderful dedication to his family and those with a connection to the tragedy.

“I ALWAYS SAY THAT THE ONLY TWO POSITIVE THINGS

THAT CAME OUT OF PORT ARTHUR WERE THE GUN LAW REFORMS AND THE ALANNAH & MADELINE FOUNDATION,”

WALTER SAID.

Melissa said she felt extremely honoured to be involved with the Foundation, particularly this event.

“As a mother of two, the safety of my children is my greatest priority,” Melissa said. “To know that the Foundation is doing the amazing work it does every day makes me feel better about the country I live in.”

John paid to tribute to Walter and other survivors for their resilience in building positive legacies since the tragedy.

He said the event provided an important reminder to Australia’s state and territory governments on the need to keep firearm laws strong.

“The Foundation has helped more than 1.6 million children over the past 19 years,” John said. “And it’s only because of Walter’s strength that this amazing work has been done.”

Thank you to everyone who attended – you all helped make it a very special and moving occasion.

Remembering those lost at Port Arthur 20 years ago

AAMI Park

Bolte Bridge

Parliament House Victoria

WITH YOUR SUPPORT WE CAN HELP CHILDREN

LIKE ANDY RECOVER FROM TRAUMA

Andy’s story

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Every child deserves to feel safeAndy suffered years of physical, verbal and emotional abuse at the hands of his father. It was a constant part of his life until recently, when his mother summoned the courage to leave Andy’s father.

As a result of the violence in his life, Andy had very low self-esteem and didn’t trust anyone. He struggled socially and developed issues with his speech, making communicating with others even harder.

Conditions like these are typical for children like Andy. Those who have been traumatised can suffer more ill health, feel insecure and have difficulty learning and managing their emotions. It distorts children’s perceptions of themselves and makes it difficult to trust others.

Trauma can present itself in many different ways and it can be difficult to identify, but can present for example, as bed wetting, ADHD tenancies, eating disorders, bullying and introversion.

Imagine how your life would be without the ability to trust anyone. To be fearful of everyone. The consequences are many and detrimental to the whole community.

Andy was an incredibly withdrawn teen, both at home and at school. He often spent lunch alone in the library as immersing himself in reading and books was a safe escape from his challenges of every day. No one could harm him when he escaped within his books.

It was Andy’s school that referred him to the Alannah & Madeline Foundation’s Children Ahead program. The program provides one

on one intensive case management support for children to help them recover from traumatic events or violent circumstances by addressing their physical, social, educational and emotional needs.

THE PROGRAM IS UNIQUE AS IT IS BASED ON THE

WELLBEING OF THE CHILD FIRST AND FOREMOST,

HELPING BUILD RESILIENCE AND SELF-ESTEEM SO THE

CHILD CAN DEAL WITH THEIR SITUATION, AND START THE

ROAD TO RECOVERY.

Within a few months, trust was slowly established between Andy and his case manager. It wasn’t easy and it was slow-going. But no matter how small the steps were initially, Andy progressed well, gradually becoming more confident in understanding and exploring his feelings towards his family. He was able to develop and practice strategies to manage his fear and anxiety in a safe environment with a worker he had grown to trust.

His teachers were supportive and encouraged him to participate in activities at school but outside of school, Andy had limited positive social experiences to learn from and build on.

With financial assistance from the Alannah & Madeline Foundation, Andy attended a four day camp, which presented huge challenges for him: it was the first time he had been involved in any community activity outside of school.

The camp gave Andy opportunities to gain positive social experiences with children his own age for the first time. His barriers slowly began to crumble as he started to trust others and was able to do things, even relatively small things such as ride the flying fox – which he had never imagined doing, let alone love doing.

Even though Andy was still intimidated, scared and nervous, he now found he could overcome these feelings, or at least, manage them.

He also has newly developed social skills he can use in different areas of his life. He has respect for other people and Andy now realises that he is worthy of respect as well.

Andy’s teachers have reported a more confident, happier teenager who is communicating more with his peers and is now a student who is likely to stay at school. This alone will help him, and his family, and open up a world of opportunities, both now and into the future.

With your support, we can help children like Andy to recover from the devastating impact of violence, showing them a different world, a world that cares – and helping ensure a brighter future for us all.

Donate today at amf.org.au or call 1300 720 747.

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An eSmart school’s commitment to diversity

We love hearing the great work our eSmart schools are doing!

Earlier this year Woodridge State School in Queensland hosted 2016 Australian of the Year David Morrison AO and 2016 Young Australians of the Year Nic Marchesi and Lucas Patchett.

Joined by local community leaders and cultural elders, the guests celebrated two significant days in the school’s calendar: National Day of Action Against Bullying and

Violence and Harmony Day.

“With more than 30 nationalities represented at our school, we are delighted to showcase how our children respect difference,” said school Principal, Garry Molloy.

“A critical component to our success as a socially cohesive community is our commitment to nurturing a safe and supportive learning environment free from bullying, harassment, discrimination and violence,” he said.

The day’s premiere event was a Q&A session where students asked guests about what it means to be a brave global citizen.

