Annual Report 2009-10

wumens health wesL
unnuu repurL 200?-20l0

WHWs catchment consists of seven local government areas:
Brimbank, Hobsons Bay, Maribyrnong, Melbourne, Melton, Moonee
Valley and Wyndham
2 W0MENS EAL1 WES1 ANNLAL REP0R1 200?-20l0
Who We are
Womens Health West was established in 1988 and have
now celebrated 21 years of working for the health, safety and
wellbeing of women in Melbournes western region.
We encourage women and girls to make informed choices by
providing tailored health information. We strengthen womens
connections with each other through community development and
health promotion projects.
As the regions largest family violence service, we provide women
and children who experience family violence with crisis support,
including court support, crisis housing for women from culturally
and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and childrens counselling.
Our publications include a regular colourful newsletter, a history
book detailing the anecdotes and achievements collected over
the 21 years of the service, and a range of resources (some in
community languages) on womens health and family violence.
We work collaboratively with government and local agencies, and
provide secondary consultation for health, community and other
service providers.
Vision
Equity and justice for women in the west
Mission
We partner with others to change the conditions that cause
and maintain womens oppression, to deliver family violence
services and to undertake health promotion actions
Values GuidinG PrinciPles
We work within a feminist framework, respecting human rights
We act to support women to take control over their decisions
and their lives
We recognise that the conditions in which people live, work and
play are shaped by political, social and economic forces that we
must understand and take action on to achieve better outcomes
for health, safety and wellbeing
We value the diversity of our region and work to actively
recognise and respect womens diverse strengths, experiences
and goals
We value transparency and accountability in our operations,
practices and relationships with others
We recognise that childrens health, safety and wellbeing is
intrinsically connected to that of women
We recognise the importance of being responsive to the
changing needs of our community
We recognise and value the expertise of others and the vital
importance of working together to achieve our goals
Who we are 2
Performance at a Glance 3
Achievements Measured Against Strategic Goals 4
Chair Report 6
Chief Executive Offcers Report 7
Family Violence Services 8
Family Violence Statistics 9
Intake 10
Court Support 10
Outreach 11
After Hours Crisis Outreach Service 11
Crisis Accommodation Service 12
Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Crisis Housing
Program
13
Private Rental Brokerage 13
Intensive Case Management 14
Women with a Disability Intensive Case
Management
14
Childrens Counselling Program 15
Victims Assistance Counselling Program 16
Family Violence Regional Integration Coordination 16
Health Promotion, Research and Development 17
Power On 18
Power On For Carers 18
Sexual and Reproductive Health 19
Sunrise Womens Groups 20
Financial Literacy Program 20
Anti Racism Project 21
Family and Reproductive Rights Education Program 21
Prevention of violence against women 22
Girls Talk - Guys Talk 23
Lead On Again 24
WHW Presentations 24
Communications 25
Advocacy 25
Operations 26
Occupational Health, Safety and Environment 27
Professional Development 28
Supervision 29
Accreditation, Quality Improvement and Risk
Management
29
Key Partnerships 29
Governance 30
Organisation Chart 32
Staff 33
Financial Reports 34
Membership 36
CONTENTS
W0MENS EAL1 WES1 ANNLAL REP0R1 200?-20l0
ToP-line Financial coMParison
This top-line fnancial comparison shows the growth of the
organisation since the previous reporting period.
2009/10 2008/09 Change
Total Revenue $ 3,191,998 $2,971,356
$171,677 h
Total Expenditure $ 3,191,191 $2,968,014
$182,051 h
Total Assets $ 1,808,396 $1,347,573
$234,527 h
Total Liabilities $ 1,357,641 $905,603
$227,875 h
Total Equity $ 450,756 $441,970
$6,652 h
Womens health West
317-319 Barkly Street
Footscray VICTORIA 3011
Phone: 03 9689 9588
Fax: 03 9689 3861
Email: info@whwest.org.au
Web: www.whwest.org.au
ABN: 24 036 234 159
Annual Report 2009-2010
ISSN 1834-710X
Publisher Womens Health West
Printed November 2010
Printer Whirlwind Print
Editor Robyn Gregory, Nicola Harte
Designer Nicola Harte
Illustrations Isis and Pluto
Cover 21st birthday AGM, November 2009
Photograph Meredith OShea
The Best Practice Australia independent

survey of staff climate showed WHW as
a well-functioning, friendly and productive
organisation that values staff and has a strong
commitment to continuing to improve in all
aspects of our work.
The launch, by the Hon. J oan Kirner AM, of

