Girls and women across the Redlands will have the chance to build confidence and real world safety skills this month with Fernwood Fitness Capalaba hosting a free Girl Aware Personal Safety Workshop at Redlands Sporting Club.
The community event, on Saturday, September 19 from 10am to noon, is open to girls and women aged 12 and over.
It aims to provide practical tools for recognising risks, setting boundaries and responding confidently in everyday situations.
The program was created by former police officer and detective Danielle Godfrey, who spent 12 years in frontline policing and several years investigating sexual offences on public transport.
She said those experiences shaped her commitment to early prevention. “I worked with a lot of young girls who didn’t even know those kinds of dangers existed,” she said.
“Seeing the impact of trauma firsthand really showed me how important it is to avoid those situations in the first place.”
Danielle describes Girl Aware as empowerment- based self defence, with the focus firmly on awareness rather than physical techniques.
“It’s not martial arts. It’s about teaching people what dangers are out there without scaring them, and helping them recognise the indicators that something isn’t right so they can prevent it before it happens,” she said.
She said the core message was simple; awareness is the first line of defence. “We’re all so caught up in our phones and podcasts,” she said.
“But if you can notice your surroundings, whether you’re at home, school or out in the neighbourhood, you can prevent a lot of danger.”
The workshops teach participants how to use their voice assertively, along with basic self defence moves to be effective under stress.
“They’re nothing fancy,” Danielle said. “Just simple techniques people can actually pull out when they need them.”
Feedback from participants has been positive, with many women approaching Danielle after sessions to thank her for helping them build confidence.
“I’ve had women of all ages tell me they’ve struggled to use their voice for years,” she said.
“Seeing them walk away feeling stronger and more capable is really rewarding.” Girl Aware’s mission is summed up simply – “Every girl deserves to feel confident, aware, and safe.”
Fernwood Fitness Capalaba says hosting the workshop is part of its commitment to empowering women and supporting community wellbeing, describing Girl Aware as a program built on “experience, care and purpose”.
The workshop is free, with limited tickets available. Registrations can be made through Eventbrite
