www.virwc.org.au

 "The line between discipline and freedom" - a multimedia interactive theatre performance that confronts parenting, children's rights and family violence.

This is the time to reflect on the misconceptions towards parenting in multicultural families in Australia.

When it comes to family, what is your worst childhood memory with your parents?
 

Or if you are a parent now, what is your worst parenting moment?

Everyone will probably come up with their own answer, very likely a different answer at different time too. We can’t all have a Freaky Friday experience to understand where our parents are coming from. Communication is always the key to a good relationship. But what if, before you get to speak for yourself, as the parent or as the child, somebody else has already put their words in your mouth?
 

Many immigrant families come from a distinctively different culture and they have their own sets of family values. However welcoming and accepting Australia is, there are times that we simply enforce the Australian code of parenting onto the multicultural parents. We may not be ignorant; we just lack the platform and information to understand the situations thoroughly.

This November 24 to 26, VIRWC and its partner organisations proudly present The line between discipline and freedom interactive multimedia theatre-forum. Whether you are one of the service providers, or in the multicultural community; the raw, confronting stories will surely bring you a new perspective on parenthood, children’s rights and domestic violence.

The VIRWC has worked with many women's organizations and groups to build leadership and sustainability for those groups. We build capacity and skills so that women can choose the goals that are important to them and their communities - and so that they can make lasting contribution. Some of our Community Arts projects includes:

“Lost in Transition, Mate!”

The “Lost in Transition, Mate!” is a 15 minute documentary video about 16 female international students from different ethnic backgrounds. In the video the students talk about living in Melbourne, their favourite sites, perception of multiculturalism and differences in values and culture vis-à-vis Australian society. The students are portrayed as being in transition and shown as both forward-looking and introspective participants of Australian society. “Lost In Transition, Mate!” is a powerful digital media tool that can be used to raise cultural awareness among the general public, and break down stereotypes.

Lost in Transition is available on DVD. Find out how to order. or  Visit the project website.

"Listen To Us!" Forum Theatre
 Multicultural Women's Issues on stage

Listen To Us!’, a production by Victorian Immigrant and Refugee Women’s Coalition was brought to the stage last November, expressing issues about immigrant and refugee women using Forum Theatre.

The production was launched at Queen Victoria Women’s Centre.  A series of short scenes was presented to an audience comprising of local community, service providers, policymakers, agency heads, politicians and the media.

The Forum Theatre method, which originated in Latin America, gave the audience an opportunity to dialogue with women who participated in drama workshops over 6 months. 

Using theatre as a medium for empowering immigrant and refugee women, the Victorian Immigrant & Refugee Women’s Coalition strongly believes that this method had helped the women by directly sharing their experiences by acting out the scenarios that depict their stories.

"BYO" (Bring Your Own) 
 A video documentary of, by and for women

 
Between Friday 25 January 2008 and Sunday 27 January 2008, 11 women participated in a 3-day workshop in Seymour, regional Victoria.  They brought various diversity – cultural (Chilean, Malaysian, Filipino, Afghani, South African, Iraqi, Sudanese, Turkish and Anglo-Saxon Australian), linguistic and religious, to the 'kitchen’.

They cooked their favourite recipes, brought their own ingredients and cooking pots, told stories of love, harmony, conflict and family around food, and came up with 'recipes' to solve some of the ‘conflicts’ they experience as women. They sang songs about food, community, life, struggles and country.

The workshop was facilitated by artist/director Catherine Simmonds, who effectively used creative drama to move the women into a re-enactment of their experiences. As expected, drama is a powerful medium for a group of women, especially when they are from non-English speaking backgrounds, as it allows all of the women to share and speak to each other without having to worry about whether they speak good English or not.

The short documentary by Riza Manalo, is a 26 minute condensed version of the main themes from the weekend.

The "BYO" documentary video was launched at VIRWC International Women's Day Out , March 1, 2008 at ACMI Federation Square.

Watch on YouTube:

• Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/user/VirwcTV#p/u/3/jhOJYBMT2kU 
• Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/user/VirwcTV#p/u/2/rd7vlr45qvQ  

 

VIRWC Lullabies CD
Multicultural Lullabies sung by Multicultural Women


This recording was made after a nine-month project of singing and song collection established by the Victorian Immigrant and Refugee Women’s Coalition and completed in August 2007.

During the project more than 30 women came to the workshop sessions, brought songs and shared repertoire contributed by other members, often in languages they had never heard before.

The whole project was conducted in a beautiful spirit of cultural sharing and enjoyment of difference. The little choir was mentored by Melbourne women’s choir, Breathing Space, who supported the group when they performed, learnt their songs and made friends with the members. 

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