REtroSPECT the 21 year history of Womens
Health West. (p.25)
The launch, by Chief Commissioner Simon

Overland, of a short flm that provides women
with information about how to collect evidence
if their intervention order is breached (p.25).
The relocation of crisis accommodation

service workers from refuge to WHW main
offce in Footscray (p.12).
The development by WHW, local councils

and community health of Preventing Violence
Together, an action plan to improve the health
and wellbeing of women in the west (p.22).
Womens Health West staff openly discussed

racism in an effort to understand its cause and
the impact it has on women in the west (p.21).
A high percentage (35%) of women stayed in

refuge less than one week, many responding
to a lack of housing options and choosing
instead to return to their partners or families
(p.12).
Regardless of strong partnerships in

the region and across Victoria, a lack of
sustainable funding to implement Power
On a wellbeing program for women who
experience mental illness has reduced the
last six years work to a standstill (p.18).

A large increase in clients accessing our
intake service yet this service remains
without specifc funding or recognition of its
key importance (p.10).
There remain few services available in the

western region to support children in their
recovery from the trauma of family violence
(p.15).
An outdated funding model for refuge services

leaves WHW unable to offer parity to staff
performing similar work (p.12).
PerForMance aT a Glance
The following snippets of our work across the organisation show highlights and lowlights of the past fnancial year.
hiGhs and loWs
donaTions
We appreciate support from the Lord Mayors
Charitable Fund, Victorian Magistrates Court Relief
Fund, City of Melbourne and Vic Relief, which has
enabled WHW to provide emergency relief, food
vouchers and crisis accommodation assistance to
women and children.
We thank Footscray Rotary Club, Toys R Us
Highpoint, Footscray Lions Club, Variety the
childrens charity, and Alannah and Madeline
Foundation for their continued support of the refuge
childrens program.
We would also like to extend our thanks for fnancial
contributions from Sunshine Magistrates Court,
Magistrates Court of Victoria, Western Region
Women in Football Foundation, Victoria University,
Zonta Club of Melton, AIA Australia and Beta Sigma
Phi Victoria.
sTraTeGic Goal 1
Deliver and advocate for accessible and culturally appropriate services and resources for women
Womens Health West (WHW) will engage in actions such as advocacy, research, organisational capacity building, direct
service delivery and community development to infuence those factors that restrict womens access to resources and
services
acTions ouTcoMes
ProGress
Engage in advocacy
on topics related to
womens health, safety
and wellbeing
Worked with other womens health organisations across Victoria to ask council candidates
to commit to Safe, Well and Connected: Victorian Local Government Action Plan for
Womens Health
In J anuary 2010, the Victorian Government presented A Right to Justice and Safety:
Continuing Family Violence Reform Victoria 2010-2010 consultation paper to which WHW
provided a written response
Provided a written response to the Offce of Housing, Public Housing: New Segmented
Waiting List Proposal
Enhance direct service

delivery by producing
accessible resources for
a range of clients
Worked with Victoria Police to produce a short flm detailing safe methods of collecting
evidence if your intervention order has been breached resulting in 953 YouTube views
(p.25)

Deliver community
development programs
for women from a range
of backgrounds
Delivered three six-week fnancial literacy programs specifc to Somali, South Sudanese
and Karen womens needs. Participating agencies report a marked increase in their
services being used by women from these communities (p.20)
Provided 14 sessions of family violence community education (p.24)

