The NIFVS Partnership has undertaken Victim Survivor Experience Mapping as part of the NIFVS Family Violence Regional Integration Committee’s strategic plan to help centre the voices of victim survivors and to understand victim survivor journeys through the service system in the NMR.  

The Victim Survivor Experience Mapping report contains insights into victim survivor experiences of the service system and recommendations for a range of stakeholders responding to family violence, which will inform the Committee’s new strategic plan.

Led by the NIFVS team, the Victim Survivor Experience Mapping project brought together ‘System Listeners’ from VACCA, Berry Street, Good Samaritan Inn, Northern CASA, Northern Community Legal Centre, The Royal Children’s Hospital and Uniting, as well as survivor advocates from inTouch and Safe and Equal to form a Victim Survivor Experience Mapping Implementation Group. The ‘System Listeners’ conducted in-depth interviews with seven victim survivors.

This report will be of interest to practitioners and managers alike.

Victim Survivor quote:
One person can really make a difference, being able to navigate the wave, to not being able to cope.

For further information contact robin.g@whin.org.au.

• NIFVS eNews January 2023
• NIFVS eNews February 2023
• NIFVS eNews March 2023
• NIFVS eNews April 2023
• NIFVS eNews May 2023
• NIFVS eNews June 2023
• NIFVS eNews August 2023
• NIFVS eNews December 2023

Jade Myconos is the new Gender Equity Officer at Darebin Council and part of her role is the Convenor of Darebin’s Family Violence Network.

Jade’s experience includes 16 years of combined local government and community services senior management and front-line work experience in family violence, women’s homelessness, community mental health services, volunteer and disability sectors.

Prior to her current role, Jade was Darebin’s Community Development Officer (Economic Participation), Access and Inclusion at Darebin, working collaboratively with a diverse range of internal and external stakeholders to advance the economic participation of people with disability in Darebin.

As Gender Equity Officer, in addition to convening Darebin’s Family Violence Network, Jade’s role includes supporting Darebin’s Equity Impact Assessments / Gender Impact Assessments (EIA/GIA), and Darebin’s Gender Equity Advisory Committee.

To fuel all of this, Jade runs on a steady diet of bad humour, music, art, walking the dog and eating chocolate!

You can contact Jade by email: Jade.myconos@darebin.vic.gov.au or phone: 0436 339 845

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

(Source: Jade Myconos email, 20.1.23)

The NIFVS team has developed a new Financial Abuse webpage with resources for professionals responding to family violence.

Financial abuse is a common form of family violence but is under identified. Proactive steps can be taken to address problems such as joint debts, unaffordable loans, utilities and phones, and credit history.

Resources on the NIFVS webpage include:

• Family Violence and Financial Abuse, a new resource with information about what financial abuse is and steps that victim survivors can take (WIRE & ANZ).
• Financial Recovery: A Guide to Helping People who Have Experience Family Violence, a tip sheet identifying the main financial issues faced by victim survivors (Consumer Action Law Centre). 

The NIFVS service directory provides information about Financial Counselling and Legal Services which practitioners can refer to and seek secondary consultation in relation to financial abuse. 

Jobs Victoria have developed a multi-year Social Services Job Guarantee program which aims to grow the community services workforce and establish a more consistent flow of people from training into community services jobs including: 

• family violence and sexual assault
• child protection and family services
• housing and homelessness.

The program supports participating community service organisations with relevant job vacancies to be matched with suitable Diploma of Community Service graduates. 

For employers:
Community and social services sector employers who want to hire Diploma of Community Service graduates, can register interest for the Jobs Guarantee program as an employer.

For students and graduates:
When jobs become available, graduates are matched to a role in the community services sector. 

The program guarantees employment for students who graduate from the Diploma of Community Services between 1 September 2022 and 31 August 2024.

(Source: WIFVS eNews, 12.12.22)

Researchers from The Bouverie Centre at La Trobe University have been awarded a Victorian Government grant for a project to improve family violence support to women in prison. Organisations are invited to share the information with women who might be interested and eligible to participate in the research.

The research team have provided a information for service organisations and an example script to use for presenting this information to potential participants in a conversation.

(Source: Safe and Equal member bulletin, 8.12.22)

Family Safety Victoria have refunded the Family Violence and Sexual Assault Graduate Program for 2023. This Program will recruit new or recent graduates to work in a range of family violence, sexual assault and primary prevention roles.

New graduates will have the opportunity to gain practical skills and knowledge while also be provided with additional learning and development opportunities, such as an extensive induction, communities of practice sessions, graduate workshops and wellbeing supports such as external supervision.

In the NMR, Kids First has been successful in gaining this funding and is currently recruiting for new graduates.

(Source: Vic Gov website, 28.11.22)

The State Government is expanding the Adolescent Family Violence in the Home program.

Six organisations will share in more than $17 million to deliver integrated early intervention responses for adolescents who use violence.

The successful providers are Anglicare, Australian Childhood Foundation, Berry Street, Melbourne City Mission, Uniting and Quantum Support Services.

The providers will deliver trauma informed, evidence-based services to young people – providing a coordinated response that supports a young person’s developmental and therapeutic needs and safety for the entire family.

The new model of care draws on evidence-based interventions and was developed following a review and analysis of national and international programs, approaches and research.

An additional $5.7 million has also been allocated to Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations to continue to deliver Aboriginal led and community designed approaches to adolescent family violence in the home.

(Source: Premiers Media Centre, 31.10.22)

Specialist family violence managers, senior workers and experienced practitioners in the specialist family violence sector who are looking to move into a leadership role are invited to apply for the Fast Track Leadership program to build their leadership and management capability. The course is being offered by Safe and Equal and will be delivered during 2023 and 2024.

Applications for the upcoming Fast Track response course (running from 9 February to 27 April 2023) close on 17 January 2023. Join the waitlist here. Those interested can also join the waitlist to be notified about future courses.

(Source: Safe and Equal newsletter, 28.10.22)

The Victorian Government has announced the consortium selected to run the new Mental Health Statewide Trauma Service – a key recommendation of the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System. The new service will bring together mental health practitioners, trauma experts, peer workers and carers with lived experience. The Mental Health Statewide Trauma Service consortium includes:

• Phoneix Australia
• Victorian Aboriginal Childcare Agency (VACCA)
• Australian Psychological Society
• Mindful
• Foundation House
• Berry Street
• Orygen
• SANE
• CASA House
• Austin Health, Mental Health Division
• The Bouverie Centre
• The Royal Melbourne Hospital, North Western Mental Health
• Thorne Harbour Health

(Source: Premiers Media Centre, 31.10.22)