About Us
DARE Formal Wear Ltd is a not-for-profit community operated and driven organisation, committed to ensuring that every victim and/or survivor of domestic family violence receives ongoing support through our recovery and education programs.
DARE Formal Wear Ltd began in late 2014 by Karen Johns. Karen, is a qualified teacher, with pastoral experience and directs the path of DARE with the help of an executive board.
The DARE formal wear store is located at 389 Gympie Road, Strathpine, the day to day operation of the DARE shop is overseen by dedicated volunteers.
Our vision is to save the lives of women and children across Australia through support, education and awareness.
Community Support
DARE is operated by volunteers who are committed to supporting victims and their families affected by domestic violence. DARE also aims to support women emotionally and provide information so that she can make healthy and informed choices for not only herself but her children as well.
Empowering women and protecting children from witnessing these experiences is what drives this charity. In conjunction with local churches, DARE aims to provide ongoing support to families affected by domestic family violence by linking them with available help in their local area.
Fundraising
The DARE Formal Wear store offers donated formal wear at an affordable price to generate funds to raise awareness and to provide ongoing support to families who have been affected by domestic violence.
Using the funds from the Formal Wear store, DARE offers Year 12 students the opportunity to attend their end of year formal, if, for some reason during the year they realise that financially they will be unable to go. DARE provides students with either a dress, suit, shoes, jewellery or help towards a ticket.
Have any formal or wedding wear that you would like to donate? Donate Here
Education
We know that knowledge is power! DARE educates senior students about domestic violence and arm Year 12’s with information on how to identify if they are at risk of being in an unhealthy relationship!
Through educating and informing the high school students the nature of domestic violence, how it influences community perceptions and affects others in the wider community this will foster a positive change from its inadvertent commonality.
SPEAKING TO YOUR COHORT & WHAT IT INVOLVES
DARE delights being invited to speak briefly to a Year 12 cohort to raise awareness about domestic violence before they complete their schooling.
We discuss misconceptions of what domestic violence is. We hear stories of manipulation, verbal, emotional and psychological control from senior students and unfortunately because they do not involve violence, these students think that their boyfriend or girlfriend’s unacceptable behaviour is acceptable! DARE believes that there needs to be clarification throughout all schools.
We identify apps that students can download so that they can identify if they are at risk of being in an unhealthy and potentially abusive relationship in the future.
We explain what DARE is, how it began and how we can help victims and survivors connect to community services in their local areas.
We explain about our fundraising branch of DARE where by students can donate their formal attire to DARE to either raise funds or to be given to another student.
Only registered teachers can participate in this FREE program. If you would like to know more, please contact us
We also offer Year 12 students the opportunity to attend their end of year formal, if for some reason during the year they realise that financially they will be unable to go. The process for students to receive help (dress, shoes, jewellery, ticket) requires that they speak to their Year 12 coordinator and get them to contact DARE on their behalf.
The Church
DARE believes that GOD is calling the Body of Christ to respond to Domestic Violence in their local communities! (Acts 6:1-7)
DARE operates under the belief that God is calling us, The Body of Christ, to rise up and offer HELP to victims and survivors of domestic violence.
Acts 6:7-1 clearly describes a situation where by men (and women) were selected to respond to the increasing need of women in the Body of Christ who were not being looked after. Dare believes that this “food” is also indicative of women who are unable to function effectively after leaving traumatic relationships.
If you would like to know more about how you can help please contact us.
Karen is sharing DARE with many churches and communities and would love to come and share with all those concerned on how you and your church may be able to help.
COMMUNITY SUPPORT – Volunteer Support Workers
Carers offer one on one, ongoing support to families (mainly women) for a period of about 3 months, connecting them with available community services in their local area so these families do not feel like they have no other option but to return to the perpetrator.
We are being called to offer Pastoral Care to these victims. Through one on one support, we listen and assess each situation and connect them to available community services in our local areas. We continually connect, assess their evolving needs and connect them with the community services as they gradually settle into their new life.
Their needs will be different and ongoing until they are resettled. This is ongoing support and it would be expected that the pastoral care worker (volunteer support worker) would be able to gradually ease off their support as the survivor becomes more self-assured, sufficient and stable.
This is not counselling, nor do we give advice but we direct them to others who are professionals in each field of study (i.e.: police, domestic violence services, counsellors, accountants, solicitors, community centre, other churches who offer food or clothes). Pastoral Care workers are the gate keepers to what resources are available in their local area to help this family get back up on their feet over a period of time.
The possibilities are endless!
COMMUNITY OUTREACH
Churches are encouraged to identify what community services are available and then identify what is not. Churches are encouraged to appeal to their members to help! By identifying gifts, talents and skills of our members, we may be able to fill in the “gap” (missing community resources) to offer help to these disadvantaged and traumatised families.
Would you like DARE to visit your church? then please Contact Us.
There is no fee involved, however, DARE is constantly seeking financial support to help raise awareness about this organisation so that women and their families will know where to access individual and personal help in their time of need! If you would like to support us financially, please click here.
Please ensure that you read up on all areas of DARE’s outreach as this is a whole community response to Domestic Family Violence.
If you need assistance please get in touch with us
If you need assistance please get in touch with us