sTraTeGic Goal 2
Improve the conditions in which women live, work and play in the western region of Melbourne
We will undertake direct service provision and health promotion actions that recognise the important infuence of, and aim
to improve the social, economic and political factors that determine the health, safety and wellbeing of women and their
children in the western region
acTions ouTcoMes
ProGress
Assist women to break
the cycle of family
violence by providing
tailored direct services
Provided telephone support, information, advocacy and referral to 2,193 women, an
increase of 491 calls from 2008-9 (p.10)
Face-to-face support to women and children in crisis has doubled from 95 in 2008/9 to
191 in this reporting period (p.10)
Provided outpost services to 179 clients in Melton, Point Cook and Werribee (p.10)
Provided crisis accommodation and case management to 68 women in refuge (p.12)
Delivered family violence training to 37 staff across two disability services. Around 62
percent of participants stated that the training would change their work practice (p.14)
Undertake health
promotion activities
designed to improve
womens health, safety
and wellbeing
Twenty fve women who are clients of two mental health services in the western region
successfully completed the Power On program (p.18)
More than seventy maternal and child health nurses participated in professional
development related to the practical, cultural and social needs of women from
communities affected by female genital mutilation (p.21)
Fifteen year-nine students provided input and leadership on Girls Talk - Guys Talk
program design, advised on sexual health curriculum topics, and contributed to school
policy development (p.23)
2009/10 AchIeveMents
Measured aGainsT The sTraTeGic Plan
In 2009 Womens Health West developed a strategic plan to guide our work over the next three years, with a focus on
developing a strategic thinking organisation to ensure our priorities are based on current and future needs. This table
uses the following key to show selected actions we have taken over the last twelve months to achieve those goals.
cOMPLeteD IP In PROGRess nOt stARteD
sTraTeGic Goal 3
Put womens health, safety and wellbeing on the political agenda to improve womens status
Because gender is a critical factor in improving conditions for women, we will particularly focus on the structural factors that
cause and maintain the conditions under which women and their children face discrimination, and undertake actions designed
to change those factors
acTions ouTcoMes
ProGress
Respond to key topics
impacting on equity and
justice for women in west
WHW board of directors supported workers to attend the ASU rally for equal pay on 10
J une 2010
WHW worked with the Womens Health Association of Victoria to redevelop the 10 Point
Plan for Victorian Womens Health 2010-2014 and advocated for members of parliament
to adopt this as their womens health platform in the lead-up to the state election (p.6)
WHWs advocacy with media and local MPs assisted Victoria Police to reverse the
temporary closure of the Brimbank Police Family Violence Unit (p.16)
Develop anti-racism
project
Twenty-four WHW staff attended a workshop that explored the causes and effects of racist
beliefs, and created a map that identifes the impacts of racism on women in the western
region within employment, housing, service access and education (p.21)

sTraTeGic Goal 4
Recognise that good health, safety and wellbeing begins in our workplace
We will identify all the components required to operate a service that is responsive to our vision and mission valuing our
workforce, ensuring fnancial sustainability and organisational accountability, understanding our limits, and developing and
learning from experience and use our resources intelligently and creatively to achieve our strategic goals
acTions ouTcoMes
ProGress
Draft Enterprise
Agreement to negotiate
with staff
The industrial relations task group of the WHW Board met 12 times to write a draft
enterprise agreement for consideration by staff (p.31)

Continue to support
staff professional
development
269 staff attended 136 professional development courses and seminars (p.28)
Restructure fnance
frameworks
Adopted recommended Victorian Standard Chart of Accounts for Not For Proft Community
Organisations based on International Finance Reporting Standards. These standards are
mandatory for Victorian Government departments and so implementation will reduce the
time and effort WHW takes to report to government allowing our focus to be on work in the
community. (p.34)
Improve risk
management systems
to attain QICSA
accreditation
Reviewed risk register and introduced new risk register database sourced from the Victorian
Managed Insurance Authority to record all risks and treatments (p.7)

sTraTeGic Goal 5
Work with others to achieve our goals
We value the skills, knowledge and expertise of individuals, organisations and communities in our region and aim to work in
collaboration with them, sharing what we learn along the way and identifying where we each ft in achieving our ambitious
goals
acTions ouTcoMes
ProGress
Increase and enhance
our partnerships
Active participation in Primary Care Partnerships (PCP)
- CEO sits on interim governance group of Inner North West PCP
- CEO sits on board of Health West PCP
CEO chairs regional family violence committee
Manager Health Promotion, Research and Development sits on Integrated Health
Promotion Network at HealthWest and Community and Womens Health Network
WHW developed a register to record types and renewal dates of all partnerships
Work with others to

create prevention of
violence against women
action plan
Committed organisational partnerships with seven councils in the west, PCPs, community
health services and the Western Integrated Family Violence Committee produced
Preventing Violence Together: the Western Region Action Plan to Prevent Violence Against
Women. (p.22)
Lead sexual and

reproductive health
strategy for west
Completed a mapping and needs analysis report outlining key fndings and
recommendations based on a review of 69 sexual and reproductive health programs and
services from 23 agencies. The report highlights gaps in service provision and the need for
a more targeted and coordinated approach among agencies in the western region (p.19)
Work with other

agencies and services to
implement the high-risk
strategy
WHW, Relationships Australia, Lifeworks, Djerriwarrh Health Services and Victoria Police
continue to pilot the high-risk client strategy that enables family violence service providers
and police to better coordinate responses to women at immediate risk of severe violence or
death

