A fashion parade program in the far-west NSW town of Wilcannia is promoting important messages about self-empowerment and domestic and family violence prevention for the town's young people and the wider community.
More than 200 community members attended the Wilcannia Safe House's Dream Bigger event on Wednesday night, with 50 kids and teenagers and eight women taking part in the parade at the town's community hall.
It's been running in the town since 2018 but was cancelled last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The safe house's Mary Ronayne, who set up the event, said it aimed to raise the self-esteem and self-worth of participants.
"Hopefully to be able to stand when someone tries to put them down … and they won't go into relationships that will turn violent.
"They're always in control of their own lives."
'She was able to stand for herself'
Ms Ronayne said everyone who took part in the parade was also given portraits of themselves to show them how beautiful they were.
She said a previous participant took on that message incredibly well, using the power of it to help her get through a difficult situation.
"Her partner tried to put her down and say he was the only one that she was ever going to get, that she was ugly," Ms Ronayne said.
"But from the portrait that was given to her, from that fashion parade, she was able to say, 'Well, actually, I know that I am beautiful. If you don't want what I am, or who I am, then let's call it quits'.
"She was able to stand for herself."
Ms Ronayne said they also encouraged each parade participant to find five individuals to invite to the event.
"We actually give free tickets to those five family members or community members," she said.
Fashion parade's important DV theme
The Dream Bigger event also carried an important theme each year with previous ones including: the convention on the rights of a child, and save the Baaka/Darling River.
Ms Ronayne said, alongside the self-esteem benefits for the town's youth, the event also provided an educational element to the wider community who watched the show.
"This year, we were wanting to bring to the forefront eliminating domestic and family violence," she said.
"Bring the message that as an individual we actually can eliminate domestic and family violence.
