Free Toolkit – How to Run a Community Research Session

Cover for "Reclaim Her Name" toolkit featuring stylised text and black and white antique photo of a woman painting a picture
Download

Across Victoria, countless women shaped our communities, our streets, our suburbs — yet their names are missing from the public spaces they helped build. This new, free toolkit by the Royal Historical Society of Victoria (RHSV) and Gender Equity Victoria’s Put Her Name On It campaign is designed to change that, putting the tools and knowledge to research and advocate for women’s recognition directly into everyone’s hands.

The ‘Reclaim Her Name’ toolkit provides a comprehensive step-by-step guide for individuals and organisations to run their own research education sessions. The workshop helps participants learn how to uncover unsung women from history and advocate to have public places named in their honour.

The toolkit includes a sample session agenda, a history of commemorative naming in Victoria, a thorough list of research tools, a practical guide to submitting a place name nomination, and more.

We encourage you to download the toolkit today – and if you use it to run a workshop, be sure to let us know so we can amplify your promotion efforts. Share your session plans with Kerry Wilson at put***********@genvic.org.au.

Reclaim Her Name is a collaboration between the Royal Historical Society and Gender Equity Victoria’s Put Her Name On It.

In February 2026, we ran two free educational sessions:

  • An introduction to commemorative naming
  • An introduction to the Reclaim Her Name toolkit and how to run a research session

Both sessions were recorded. The videos are available below for anyone who would like to learn about Reclaim Her Name, commemorative naming, the toolkit, or how to run a research session.

Reclaim Her Name: An introduction to commemorative naming

Kerry Wilson of Put Her Name On It leads this online session as she introduces us to commemorative naming and the need for greater gender equality when it comes to naming our spaces. Learn about the current gender gap in commemorative naming and why representation matters and ways you can be involved.

An introduction to the Reclaim Her Name toolkit and how to run a research session

Aimed at historical societies and other community groups in Victoria, this session introduces the Reclaim Her Name toolkit. Covering helpful practices and resources to support you in running a workshop in your local area, this session is ideal for anyone interested in starting a naming campaign in their community.