Family violence is often hidden behind closed doors, so the physical and mental scars aren’t always acknowledged in the moment, or long-term.
Abuse doesn’t discriminate in terms of age, gender, race, religion or culture, and abusive behaviour comes in many forms including:
- Physical, emotional or verbal abuse
- Coercive, strategic or financial control
- Withholding intimacy or communication
- Sexual violence
- Neglect
- Ghosting
- Shaming
About Voice of Change
The idea for Voice of Change was conceived during the production of The Fort, a movie about a mother and son living with family violence.
The subject matter addressed during filming of The Fort impacted the cast and crew greatly. The closed set provided a safe environment in which to share some personal and confronting conversations, and highlighted the therapeutic power of creative endeavours to heal, and to educate.
Essence of the Logo
“Through its form, proportions and typographic selection, the Voice of Change logo captures the organisation’s values and intentions when confronting Domestic Violence.
“With progress at the heart of Voice of Change’s work, fluidity in the design’s form illustrates forward movement and taking action. The beneficial nature of this progress is then elaborated through the left-to-right growth seen in the word ‘Change’.
“The word ‘Change’ taking on a bold, uppercase typeface captures the strength of the voice behind each story, with the naturally constructed, cursive typeface of ‘Voice’ then displaying its sincerity.” – Amelia Ghali, designer, Voice of Change logo.
Colour Psychology
“I have worked with the psychology of colour for over thirty years and I know for a fact colour has impact both physically and mentally. I wanted the colours to symbolise everything that Voice of Change is about; communication, healing, self-power, positivity and action.
“The throat is where the voice comes from and is transported for all your paths of expression, but it is also where your voice is suppressed, shoved down and where your emotions get trapped rendering you mute and can cause physical pain.
Aquamarine
“The crystal is associated with the throat chakra, the place of the voice. It offers courage, promotes tolerance and compassion while dispelling fear. I have gone for the more blue-scale of Aquamarine as it symbolises energy, hope, joy and peace.
Orange
“International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women colour is Orange. I wanted a rich, vibrant version of the colour to really contrast with the coolness of the Aquamarine to make them both stand out but also give it energy and a sense of power, drive and momentum.
Dark Blue
‘Lapis lazuli crystal is the ‘Stone of Truth. This “stone of truth” restores your ability to communicate effectively to be open, stimulate, and instils balance. It was important the base colour grounds and amplifies the power and intensity of blue and orange. To have this colour in written text amplifies our message as our stone of truth by using our voice in all forms of the arts.” – Shaynna Blaze, Co-founder & Chair, Voice of Change.
Our People
Shaynna Blaze
Co-Founder, Director
An award-winning interior designer and television personality, Shaynna is a passionate advocate for women, and a social justice campaigner who has previously leant her voice to a number of organisations tackling family violence in Australia. Shaynna believes fervently in the power of the arts to unite people, amplify voices against family violence, and bring about change.
Neva Morrissy
Co-Founder, Director, Secretary
A design project manager for Blank Canvas Interiors and production manager for QSB Productions, Neva has a Bachelor of Business (International Trade), and has 10 years previous experience as an event manager in the conferencing and incentive industry. Having been raised in a loving, supportive family environment, unhampered by traditional gender role limitations, Neva wants to see an Australia where all kids experience safe, respectful childhoods, free from threats, manipulation and violence.
Hayley James
Chairperson
Hayley is one of Australia’s leading experts in people and performance. She has founded and scaled award-winning companies, including Ampersand International. Hayley has extensive executive experience in driving growth and business expansion.
Passionate about making a difference, Hayley has joined the Voice of Change board as Chairperson, aiming to build an award-winning platform advocating against family and domestic violence.
Nic Emery
Director
Nic is renowned for his expertise in driving customer growth and experience through data, technology, and strategy. With a proven track record in accelerating brand growth and customer experience enhancements, Nic excels in leveraging customer centricity, technology, and data insights to achieve sustainable results. He brings over 25 years of executive-level experience to Voice of Change’s board, where his passion for the organisation’s vision and strategic acumen makes him an invaluable asset.
Sally Nicholes
Director
Sally is the Managing Partner of Nicholes Family Lawyers and is considered a market leading family lawyer within Australia and internationally. Sally established Nicholes Family Lawyers in 2005, having practiced exclusively in family law from 1995, and has since provided an exceptional level of service that sets her apart from her peers. Sally is an accredited Independent Children’s Lawyer, a qualified collaborative lawyer, and a Nationally Accredited Mediator.
Sally is consistently appraised by her peers for her commitment to community advocacy and pro bono work, aimed at protecting those who are most vulnerable. She is deeply involved in legislative and policy reform, through her involvement with the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE). Sally is Deputy Chair of the World Congress on Family Law and Children’s Rights, a Fellow of the International Academy of Family Lawyers, a AFLAM member. Sally also sits on the Board of Children’s Rights International (CRI).
Peter Copp
Chief Executive Officer
Peter is a distinguished executive renowned for his expertise in building high-performing teams and growing commercial organisations.
He excels in commercialisation, start-up development, stakeholder relations, philanthropy, operations, strategic development, and working on societies ‘wicked problems’. His diverse professional background spans across the health, SME, private, and tech sectors, equipping him with a profound understanding of creating sustainable organisations and delivering exceptional results.
Peter holds a Master of Business Administration and a Graduate Certificate in Business from Griffith University.
