Funding news
We are very pleased to be able to share some good news with you about new or renewed funds we have received. These will help us to keep focused on our work towards equality, empowerment, health and wellbeing for all women.
We are yet to have news of funds for our Speaking Out program. The sustainability of this program therefore is uncertain for next year.
Margins to the Mainstream; preventing violence against women with disabilities
Women’s Health East is thrilled to have received a grant from the Commonwealth Department of Social Services (DSS), and to be undertaking a project to contribute to the prevention of violence against women with disabilities.
The idea for this project grew from a regional consultation WHE held in October 2019. With a reach across the region, the project will be led by Women’s Health East. The project consortium includes Women with Disabilities Victoria (WDV), Yarra Ranges Council. Boroondara City Council, Access HC, Inspiro, EACH, EDVOS, and evaluation expert and consultant, Wei Leng Kwok.
Initially focusing on the delivery of training provided by WDV, the project will then move to recruit women with disabilities as project experts who will be involved in skills development, and a co-design process to produce resources that promote the prevention of violence against women with disabilities. This 2 ½ year project will amplify the voices of women with disabilities, and will make addressing the prevention of violence against women with disabilities a key part of the mainstream work of the Together for Equality & Respect Partnership.
The project has 5 objectives:
- Strengthen partnerships for sustained work in the prevention of violence against women with disabilities (PVAWD)
- Elevate the voices of women with disabilities and promote their leadership and status in society
- Build the capacity of partners to embed into prevention work a focus on sexism/ableism as intersecting structural drivers of violence against women with disabilities
- Challenge intersecting sexist and ableist stereotypes across the community and other settings (e.g. organisations)
- Contribute to the evidence base of ‘what works’ in community-led PVAWD
For further information about this project, contact Samantha McGuffie, smcguffie@whe.org.au.
Two Year Funding Package to Women’s Health Services
The Victorian government has recognised the important and ongoing role of women’s health services across the state in leading and building the capacity of regional partnerships to prevent violence against women.
We all know that preventing violence against women requires long term, coordinated action, and in Melbourne’s East we continue to have a strong approach to this important work through the Together For Equality & Respect Partnership. We are thrilled to be able to continue our lead role for two more years, supporting improved outcomes for women and children in our region. Thanks to our TFER partners and peak body Gender Equity Victoria for your advocacy in secured this funding.
Additionally as a part of this announcement we were also thrilled to have received a one off injection of funds to support women’s mental health and wellbeing – so very important at this time of coronavirus. You will hear more from us about this in future.
A sincere thank you to Minister Gabrielle Williams for your support of the women’s health sector.
Speaking Out Program
In some not so good news, we are yet to have funds confirmed for this program for next year. This means that its sustainability beyond the end of the financial year is in doubt.
Speaking Out aims to shift the public discourse, and public policy on violence against women and its prevention. Led by Women’s Health East in partnership with ECASA (Eastern Health) and EDVOS, the program trains and supports women who have experienced family violence and / or sexual assault, to become advocates for change. There are currently about 30 women participating in this program.
Advocacy engagements include media interviews, speaking at public events, meeting with politicians, contributing to family violence or sexual assault enquires and submissions, participation in steering committees, planning forums for response or violence prevention activities, co-design workshops, or any other forms of activism against gender based violence. Speaking Out advocates also participate in organisational change activities bringing an authentic gender equality and family violence conversation to workplaces, building empathy and catalysing action.
You may well have called on advocates from our program before, and please still continue to do this at the moment. While women continue to experience violence at completely unacceptable rates, and with the risk of violence against women increasing in the current lockdown, the Speaking Out program is as important today as it has ever been. For further information or to book a Speaking Out Advocate contact Rachel Soh rsoh@whe.org.au
