After discovering a lack of specific training programs designed to equip mentors with the skills needed to respond to disclosures of gender-based violence and discrimination, The Aunties, alongside Women’s Health Victoria, has crafted and launched its own: Support Talk.
“It wasn’t until I received a current disclosure first-hand that I realised how important it is to be prepared for these conversations,” Phoebe Sloane tells Mediaweek.
The Aunties is Australia’s largest mentoring movement in the advertising and creative industry, creating a support network for women and marginalised genders.
Sloane, founding Auntie at The Aunties and senior copywriter at Clemenger BBDO, explains that with one in four women in the advertising and creative industry reporting being bullied, undermined, or harassed in some way at work over the last 12 months, according to recent Create Space Survey results, the organisation felt the imperative to equip Aunties in future programs with the skills to respond.
“Disclosures are unpredictable,” she explains. “Ultimately, you don’t know who, when, or what information someone might share with you. While majority of disclosures are of a historic nature, if you receive a recent disclosure, there’s a high chance you might be one of the first people someone has told.
“Disclosures in a mentoring context also aren’t always workplace related. With rise in domestic violence rates, and one Australian woman murdered at the hands of an intimate partner every four days, there’s also a chance someone might disclose family violence.”
Anonymous survey feedback from The Aunties’ initial programs revealed mentees felt comfortable confiding all kinds of experiences to their mentors – sometimes moreso than a manager, co-worker, friend, or family member.
“Because Aunties don’t work at the same agency as their mentee, this neutrality meant conversations could take place in objective circumstances,” Sloane continues. “Free from politics, scrutiny, and retribution. In a few cases, this included instances of sexual harassment, gender-based bullying and discrimination.
“While The Aunties are very proud to have opened up a safe space for conversation, it’s really important to us that our mentors feel confident to respond to these situations should they arise. And look after themselves too.”
Recounting her own experience with a disclosure as an industry mentor, Sloane recalls, “what I thought was a routine folio chat and coffee turned into an emotional and in-depth sharing of gender-based bullying and sexual harassment happening from a boss. Besides her mum and sister, I was the first person she had shared that information with.
“I felt overwhelmed in that moment. Scrambled for words and afraid of saying the wrong thing, but also, not saying the right thing. Too little or too much.
“Realising the impact mentors could have in situations like the one I found myself in, it compelled me to learn the best way to respond, and to create something we could share and teach Aunties. And to do this, we needed to pause our mentor programs until we had this training resource for Aunties and the industry.
“And we needed something highly accessible. Online, engaging and 40 to 60 minutes long for time-poor industry professionals.”
For the next three months, the training, which also addresses scenarios that cover instances of family violence, is open to anyone to complete for free. It will also become a requisite for all mentors participating in future Aunties programs.
The training features a range of short-hand content, quizzes, and a series of training videos. The videos, created by Poppet Productions and directed by Lizzy Bailey, feature industry Aunties to teach important mini lessons.
“Given the large and connected network of The Aunties, if we can provide training to Aunties at scale, we know these skills would have a ripple effect,” says Sloane.
“Aunties would apply these learnings in current or future management roles at their agencies, and it would have a positive impact on wider industry.
“We’re also experiencing a new generation who won’t tolerate this kind of behaviour, alongside a current generation who are rising into leadership positions and becoming more empowered to speak up and make the industry better for them and the women around them.”
Ultimately, Sloane says while “the problem is still prolific, more women than ever before are feeling more inclined to speak up, so we need to be ready for these conversations as an industry. It will only make us better.”
She hopes that from the training, mentors will walk away feeling equipped and empowered to respond to these situations if they happen, that will leave those disclosing feeling heard and validated.
Sloane also issues a reminder that mentoring can take many forms. “Support Talk is also highly relevant for managers including senior leaders, managers, people and culture professionals and those working in HR. As well as anyone interested in leading change for gender equity in an advertising workplace,” she says.
“At The Aunties, we know creating spaces for safe and supportive conversation can lead to positive change — especially if we can have them at scale. So we continue to create an industry culture where violence and discrimination of any kind is not tolerated.”
See also: Full schedule revealed for Women in Media National Conference
Credits
Women’s Health Victoria
Manager Gender Equity & Capacity Building, Lauren Zappa
Design & Communications Lead, Anne Johnston
Senior Training & Capacity Building Coordinator, Linette Johnson
Health Promotion and Communications Officer, Bethany Knight
Creative – The Aunties
Creative Lead – Phoebe Sloane
Creative – Amanda Chen
Creative – Sarah McGregor
Design Lead – Maddy Merzvinskis
Design Lead – Ika Jumali
Design – Rhodesia Saykao
Design – Madeline McDonald
PR Lead – Abigail Dawson
PR – Erin Dowling
PR – Elliott Holohan
Social Lead – Beatrix Fisher
Social – Angelina Lay
Social – Madelene McGuinness
Social – Sarah Gevaux
Operations – Sive Buckley
Photography – Darcy Scales
Production – Poppet
Director, Lizzy Bailey
Producer, Beth Malcher
Executive Producer, Nat Taylor,
Director of Photography, Amy Dellar
Art Director and wardrobe, Paige Anderson
AC / B Cam, Georgia Stewart
2nd AC / Digi Cam, Alessia Chapman
2nd Unit AD & PA, Chelsea Addison
Gaffer/Grip, Dan Carr
Lighting Assistant, Catie Carr
Sound Recordist, Lynne Butler
Runner & Standby Props, Jackson Sharpe
Props Painter, Stacy Jewell
Make-up Artist, Joyce Ying
Runner, Amalia Krueger
Runner, Anna King
Film Talent
Lauren Zappa, Women’s Health Vic
Anne Johnston
Nat Taylor
Nomfundo Msomi
Dhivia Pillai
Robyn Bergmann
Beatrix Fisher
Amanda Chen
Phoebe Sloane
Film – Post Production – Clemenger BBDO
Executive Producer, Karolina Bozajkovska
Offline & Online Editor, Jamie Williamson
Offline Editor & Grade, Jen Cahir
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Top image: Phoebe Sloane