Guided by teachers, students drew on both their own experiences and those of inspirational world figures to develop an understanding of what it means to stand up for what is right. They appreciated hearing from those prominent Australians who have demonstrated acts of physical and moral bravery in national and global contexts.

Our eSmart Schools framework is currently being rolled out in 2,200 schools across Australia and we recently received funding from the Department of Education to implement eSmart in 180 schools in Tasmania.

To see how your school can improve cyber safety and reduce cyber bullying and bullying, visit esmartschools.org.au

Spending time in the Cubby HouseOur award-winning Cubby House at the Broadmeadows Children’s Court continues to assist many young people who have been removed from their home because they are at risk.

A safe and welcoming room within the court, the Cubby House aims to reduce the effects of the trauma associated with attending court by providing a calm and engaging space for young people.

Recently, a 16 year old girl was brought to court on an emergency care order and was in the general waiting area for 10 minutes before

absconding. Brought back to court the following day, this time she was brought to the Cubby House on the second level.

Once there, the young woman engaged well with Charlie, our Cubby House youth worker, and stayed at court for the whole day. This meant she was able to talk to her lawyer, providing valuable – and critical – feedback on her current living situation. She was also able to advise what her wishes were moving forward. Without this input the decision would have been made by the court on her behalf.

During her time in the room she commented that it was comfortable and that she enjoyed having someone to talk to.

We are now pursuing opportunities to create more Cubby Houses in other children’s courts.

For more information, visit amf.org.au

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Buddy up for bullying On 15 June, hundreds of Australian schools participated in National Buddy Day, celebrating friendship while highlighting the issue of bullying in primary schools.

The initiative – developed by NAB and the Foundation – promotes the Better Buddies program, which pairs children in their first and last years of primary school to learn important values. This enables younger children to feel safe and cared for while older children feel valued and respected.

Almost 2,000 schools currently participate in Better Buddies, which complements existing school welfare programs and is easy to implement due to clear links with national curriculum initiatives.

Sue Cahill, Student Wellbeing Leader at St Charles Borromeo Primary School, believes Better Buddies continues to be the foundation of all relationships at her school because it is an embedded part of the culture. “It is values based and allows all our students to be in a trusting, respectful relationship with another.

“Student voice has taken it above and beyond the buddy relationship between preps and seniors, and it is a strategy written in our School Improvement Framework to support student wellbeing,” she said.

For more on Better Buddies and National Buddy Day, visit betterbuddies.org.au

Online safety a priorityThe Alannah & Madeline Foundation worked with the Young and Well Cooperative Research Centre and Western Sydney University to undertake an evaluation of eSmart Libraries.

The behaviour-change initiative was developed by the Alannah & Madeline Foundation in partnership with the Telstra Foundation and Australia’s Library Network. It connects libraries and their users with tools and resources that improve cyber safety and wellbeing, and facilitates digital inclusion in the community.

The eSmart Libraries evaluation drew on data from more than 500 participants in the data collection, with overwhelmingly positive results.

100% OF LIBRARIES ARE IMPLEMENTING CHANGES TO POLICIES AND PROCEDURES TO ENSURE ONLINE SAFETY.

Being an eSmart Library means staff and patrons know how to guard against security and privacy risks online, download content in a legal and ethical way, research and reference information, as well as manage reputation and relationships in cyber space. eSmart helps embed a culture of positive technology use, assists in the creation of policies and procedures, as well as providing access to evidence-informed resources.

Ninety percent of staff reported improved knowledge of how to be smart, safe and responsible online due to implementing the eSmart Libraries framework.

We’re so proud of the results and how it demonstrates – and reinforces – that our programs make a significant difference. To learn more, visit esmartlibraries.org.au

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Schools success with eSmart Digital LicenceHarcourt Valley Primary School, just north of Castlemaine in Victoria, is relatively small with 83 students. Wellbeing is a strong focus, with the Foundation’s Better Buddies and Digital Licence programs forming an important part of an integrated peer support approach.

In 2015 a local business, Storyline Developer, helped the Alannah & Madeline Foundation gift Harcourt Valley Primary with Digital Licences to help keep students safe online.

Matthew Watkins, a Grade 6 teacher and the ICT Coordinator at Harcourt Valley Primary, told us a major reason they implemented the Digital Licence was to respond to the ongoing concern for children’s online safety within the school community. They also wanted to ensure students are aware of the possible dangers in the cyber world as well as how to behave responsibly.

“The Digital Licence is a great program that allows children to explore how to be safe online in a fun and interactive way while exploring and engaging with so many relevant issues. This also extended to the involvement of the students’ families – a parent even helped to administer the program within the classroom!

“When discussing the Digital Licence after the students had worked through all eight cyber safety topics, they were upbeat about how the cyber safety messages were delivered. Staff were also very positive about what they had learned and how it had helped to get everyone onto the same page regarding cyber safety messaging.

“Many staff admitted that the Digital Licence contained information that they were not aware of, which will also help improve the outcomes of wellbeing programs – especially in regards to cyber bullying and cyber safety.

