Networks and Groups

Family violence networks and groups in the northern metropolitan region.

Some networks and groups are open to new membership or one-off attendance, including the local family violence networks.

Local Family Violence Networks

The local family violence networks have been around for over 20 years in the northern metropolitan region.

The networks meet monthly or bi-monthly to discuss a range of activities and services in their local region regarding prevention, responding to family violence and profiling the issue.

To find out more about one of the networks, contact the networks’ convenor:

Local government area	Convenor	Organisation	Phone	Email
Banyule/Nillumbik	Bianca Ellis and April Wilson	Banyule City Council Nillumbik City Council	(03) 9457 9841 (Bianca) or (03) 9433 3201 (April)	bianca.ellis@banyule.vic.gov.au april.wilson@nillumbik.vic.org.au
Darebin	Jade Myconos	Darebin City Council	(03) 8470 8498	Jade.Myconos@darebin.vic.gov.au
Hume (Broadmeadows)	Natsuho Akai and James Drake	Northern Community Legal Service Hume City Council	(03) 9310 4376	nakai@northernclc.org.au jamesd@hume.vic.gov.au
Merri-bek	May Haeder	Merri-bek City Council	(03) 9240 2313	mhaeder@moreland.vic.gov.au
Whittlesea	Tanya Stelmach	Whittlesea Community Connections	(03) 9401 6666	tstelmach@whittleseacc.org.au
Yarra	Jessica Trinh	Neighbourhood Justice Centre Collingwood	(03) 9087 5739	Jessica.Trinh@courts.vic.gov.au

Family Violence Therapeutic Children’s Network (North and West)

The Family Violence Therapeutic Children’s Network is a peer support network for people working with children in the north and west metropolitan regions of Melbourne. The group is open to all workers who provide therapeutic counselling, case management or group work to children who have experienced family violence.

The group meets bi-monthly and involves:

networking and information sharing
peer supervision, including case presentations which focus on issues that may be relevant to other organisations and
professional development.

To learn more or get involved, contact:

Margarita Karamitros
Ph: 9301 5200
E: margarita.karamitros@anglicarevic.org.au

Counselling and Support Alliance

The Counselling and Support Alliance (CSA) involves a coordinated regional framework for planning, implementing and evaluating quality family violence counselling and group work.

Members of the CSA are:

Anglicare Victoria
Banyule Community Health Service
Berry Street Victoria
cohealth
DPV Health
InTouch MultiCultural Centre Against Family Violence
Merri Health
healthAbility
North Richmond Community Health Service
Sunbury Community Health Service
Women’s Health In the North
Your Community Health (formerly Darebin Community Health)

Member agencies meet bi-monthly and staff attend two tailored professional development sessions, each year. Counsellors and group work practitioners participate in a quarterly community of practice.

CSA members have collaborated to develop a number of family violence counselling and group work resources.

The alliance is convened by the NIFVS team. To find out more about the Counselling and Support Alliance, contact info@whin.org.au.

North Metropolitan Dhelk Dja Action Group

Dhelk Dja Regional Action Groups operate at the local and regional Indigenous community level to ensure that Indigenous people can increase their knowledge, awareness and understanding of family violence issues. The groups have a role in implementing community led responses that educate, prevent, reduce and respond to family violence in Indigenous communities.

The North Metropolitan Action Group acts as an important source of advice to government and community stakeholders on initiatives and strategies impacting the northern metropolitan region. It is made up of representatives from key Aboriginal-led organisations in the region.

Northern Metropolitan Region Preventing Violence Against Women Committee

This group provides strategic direction on the implementation of the Preventing Violence against Women Strategy for the Northern Metropolitan Region of Melbourne – Building a Respectful Community. It has representation from the region’s local councils, primary care partnerships, community health services and violence against women response sector. Women’s Health In the North convenes the group, which meets quarterly.

For more information, visit the WHIN website.

