Advocacy in the community

Equal Work Equal Pay Rally
YWCA of Adelaide staff and members joined hundreds in Adelaide, and thousands around the country, who all rallied on 10 June 2010 calling for better pay for working women in the community sector. With rallies held in 17 locations across the country, it was the biggest Australia-wide rally since the 1970s fight for equal pay for women. Women in full time paid work in Australia still earn 18 per cent less on average than men, which equates to $1 million less over a lifetime. This rally supports the Australian Services Union equal pay test case to address lower pay among female-dominated community sector workers; the professionals that all Australians rely on in times of individual and community crisis. In Adelaide, a petition of thousands of signatures was handed to Minister for the Status of Women, Gail Gago, who will table the petition in Parliament.

Fringe Opening Night Parade
YWCA of Adelaide program participants, members and staff make a noise at the Fringe Opening Night Parade!

Domestic Violence Vigils
YWCA of Adelaide attends domestic violence vigils which are held, tragically too regularly, on the steps of Parliament House in the wake of domestic violence deaths in South Australia.

International Women’s Day
YWCA of Adelaide hits the street every March for the International Women’s Day rally and march, and also attends the IWD breakfast.

Apology Anniversary Brunch
Geoffrey Cooper was a special guest at YWCA of Adelaide's Apology Anniversary Brunch, where we gathered in the shade alongside Tandanya on Friday 13 February.

'Coops' - who is a member of the Stolen Generation - shared his story about being taken from his school class, without any warning, and removed from his family at age 9. He also spoke about his placement at Glandore Boys Home, living with a foster family, and reconnecting with his family and community as an older man.

He talked about the impact of Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's Apology to the Stolen Generation in 2008, and in particular, the powerful response he had when two school children approached him at the Elder Park event, shook his hand, and said 'Sorry'. Coops said there is still much work to be done to achieve reconciliation in Australia, and to close the 17 year life expectancy gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.