Embolden2024 - The Silencing of Older Women
Embolden is Australia's only National Festival (Congress, Symposium, Art/Fashion event) dedicated to combating ageism and building respect for older people. Established in 2018, our aim is to build the capacity and confidence of service providers, policy makers, community leaders, older people and everyone who works with or for older people, to accelerate the pace of change.
The Embolden Congress and Symposium will be hosted on-line in 2024 and registration amount is free or pay if you can afford to. Click on links below for information on partnerships and registration.
The Embolden Congress and Symposium will be hosted on-line in 2024 and registration amount is free or pay if you can afford to. Click on links below for information on partnerships and registration.
Theme: The Silencing of Older Women
The 2024 Festival theme The Silencing of Older Women recognises the need to understand the unique ways older women experience ageism - and combat the subsequent rises in poverty, homelessness, abuse, violence and murder. It explores the ways some families, communities, services and policies contribute to the silencing of older women; and how we can all be part of the solutions. It identifies how a gender lens can enhance elder abuse strategies and a life span approach can help to prevent family violence.
Delegates will be engaged in identifying practical strategies to end the violence and abuse and promote equality for older women. A report on the event will share key learnings to create further momentum for change.
Delegates will be engaged in identifying practical strategies to end the violence and abuse and promote equality for older women. A report on the event will share key learnings to create further momentum for change.
Program
The #Embolden2024 Congress and Symposium will be hosted on-line, and art-based activities will be facilitated in communities. The program includes the following activities:
- Street Art Exhibition (1st September - 1st October: a month of art-based activities led by service providers, organisations, groups and communities. It will include street posters, vox pops, intergenerational exchanges and social media campaigns.
- Congress of Older People’s Voices from the Margins (2nd October): the online Congress includes presentations by older women from marginalised groups. Presenters will discuss their experiences of sexism, ageism and other forms of marginalisation and share small, practical steps for change. If you are an older woman interested in presenting at Congress please read the information here and contact Dr Catherine Barrett using details below
- Symposium (3rd October): an online Symposium will explore representations of older women in popular culture as drivers of inequalities, including the recent increase in older women killed by intimate partners and sons. Strategies for change will be presented and will include a gender lens for elder abuse services and a life stages approach for family violence and women's health services. The role of families, communities, service providers and older women in primary prevention will be explored with presentations by innovators.
Registration
Registration for the Congress and Symposium is through Humantix. Registration is free, or you are invited to pay a registration fee if you can afford it (suggested amount $20-$50). There is one registration - but you need to choose whether you are attending one event or both. A separate zoom link will be sent for Congress and for the Symposium. Registration link here
Past Festivals
Please go to the Embolden webpage (here) to read about the previous festivals or click the links below for:
Evaluation
Embolden was launched in 2018 (link here) and attended by over 250 delegates (60% service providers), with an average rating of 4.8 out of 5 for usefulness. The #Embolden2019 event (link here) had over 400 delegates and an average rating of 4.85. The event was the paused due to Covid19.
The #Embolden2023 event was hosted in regional Victoria and attended by over 100 delegate who rated the event as relevant (6.51/7), reported learning new knowledge/skills (6.54/7) that had practical application (6.55/7) and 86% planned to utilise what they learned (link here).
The #Embolden2023 event was hosted in regional Victoria and attended by over 100 delegate who rated the event as relevant (6.51/7), reported learning new knowledge/skills (6.54/7) that had practical application (6.55/7) and 86% planned to utilise what they learned (link here).
Partnership opportunities
The Embolden Festival would not be possible without our partners and we are very grateful for their support. The partnership opportunities for the 2024 Festival are included in the prospectus; link (here) or contact curator Dr Catherine Barrett for more information on 0429 582 237 or email: [email protected]
We are delighted to announce or first Principal Partners Elder Rights Advocacy and the Older Women's Network of NSW.
We are delighted to announce or first Principal Partners Elder Rights Advocacy and the Older Women's Network of NSW.
Previous partners
We are grateful to all the organisations and services who supported our past events. This includes 2023: Thankyou to Elder Rights Advocacy, our Principal Partner. Other partners include the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care, Older Person's Advocacy Network (OPAN), Australian Association of Gerontology, ADA Australia, The Older Women's Network NSW, QueerSpace Drummond St and Council on the Ageing. 2019: Thankyou to our primary sponsor: The Department of Health, and other partners: the City of Port Phillip's Older Persons Consultative Committee, the National LGBTI Health Alliance's Silver Rainbow LGBTI Inclusive Ageing and Aged Care, the Victorian Government through their Multicultural Festivals and Events Program, Older Person's Advocacy Network, Elder Rights Advocacy, Elder Abuse Action Australia, and Communities of Respect. 2018: including The City of Port Phillip, Alfred Health and Caulfield Health; The City of Ballarat; The Care Page; The National LGBTI Health Alliance; Hammond Care Dementia Centre; Seniors Rights Service; Switchboard Victoria; The Ageing Revolution; Aged Care Matters; Better Place Australia; Meaningful Ageing; Bayside City Council; Glen Eira City Council; Knox City Council; and COTA Victoria.
Contact us
Please contact curator Dr Catherine Barrett on 0429 582 237 or email: [email protected]
Embolden2024 Partners
Embolden2024 is an initiative of Celebrate Ageing Ltd. We are delighted to announce or first Principal Partners Elder Rights Advocacy and the Older Women's Network of NSW.