The seminar brought together almost 1000 professionals - both in person and online - across the youth and community services, education, justice, health, law enforcement and academic sectors, all of whom are working to support young people and reduce violence in communities across Victoria came together .
The seminar featured the following keynote speakers:
- Karyn McCluskey, CEO of Community Justice Scotland and co-founder of the Scottish Violence Reduction Unit
- Hannah Singleton and Deng Deng from the Western Bulldogs Community Foundation.
Afterwards, Abraham Kuol, Senior Adviser to the VRU and Victoria’s 2026 Young Australian of the Year, facilitated a lived-experience panel discussion.
Together, all speakers showcased approaches to violence prevention in practice and highlighted the importance of collaborative partnerships in creating safer, stronger communities
Opening addresses
Andrea Davidson, CEO Violence Reduction Unit
VRU’s CEO Andrea Davidson provided the opening remarks for the seminar.
The Hon. Sonya Kilkenny, Attorney-General and Minister for the Violence Reduction Unit
The Attorney-General spoke about the importance of taking a public health approach to violence prevention to achieve meaningful and lasting results.
She emphasised that this work requires a collective commitment across all sectors to identify risks and drivers of violence, collaborate with local communities, and create opportunities to positively change the trajectory of young people’s lives.
Keynote speakers
Karyn McCluskey, Chief Executive of Community Justice Scotland and co-founder of the Scottish Violence Reduction Unit.
Karyn shared valuable insights into Scotland's VRU journey and the evidence supporting a public health approach to violence prevention.
Drawing on her experience, she demonstrated that by working collaboratively across sectors, and alongside young people, families and communities, we can improve outcomes for young people and strengthen community safety.
Hannah Singleton and Deng Deng from the Western Bulldogs Community Foundation
The second presentation by Hannah Singleton and Deng Deng highlighted the work of the Western Bulldogs Community Foundation.
They guided the audience through practical examples of how public health principles are applied through community programs that support young people and families across Melbourne’s West.
Lived-experience panel discussion
Abraham Kuol facilitated an insightful panel discussion featuring lived-experience mentors and practitioners Zayd Safi, Ajak Peter, Moses M. Riek, Lueth Akue and Florence Hafoka.
The speakers explored the realities of working as lived-experience practitioners, including the challenges they face and the positive impact of their work.
They discussed the critical role mentoring plays in engaging and supporting young people, the service gaps that need to be addressed to improve responses, and the importance of collaborative partnerships in helping young people make positive and lasting changes in their lives.
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