A groundbreaking education program designed to empower students in years eight to 10 to foster gender equality, promote diversity and inclusion, and build healthy, respectful relationships officially launched in South Australian schools this week.
The ‘Raiise Respect’ Sporting Clubs and Schools Program, funded by the Malinauskas Labor Government, has been developed as part of the Raiise Respectful Club Environment Program which is already underway in sports clubs.
Raiise Respect is a comprehensive, interactive eLearning platform addressing critical topics including the role everyone plays in preventing violence against girls and women, respectful relationships and gender equality using engaging modules that encourage active participation from students.
The program was launched by the SA Minister for Women and the Prevention of Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence, Katrine Hildyard at Cabra College this week before ramping up across the state in 2025.
The program is aligned with the Australian Curriculum and focuses on addressing the root causes of gender-based violence.
“The Raiise Respect program is a game-changer for schools and communities, equipping young people with the tools they need to create a future where respect and equality are the norm and harmful attitudes about women and the roles that men and women should play are a thing of the past,” Hildyard says.
“We know that as we focus on advancing change to help prevent violence that harmful attitudes about women are being perpetuated, including online by the likes of Andrew Tate, and that our work must continue.
“We are determined to combat these harmful attitudes because every young person has the right to grow up in an environment where they feel and are respected and included.
“When we combine education with action, we create genuine change. Through Raiise, our students are building their confidence in speaking up against violence and inequality and learning to build the inclusive environments that benefit everyone.”
Standing up against gender-based violence
Launching during the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, the program aims to challenge harmful stereotypes and equip young people with the knowledge and tools to create safe school environments.
Raiise Respect seeks to educate students on the importance of respect, diversity, inclusivity, and bystander intervention – echoing Chief of Army, Lieutenant-General David Morrison’s impactful message: “The standard you walk past is the standard you accept”.
The spelling of Raiise is a deliberate choice to challenge the norms and create a visual representation of what the program’s all about. The double “i” represents two stick figures standing together side by side, without gender, hierarchy or rank, encapsulating Raiise’s message of unity, harmony, strength and equality.
Schools are invited to sign up for the program via the Raiise website, where they can access resources, lesson plans, and support materials. The program is available for a 60-day trial, allowing schools to experience its benefits firsthand. For those who wish to have the program facilitated, there is also an option for expert-led delivery by trained facilitators.
Sporting clubs who have engaged with the Raiise Respectful Club Environments Program will receive digital access to the program for the young people at their club at no charge.
Enabling students to be themselves
“At Cabra, we have multiple mechanisms, including a strong Well-being Framework, which would be an opportune space to deliver a program like this,” Sally Ivens, Deputy Principal, Teaching and Learning, Cabra Dominican College says.
“The contemporary resources provided as part of the program support educators in facilitating these integral learning opportunities to challenge gender-based discrimination, whilst allowing students to grow in confidence to be themselves and have a positive impact on others.”
