Bookmarks

Raising awareness and educating people to create and sustain positive and safe relationships.

Concern about an act of violence against a young woman, who then felt she was to blame for not doing as her boyfriend wanted, led the Yeovil club to research information and seek a resource that would educate and empower young people to understand that they do not have to tolerate abuse or controlling behaviour in a relationship. Few resources on prevention were available and so the club created a bookmark that would appeal to all ages, gave a simple message, be easily accessible to pick up and take away and give a helpline for those who needed support.

The bookmark was circulated to professionals in education, women’s refuge and domestic abuse forum and the feedback for its proposed use as an educational resource was excellent both as a resource for schools and the public.

A four-month pilot was set up with 5,000 bookmarks funded by Bridgwater, Taunton and Yeovil Soroptimist Clubs and all three worked together to distribute them and then collect feedback from various venues in the community and selected schools and colleges across Somerset and Dorset.

The evaluation was very positive and now the bookmark needs to be where it will make a difference, as a resource to all Year 9 children in education as part of their Healthy Relationships programme and across venues in the community.

Yeovil and District Club were winners of a Soroptimist International Good Practice Award for its work on this project and they wish to share this project for use across the UK. Clubs can use it as they wish and can print it themselves or through a local contact with the following provisos:

• The copy must remain the same with copyright SI Yeovil and District. Clubs can substitute ‘working with SI Taunton and SI Bridgwater’ with their own club’s name and change the national helpline number with a local one if it is more relevant but remember the national one crosses boundaries.
• The SIGBI website must remain so that any named club can be tracked if communication is sought.
• The bookmark can be translated to another language.
• No charge other than those to cover printing costs are to be made for its use

The cross-government “Together We Can End Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy” announced on the 25th November 2009 signals a focus on preventing violence from happening. Yeovil welcomes this strategy and will continue their efforts to keep it current and active. They continue to raise awareness of this resource, contact organisations who may wish to use the bookmark and seek funds locally to have more printed. Please pass the information to any organisation you feel appropriate as it can only be successful if it is seen. If you use the bookmark feedback will be welcomed. A brief description of its use and any outcome will be appreciated for the club's records.

For further information please contact the Yeovil club either directly, or via this website 

For information on this club, visit their website