required to underpin changes to our
health system. A greater focus on
prevention, population health and
health promotion are integral to the
vision of a healthy and fair Australia.
Womens Health West has specifc
expertise in these areas, encouraging
health services to be responsive to
the social determinants of health.
Clearly, the best outcomes will be
achieved by building on the strength of
existing networks, common priorities
and collaborative responses to
demonstrated need.
I acknowledge the hard work, support
and ongoing commitment of all our
board directors. Directors Gainore
Atkins and Michelle Towstoless have
resigned from the board. I know the
board joins me in expressing our deep
appreciation for their time, energy and
contributions to WHW during their
service over a combined 9 years.
Finally, I thank Robyn Gregory, for the
exceptional progress of WHW over the
past 18 months. Her hard work and
dedication since taking up the position
of CEO has, with the support of the
management team and staff, seen
WHW continue to expand in size and
reputation. The energy and passion of
all WHW staff are seemingly boundless,
as is their drive for equity and justice.
Meg Bumpstead
CHAIR
with members of parliament in the
western region to advocate for the
plan and encourage them to adopt this
blueprint for womens health, safety and
wellbeing for their constituents - women
in the west of Melbourne.
Two directors joined staff at the
Sixth Australian Womens Health
Conference in Hobart. (p.28) They
gained terrifc insight into how well
WHWs work is placed in comparison
to national and international health
promotion, population health planning,
and research into gendered health
inequities.
The board also engaged in the
development of a fve-year information
communication technology strategy
that promises to position WHW well in a
fast-paced and changing environment.
The board recognises the need to be
responsive to new technologies as they
become increasingly accessible. In
tandem with the ICT strategy, the board
also endorsed the development of an
updated website to be launched in the
next reporting period. (p.25)
Future directions
The board is paying attention to the
uncertainties surrounding the federal
health reform process in the next
reporting period. While A National
Health and Hospitals Network for
Australias Future promises to improve
responsiveness of the system to local
needs and enhance the quality of
health services, an increasing focus on
hospitals and general practitioners risks
the ambitious health equity framework
It is my pleasure to provide the 2009/10
Chair report for Womens Health West
(WHW) in this momentous year that
celebrates the twenty-frst anniversary
of the service!
Strategic Planning
Following the development and
approval of the 2009-2012 WHW
Strategic Plan, the Board of Directors
developed a governance action
plan that outlines the boards tasks
for implementing the strategic plan,
along with measures and timelines
for evaluating our actions. This work
prompted the board to realign our task
groups to achieve our strategic goals
and I have outlined the major activities
of those groups on page 31.
Hands on approach to governance
The strategic planning process showed
the board are motivated by the same
vision, values and goals as the staff. As
a result, the board outlined an action
plan specifying the activities we engage
in to work towards WHWs ambitious
vision of achieving equity and justice for
women in the west.
As well as outlining our processes for
monitoring the organisation using a
balanced scorecard approach to regular
reporting, and gathering and sharing
strategic information and knowledge,
the board formulates a specifc annual
campaign to raise the profle of WHW
and enact our vision.
This has included directors joining
the CEO and other staff to actively
advocate for womens health, safety
and wellbeing through the 10 Point
Plan for Victorian Womens Health
2010-2014. This document, developed
by the Womens Health Association of
Victoria (WHW is an active member)
is designed to infuence government
and other political parties in the lead up
to the 2010 state election by outlining
a whole-of-government strategy and
actions to improve womens health.
Board involvement included meetings
Board directors June
Kane, Ruth Marshall
and Karen Passey read
the annual report at the
2009 AGM
PHOTO: Meredith OShea
chair rePorT
Ongoing work with primary care
partnerships has WHW leading the
region in the development of two
strategies one for the prevention of
violence against women; the other for
sexual and reproductive health. State-
wide collaboration through the Womens
Health Association of Victoria led to the
10 Point Plan for Victorian Womens
Health 2010-2014. In tandem with staff
and Board Directors, I met our local
members of parliament to advocate
that this plan inform the womens health
platform of all parties in the lead up to
the state election.
Financial sustainability and
organisational accountability
WHW fnished the fnancial year with a
surplus of only a few hundred dollars.
This is testament to the excellent
monitoring processes in place at
WHW and the expertise of our fnance
department.
Future directions
With state and federal elections coming
up, WHW will continue to advocate for
concrete outcomes that improve equity
and justice for women in the west.
Governments are increasingly cognisant
of the need to build evidence for and
fund strategies that prevent violence
against women, chronic disease and
unhealthy behaviours. WHW has
recognised expertise in developing
programs and projects aimed at
primary prevention, and in doing so
in partnership. This, alongside our
expertise in delivering direct services
to women and children, puts us in an
excellent position for the future, where
health reforms will be increasingly
targeted to prevention, and planning
will be in partnership with the range
of agencies that effect the health and
wellbeing of communities.
Robyn Gregory
CEO
chieF eXecuTiVe oFFicers rePorT
It is my pleasure to introduce the WHW
annual report for 2009-2010. This
report provides a clear overview of the
objectives, strategies and outcomes
of each of our programs and projects,
as well as the future direction planned
for each area. The major challenge for
Womens Health West is to provide
services and undertake actions that are
responsive to the needs of women and
their children in a diverse and expanding
region.
Planning Strategically
The WHW 2009-2012 Strategic Plan
commenced operation on 1 J uly 2009.
