Creating Safer Communities | Hearts & Hands Community Development

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UMBRELLA
HEARTS

The Umbrella Ribbon campaign is currently in operation in Australia & Philippines.

The Umbrella Hearts Ribbon project:

a child protection awareness activity
a campaign to encourage our community to stand-up against child abuse in all its forms
accepting the challenge to keep our children safe from harm
raising community awareness that it is NEVER the victim's fault
an opportunity to promote to groups/conduct stalls about the importance of child protection

The Ribbon:

The ribbon has raindrops (tears), that signify the trauma some children may have experienced, and the umbrella (a protective shield) represents the carers who choose to care for and protect children.

Wearing the ribbon:

The Umbrella is a symbol of protection. By wearing the ‘Umbrella Ribbon’, you show that you care about the children and that you know it is important to care for and protect children from harm.

It’s not OK to hurt a child.

Every day it’s not OK

The message:

You will step up and protect children
You will have the hard conversations
You will be the child's umbrella (their shield).
You will let it be known it is NOT OK to hurt children
You will NOT stay silent if a child is being abused

Umbrella Hearts 'Ribbon campaign':

Hearts and Hands Chairperson, Astrid Hocking, with many years of experience working within the education, welfare and child out-of-home care & protection sector, witnessed the lasting and devastating effect violence and abuse have on the victim and their families, thus the Umbrella Hearts 'Ribbon campaign' was born.

Umbrella Hearts - Ribbon Campain was launched in Australia and the Philippines in 2015 to raise awareness of children living with violence and abuse.

At Hearts and Hands ‘Umbrella Hearts', we believe it takes a community, every person, every day, to keep children safe. We must remember, children are our future. Together let's make it a good one.

What can we do?
It is a simple thing to do, wear the Umbrella Ribbon proudly and talk to others about why you wear it and your belief that children deserve protection. That you, as one member of your community will stand up and be counted, you will no longer stay silent or turn a blind eye to child abuse.

Objectives:
The Umbrella Hearts Project intends:

to raise awareness of violence & abuse occurring within our community
to encourage people to individually take a stand against violence and abuse and not be afraid to report it
to encourage the community to understand, "it takes a community to raise a child"
to ensure it is up to all of us to care for the safety of our children and others
to raise the understanding that no child or person deserves to live in fear, poverty or abuse
to raise understanding that violence and abuse in all its forms is a criminal activity and should be treated as such
to encourage community individuals to not turn a blind eye to violence or abuse of any kind
to raise understanding that it is NEVER the victim’s fault
to encourage you to report abuse, that you are aware of to the appropriate authorities.
to bring this criminal act out into the light where it can be dealt with.