Cardinia Shire Council is proud to be part of a state-wide project that will help plan and advocate for improvements to community safety.
The YourGround project has an interactive map that allows people to anonymously drop a pin, tell a story or share an experience about their feelings of safety at that location.
When collated and analysed, the data will provide insights into where and how we can make our shire's towns, parks and community spaces more accessible, more inclusive and more equitable.
The project is a collaborative effort between Monash University's XYX Lab, CrowdSpot and councils across Victoria.
Cardinia Shire Council Mayor Councillor Brett Owen said he was excited the Shire was part of this state-wide project.
"The information that we hope to gather from everyone that lives in Cardinia Shire will shape our community for many years ensuring that everyone who lives, visits or works here feels safe.
"This is our main goal and we encourage all those in the community to take part. I'd like to particularly encourage women and those who identify as gender diverse to log the areas in Cardinia Shire in which they feel both safe and unsafe," he said.
Statistics show that movement and access across communities is restricted for women and gender diverse people due to fear, violence and harassment. While 80% of Australian men report feeling safe walking alone at night, a 2019 Community Council for Australia report notes that only 50% of women say they feel the same.(1)
With the implementation of Victoria's Gender Equality Act 2020, creating inclusive spaces for women and gender-diverse people is a priority state-wide. This project also aligns with the Council's liveability priorities of safety for all in the community.
Dr Nicole Kalms, Co-Director, XYX Lab said: "The ability to move freely in and around the places you live, work and play, and to feel you belong in your space and place is an essential human right. Yet, often this is denied to many on the basis of gender."
YourGround is open until 31 July 2021. To share your stories, visit www.yourground.org
1: Community Council for Australia, (March, 2019), "The Australia we want." https://www.communitycouncil.com.au/sites/default/files/Australia-we-want-Second-Report_ONLINE.pdf
