More Love Bites facilitators needed in Bendigo

Bendigo Community Health Services is seeking professionals who work with young people aged 15 and over to join with them in promoting healthy relationships and saying no to violence.

BCHS is hosting free training for people to facilitate the evidence-based Love Bites Respectful Relationships Program.

The National Association for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect program is based on best practice standards for education as recommended by the Australian Domestic and Family Violence Clearinghouse and other leading academics in the area of violence against women.

Right now, BCHS Health Promotion officer Siobhan Sullivan is Bendigo’s only Love Bites facilitator. She said after 12 months of delivering the program in local schools, more people were needed to spread its message.

“The response to the sessions that have already been run in Bendigo has been really positive and there’s been an increase in young people’s knowledge around what makes a healthy relationship, and how to identify red flags in unhealthy relationships,” she said.