“The Digital Licence has been of great benefit to our students,” he said.

More than 200,000 students have already registered for the Digital Licence. For more information visit digitallicence.com.au

GIVE DIGITAL LICENCE SCHOLARSHIPS TO YOUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY

We are seeking support from businesses to gift Digital Licences to schools. It could be your own business, or a company local to your school.

Every child deserves to be protected and supported in the digital world. For more on scholarship opportunities, call 1300 668 056 or email scholarships@digitallicence.com.au

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Bags for BagsVisit any Target store across the country and buy a tote (right) or red reusable bag - proceeds from each sold supports the Buddy Bags program.

Buddy Bags Principal Partner, Target Australia, has been a great supporter of the Foundation since 2008, with funds from every bag sold going to our Buddy Bags program which helps children entering emergency accommodation by providing them with basic, essential items. Since that time we have delivered more than 65,000 Buddy Bags across Australia.

You can also support Buddy Bags by making a donation: sponsor a whole Buddy Bag or a component; monthly payment options are available. Visit amf.org.au to see how.

Shining a light on violenceOur Community Partner, Richmond Football Club, dedicated their Round 8 clash against Sydney Swans to the Foundation.

Richmond players wore Alannah & Madeline Foundation guernseys and our work was recognised in a special pre-game lighting ceremony, where the MCG was cast into darkness and footy fans were asked to stand against violence by turning on their phone lights.

The generosity of supporters helped raise an amazing $55,000 during the round with the support of Richmond and match sponsor, AGL Energy.

Richmond also has Alannah & Madeline Foundation membership packages on offer where all proceeds go to the Foundation. To get your membership visit membership.richmondfc.com.au

$55,000was raised thanks to the generosity of our supporters

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Help us keep Australia safe from gun violenceThe Alannah & Madeline Foundation is calling on the Australian Government to maintain the gun legislation, National Firearms Agreement 1996.

Introduced just months after the Port Arthur tragedy, the Agreement included the banning of all semi-automatic and automatic weapons.

Walter Mikac worked with then Prime Minister the Hon John Howard to introduce the legislation.

Since its enactment there has not been one mass shooting – four or more victims – in Australia. In the decade prior Port Arthur there were 11 mass shootings.

Now, worryingly, 20 years after our nation acted to stop more firearm deaths, there are groups calling for Australia’s gun laws to be loosened. This risks putting our children in danger again.

We have launched a Gun Control petition that calls on all state and territory to tighten loopholes on easier access to firearms and to ban guns such as the rapid fire shotgun Adler A110, which slips through current legislation.

Walter said there was no reason for Australians to own semi-automatic or automatic guns as legalising these weapons would only raise the risk of danger and death for more Australians.

He said it was his own personal goal, as well as the Foundation’s, to ensure no one else experienced the trauma that he went through 20 years ago.

“A significant legacy and one of the only good things to come of the 1996 Port Arthur tragedy, the day I lost my wife and children, was the establishment of the National Firearms Agreement 1996,” Walter said.

THE ALANNAH & MADELINE FOUNDATION OPPOSES ANY CHANGES TO LAWS THAT COULD INCREASE

ACCESS TO FIREARMS AND THE AFFILIATED INCREASED RISK OF HIGHER RATES OF HOMICIDES, SUICIDE, OR UNINTENTIONAL HARMS

FROM THE USE OF FIREARMS.

This includes the support of Gun Control Australia’s call to ban do-it-yourself magazine extensions, which can increase the number of cartridges fired on the controversial Adler A110 from five to 11. Lever-action firearms are able to fire shots in quick succession without having to be reloaded.

Like Walter, US President Barack Obama has continually applauded the Australian Government’s decision to enact tougher gun laws, calling on his own Congress to follow suit.

On October 1, 2015, President Obama made a point of naming both Australia and Great Britain as countries that have “crafted laws that have almost eliminated mass shootings”.

Australia has been identified as a leader in reducing deaths through gun violence and changing the National Firearms Agreement 1996 would reverse the good work that was done in the aftermath of the Port Arthur tragedy.

Alannah & Madeline Foundation CEO Lesley Podesta said it was vital that as many people as possible signed the petition to ensure all Australians are kept safe from any further gun violence.

“It is essential that the gun laws introduced in 1996 are retained now and into the future for the safety of our children, their children and generations to come.

“We need to ensure that any firearm that can fire shots at this rate cannot be attained by people looking to inflict harm on our children and families. We support the Australian Government’s current ban and review of the Adler A110 and urge all governments to keep our firearm laws strong,” Lesley said.

Our petition has attracted the support of prominent Australians and organisations including the Hon Julia Gillard former Prime Minister of Australia, the Hon Colin Barnett Premier of Western Australia, Jeremy Jones AM, Caroline Jones AO, Ann Sherry AO, Melissa Doyle AM, Andrew Gaze AM as well as Cricket Australia and Richmond Football Club.

More than 26,000 people have supported the petition as this newsletter goes to print. Stand with us in support of helping keep Australia safe from gun violence and sign the petition at change.org

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