Statewide Disability Inclusion Community of Practice

The Community of Practice (CoP) provides a consistent platform to discuss current practice issues and promote consistent best practice and service access for victim-survivors with disability across the state.

Membership

The CoP includes representation from Safe and Equal SFVS member agencies. SFVS leadership are asked to nominate a disability contact in their service who are motivated and supported to participate in the CoP and who are positioned to influence change within organisations. Participation is also open sexual assault services through engagement with SAS Vic and other non-direct service agencies that play a role in responses to victim-survivors with disability.

For more information contact the Statewide Disability Inclusion Advisor at mishellekerr@safeandequal.org.au.

Working with Fathers Networks

Working with Fathers Network

This network is for professionals and service providers in Moreland and Hume who work with fathers and families. It aims to identify gaps and potential solutions to problems affecting the work.

For all enquiries please contact: Zenaida Mello, Anglicare. zenaida.mello@anglicare.org.au
Ph: (03) 9301 5200

Father Inclusive Practice Network

The network is open to all relevant agency workers in the northern metropolitan region.

This network was established to:

Raise the profile of fathers and father-specific programs
Identify and address gaps in service delivery for fathers
Build a community of practice, sharing information and networking with other professionals
Explore opportunities for collaboration and co-facilitation of fathers’ programs
Promote father-specific programs, projects and events.

For all enquiries please contact: Fathers and Family Relationship Program, Kids First. Ph: (03) 9450 0900

LGBTIQA+ Family Violence Network

The LGBTIQA+ Family Violence Network is a statewide network created to support mainstream family violence services, generalist community organisations and LGBTIQA+ organisations to support LGBTIQA+ clients effectively.

The Network runs forums and seminars on relevant topics to grow the skills and capacities of its member organisations in responding to community needs around family violence/intimate partner violence (FV/IPV). The Network also meets quarterly to:

promote collaboration between services on issues of LGBTIQA+ FV/IPV service provision
share knowledge, resources and education on LGBTIQA+ FV/IPV service provision, throughout the realms of prevention, early intervention and response
provide a space for members to raise issues and brainstorm solutions to matters of LGBTIQA+ FV/IPV best practice
engage in consultation and collaboration with the LGBTIQA+ community
advocate for change as necessary in the space of LGBTIQA+ FV/IPV service provision.

If you would like to be part of the network, contact the LGBTIQ Intimate Partner & Family Violence Project Coordinator at Rainbow Health Victoria (formerly GLHV): shamini.joseph@latrobe.edu.au.

Family Services Alliances

To enable the effective operation of Child FIRST, Child and Family Services Alliances were established in 24 sub-regions across the state. The alliances have representation from Integrated Family Services, Child FIRST and DHS Child Protection.

The Hume Moreland Integrated Family Services Alliance covers the Hume and Moreland region. For more information contact Val Ayres-Wearne (Coordinator) Ph: (03) 9302 6100.

The North East Metropolitan Child and Family Services Alliance covers the Banyule, Darebin, Nillumbik and Whittlesea region. For more information contact Paul Emerson (Coordinator) Ph: (03) 9450 0900.

Family Violence AOD Community of Practice

VAADA facilitate a Family Violence AOD Community of Practice (COP), which is an active network of clinicians, decision makers and community leaders working within the AOD sector, who are keen to learn from and with each other. To join the Community of Practice complete this short registration form or email for more information familyviolence@vaada.org.au.

COP members receive regular updates on MARAM resourcing, education and employment opportunities, information packs, and invites to events designed around key work-based challenges and skill-sharing.

Elder Abuse Prevention Network

The Elder Abuse Prevention Network (EAPN) aims to stop elder abuse through education, resources and campaigns.

Holstep Health leads the Network for both the Northern and Western metropolitan regions.

For more information about the EAPN, contact Meg Humphrey (Elder Abuse Prevention Project Officer) at ElderAbusePreventionNetwork@merrihealth.org.au.