Guest speakers Siobhan Wilson, Deb Tsorbaris, Dr Stephanie Wescott and Nathan Wallis.
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More than 180 community service professionals from across the Ovens and Murray region gathered for the second Ovens and Murray Community Services Symposium.
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Held under the theme ‘Stronger Together’, the event focused on improving outcomes for children, young people and families.
Practitioners, leaders, advocates and community organisations came together to share ideas and strengthen collaboration across the sector.
The symposium was jointly hosted by four regional alliances and supported by the Victorian Government.
The alliances were the Ovens Murray Child and Family Services Alliance, Ovens Family Violence Partnership, Ovens Murray and Goulburn Local Area Service Network, and the Ovens Murray Mental Health Alcohol and Drug Alliance.
The event opened with a Welcome to Country and cultural reflection from the founder of Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Education and a traditional owner of Bangerang Country, Uncle Dozer Atkinson.
Alana Pund, Leigh Pollard, Jaime Chubb and Kath Kerin.
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Uncle Dozer spoke about resilience, connection to Country and the significance of the Ovens and Murray rivers as places of gathering, care and preparation for generations.
Seventeen-year-old entrepreneur and advocate Siobhan Wilson, founder of Our Pixie Friends, shared her journey of living with trauma, disability, neurodivergence and chronic health challenges.
She spoke about the people she calls the “lights”, who helped guide her through difficult times and highlighted the impact that supportive relationships.
Australia's National Children's Commissioner Deb Tsorbaris challenged attendees to consider how children's voices could better shape policies, systems and services.
International neuroscience educator Nathan Wallis shared evidence-based insights into the importance of relationships and connection during early childhood.
Monash University researcher Dr Stephanie Wescott explored the contemporary challenges facing young people.
More than 180 people attended the second Ovens and Murray Community Services Symposium.
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She presented research on online misogyny and the growing influence of the ‘manosphere’ on young people's attitudes, relationships and experiences.
Oven Murray Family Violence Partnership chair Jaime Chubb said the strong attendance reflected the sectors’ commitment to collaboration.
“Across community services, education, health, justice and advocacy, we know that lasting change happens when we come together, share knowledge and remain open to learning,” she said.
Upper Murray Family Care executive director of child, family and community services Kath Kerin said the symposium highlighted the region's commitment to working together.
“By listening to young people as experts in their own lives, we can build a more connected system and achieve better outcomes for our whole community,” she said.
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