Family Violence Services, Health
Promotion Research and Development,
Communications and Information, and
Business Management, have each
produced a three-year operational plan
that outlines how the strategic plan
will be implemented and measured
across the organisation. These plans
were formulated by staff at a series of
planning forums and are well integrated
with each other.
Continuously Improving
Since accreditation in May 2009,
Womens Health West has fulflled
all requirements under the integrated
Homelessness Assistance Service
Standards (HASS) and Quality
Improvement Council (QIC) Health
and Community Services Core
Standards assessment program. Our
comprehensive schedule for continuous
quality improvement includes a
complete restructuring of our process
for identifying, evaluating and managing
risk. WHW hosts the regions largest
family violence service, so compromising
staff safety is one of our key risks. Our
quality and risk management activities
engage all staff in identifying problems
and fnding solutions, and in the last
year we continued an unblemished
record of staff safety.
Each of our programs met the targets
set out by funding bodies for service
delivery. Our Intake Service not only
responds to women in crisis, but also
provides a secondary consultation
service across the region. This service
responded to 2193 calls in 2009-2010,
compared with 1702 the previous year
and 1688 the year before that. WHW
continues to advocate for a funded
intake service, rather than our current
situation of diverting resources away
from case management.
Valuing our staff
In this sector wages refect the lower
priority given to funding womens work,
yet the work is demanding, complex
and stressful. The importance of
demonstrating the value our staff hold
is imperative to our ability to attract
and retain staff and is refected in our
strategic goals. This year, in addition
to a strict policy of regular supervision,
269 staff attended 136 professional
development activities. We also
organised a winter Christmas dinner
to thank staff for a year of dedicated
service and directly supported the ASU
pay equity case.
We also commissioned Best Practice
Australia to undertake an independent
survey of the staff climate each year
for three years. The results of the frst
survey were terrifc, with over 70 percent
of staff openly positive, optimistic and
engaged about the organisations future.
Developing partnerships that assist us to
meet our goals
Our mission is to partner with others
to deliver services, undertake health
promotion actions and change the
conditions that cause and maintain
womens oppression. This involves
engaging other organisations in our
core business and then keeping
them engaged. With high levels of staff
turnover across the sector, it is every
staff members role to maintain formal
and informal networks, partnerships,
and service delivery, advocacy or
business relationships. In April 2010 we
formalised this role with a partnership
register that monitors partnership review
dates and records relationships across
the organisation.
We developed fve new formal
partnership agreements - with McAuley
Community Services for Women, Mollys
House Womens Refuge, Relationships
Australia Victoria, Lifeworks, and Mother
and Child Health Research at La Trobe
University - expanding our ability to
deliver quality family violence services to
women and their children.
WhW FaMilY Violence serVices
The past year has been extraordinary for Womens
Health Wests Family Violence Service. In addition
to our regular crisis work, family violence services
developed a three-year plan based on the outcomes
of our planning day in September and integrated this
with the organisational strategic plan. The six staff of
the Crisis Accommodation Service (CAS) moved to the
main Footscray offce in December and we thank the
Department of Human Services for their assistance with
this move.
We began the year by hosting a J uly forum in
partnership with Berry Street, Eastern Domestic
Violence Outreach Service, Carolyn Lodge, DV Vic and
the Domestic Violence Resource Centre, titled Family
Violence: Is it a Crime. The forum was well attended
with more than 70 people coming to hear Heather
Douglas, a Queensland academic, Police Inspector
Wendy Steendam and a panel discuss the topic.
This year WHW responded to requests to provide
support to women whose partners are undertaking the
behavioural change programs at Relationships Australia
Sunshine and Lifeworks Werribee and Melbourne. The
establishment of strong links between womens services
and services providing mens programs ensures well-
integrated programs that better meet the needs of
women who experience family violence.
WHW, Relationships Australia, Lifeworks, Djerriwarrh
Health Services and Victoria Police continue to pilot
the high-risk client strategy that enables family violence
service providers and police to better coordinate
responses to women at immediate risk of severe
violence or death.
In March 2010 the Western Integrated Family Violence
Partnership (women and children) welcomed Mollys
House and McAuley Community Services for Women
into the partnership. The governance group successfully
obtained funding to provide an enhanced regional 24-
hour crisis response as well as funds to support women
to remain in their own home rather than being forced to
leave because of family violence.
Our advocacy work this year included the development
of a DVD and pamphlet explaining how to safely collect
evidence if your partner breaches an intervention order,
in collaboration with Victoria Police. We supported
local disability services to develop better responses
to women with disabilities experiencing and escaping
family violence. Our family violence team performed
a song penned by Victoria, a member of our outreach
team, at the AGM celebrations and then at Federation
Square for the Not 1 More, Remembering Victims of
Family Violence rally.
Future directions
The Western Integrated Family Violence Partnership
plan to undertake a local media campaign to promote
the right of women and children to remain safe in their
own home
Implement a 24-hour, 7-day crisis response service in
the western region
Continue to promote links between women and
childrens services and mens behavioural change
programs
Promote the western region client high risk strategy as a
model of best practice
Plan another performance at Federation Square for the
Not 1 More, Remembering Victims of Family Violence
rally in 2010
I am very happy with myself

