Tanya Langford (standing) addressing a workshop group.
ECU Social Science graduate Tanya Langford promoting her 'Safe Woman Safe Family' program at an event.
It's unlikely you've met anyone so dedicated to supporting women impacted by family and domestic violence and all forms of abuse related trauma.
Until now.
In fact, what makes Tanya Langford even more amazing is that she designed her university studies with this objective in mind.
Pretty gutsy for a mature aged single mum taking the plunge into the challenges of academic life.
But Tanya knew what she was doing and is now seeing rewards for her achievements.
These include changing the lives of many women and their families through her 'Safe Woman Safe Family' program, a not-for-profit charity she set up in 2018.
The program was a recent winner of the United Nations Association for Western Australia Gender Equality Award.
As she states on her I Am Woman Empowerment website, her mission is:
"To see every woman living a safe, healthy, happy life with the ability to create respectful relationships and pursuing individual goals with no limitations."
The university path to success
Tanya started her adult life with a career as a dental therapist.
"It wasn't until I was in my 30's that I developed a deep desire to support women who had been through abuse and family dysfunction," she says.
I knew I strongly wanted to study to enable me to create a pathway of helping and supporting women to overcome gender-based violence and the societal issues that disempower women.
She applied to study Social Work at ECU South West in Bunbury and after one semester transferred into a Bachelor of Social Science.
This allowed her to select units she believed were going to enhance her ability to achieve her goals.
"I loved that I was able to combine study from home (a good thing for a single mother living in semi-rural Pinjarra) as well as do Summer/Winter School units," says Tanya.
But uni life was no picnic. Especially when you haven't ever studied at that level.
As Tanya says, "At ECU I loved hearing from other students like me – mature age/single mothers – and realising that when I felt anxiety around study and other pressures there were others sharing a similar experience."
"We encouraged each other to persevere."
We're sure the many women who've been helped by Tanya would be glad she did.
One such woman, a single mum, was at the point of taking her life when she joined Tanya's program.
She has now completed a Conservation and Land Management traineeship, her dream job, and is in a wonderful relationship and flourishing in her motherhood role.
Naturally, this gives Tanya deep satisfaction.
"Now I know I do make a difference in women's lives."
