White Ribbon Advocates

White Ribbon Advocates are committed, knowledgeable and active women who recognise the importance of men taking responsibility and being part of the solution to end the violence, abuse and inequality faced by women across Australia. Their primary role is to engage men to take responsibility for putting an end to men’s violence against women and respectful relationships.

White Ribbon Advocates come from all walks of life and drive the movement wherever they are.

White Ribbon Advocates are leading the charge to drive meaningful and lasting cultural change to make Australia a safer and fairer place for all.

They are community activists who organise and speak at community events, campaign at national and local level for change, engage and educate their peers, challenge sexism in everyday life and at in institutions. They bring the White Ribbon movement to prevent men’s violence against women to new audiences, towards meaningful and lasting social and cultural change to make Australia a safer country for all.

Advocates follow a role description and code of conduct which sets out activity requirements in order to remain in the program.

White Ribbon Advocates must be existing White Ribbon Supporters who are at least 16 years of age who wish to increase their participation in the movement to prevent men’s violence against women.

Supporters who wish to apply for the Advocates role must undergo our application and assessment program to demonstrate:

• Strong understanding of the link between rigid gender socialisation, inequality and men’s violence against women
• Alignment with White Ribbon’s unique role in engaging men to make women’s safety a man’s issue too.
• Activity in the last 12 months which actively promoted gender equality, respectful relationships and the engagement of men to prevent men’s violence against women.

White Ribbon recognises that men’s violence against women pervades all cultures therefore we encourage diversity of age, sexuality, ethnicity, faith, ability and social class among applicants to ensure change is affected across all levels of society.

Note: We are not able to provide contact details for Ambassadors and Advocates in accordance with the Privacy Act (1988).

Note: Applications to the Advocates Program are currently closed and will reopen in April 2019. If you wish to apply for the program you can register your interest here. Before you apply it is a requirement to have read and understood the Advocate Role Description.

Interested applicants to the program must complete the following:

1. Register as a White Ribbon Supporter
2. Complete the “Understanding Men’s Violence against Women”E-learning”
3. Complete the assessed application form**
4. Undertake a telephone interview with the team
5. Complete a national police check
6. Provide us with an appropriate referee for a character reference

*Please save the e-learning Certificate of Completion as you will need to submit this as part of the application process.

**Please note that we have significant interest in this program and with a limited staff capacity there may be delays in assessing to your application.

Please note that there are many ways you can get involved with White Ribbon Australia. Please explore our website to get involved through fundraising & events, workplaces, schools, and community involvement. We encourage you to join as a Supporter to receive further opportunities and information for getting involved with White Ribbon.

Can I arrange for an Advocate to speak at my event?

Sometimes you may be able to have a White Ribbon Advocate (or Ambassador) attend your White Ribbon event to present about violence against women and primary prevention.

To request a White Ribbon speaker for your event please register your event. If you want an Advocate to attend, ensure you register at least four weeks in advance.

Please be aware that provision of a speaker for your event will depend on our volunteer availability, and cannot always be guaranteed. As our representatives act in a voluntary capacity it may take some time to secure someone to attend. Please note that we do not provide a celebrity service and hope you will respect the contribution of our volunteers who dedicate their time to make a difference for the White Ribbon social change movement.

When will I hear who my White Ribbon speaker is?

We receive a high volume of requests and are currently working to secure speakers for events. As our representatives act in a voluntary capacity it may take some time to secure someone to attend. In over 90% of instances we are able to find a suitable speaker. When we have found a suitable speaker to attend your event, you will be notified via email immediately to ensure you are best able to plan and organise your event. If we are unable to secure a speaker, you will be notified 10 business days prior to your event, and be provided with alternative resources you can use at the event.