EOI Callout: NIFVS & Switchboard Victoria Community of Practice
We are excited to announce that Northern Integrated Family Violence Services (NIFVS) has partnered with Switchboard Victoria to deliver a Community of Practice (CoP) focused on working with LGBTIQA+ people who have been impacted by family violence.
This CoP aims to bring together practitioners working in different settings to connect, share knowledge and resources, engage in peer learning and support, and explore complex family violence presentations. This CoP will be a supportive and reflective space for deepening practice, discussing challenges, and identifying ways to strengthen responses to LGBTIQA+ communities.
Who can join?
This CoP is open to practitioners working across specialist family violence, LGBTIQA+ specialist services, and other areas that intersect with family violence.
While practitioners of all experience levels are welcome, this series is not designed as an introductory program. Instead, it will centre complex practice conversations and examine key barriers and enablers in working with gay, lesbian, bi+, queer, intersex, trans and gender diverse folk.
What’s involved?
This CoP will run throughout 2026 over 10 sessions, commencing in February 2026.
The first session will focus on setting priorities for the year, identifying key themes, and developing a group agreement. Themes we are likely to focus on include:
- Intersectionality in practice
- Family of origin violence
- Protective actions, resistance, and the myth of mutual violence
- Lateral violence
- Misidentification
We will be examining family violence in the context of systemic and structural violence using an intersectional lens.
Participants will be asked to attend at least six sessions and contribute to an anonymous evaluation of the series. A summary report will be shared in late 2026.
Submit an Expression of Interest
If you are interested in joining the CoP, please complete the EOI form using the link below.
For more information about the CoP or the Expression of Interest, please contact Britt Baillie, NIFVS, at Britt.B@whin.org.au or Shei, Switchboard, at Shei.u@switchboard.org.au