now.Ivegotmyconfdence
back. I feel safe in my home as I
didnt have to leave it behind and
start somewhere else.

WHW Family Violence Services client
WOMENSHEALTHWESTANNUALREPORT200-2010
Figure 1. OUTREACH CLIENTS BY
LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA
L
o
c
a
l

G
o
v
e
r
n
m
e
n
t

A
r
e
a
No. of clients
Figure 3. POLICE STATION FAXBACK REFERRALS TO INTAKE
STATISTICS 2009-2010
Figure 1. WHW FAMILY VIOLENCE SERVICES DATA
No. WOMEN
PROGRAMS 0910 0809 0708 0607
OUTREACH
Intake One-off Support 2193 1702 1688 1411
Intake Police Faxback/
e-back
1609 1385 1066 708
Intake Support Short Term
Case management
312 25 N/A N/A
SUBTOTAL 4114 3112 2754 2119
Intake Secondary Consults 825 956 760 696
Court Support 634 376 360 389
Case Management 379 373 394 566
Accompanying Children 1325 1338 1367 1432
CRISIS ACCOMMODATION
Refuge 79 92 66 91
Accompanying Children 237 283 242 280
CALD Housing Program 48 55 57 67
COUNSELLING
Children 86 99 118 6
Victims Assistance Crime
Program
39 92 114 132
OTHER PROGRAMS
After Hours 110 104 58 128
Intensive Case
Management
26 21 16 18
Private Rental Brokerage 39 29 25 31
Housing Options 6 5 6 7
Thankyou
WHW cannot do this work alone and we thank
the many services and organisations that have
assisted us in delivering accessible, responsive
and quality services to women and children. In
particular, the police across the western region,
the staff at Melbourne, Sunshine and Werribee
Magistrates Court, and the VACP team of
Western Region Health Centre have provided
tireless continuing support and assistance.
We also thank our place-based providers
- Werribee Support and Housing, Djerriwarrh
Health Services, Isis Primary Care Werribee
and Point Cook Learning Centre for the use
of their space to provide outreach services to
our clients. We are particularly grateful to Isis
Primary Care in Werribee, who have supported
our Childrens Therapeutic Group by providing
one of the three facilitators, venue and child
care.
After the police regional boundary restructure
Sergeant Kevin Godfrey, the police advisor
for the Western Metropolitan Region was
reassigned. We extend all our best wishes and
thanks for his support over the past fve years.
We acknowledge and respect the
resilience and courage women and
children have shown despite their
experiences of trauma and grief.
Figure 2. REQUESTS FOR AFTER HOURS SERVICE
N
u
m
b
e
r

o
f

r
e
q
u
e
s
t
s
Source of referral
10 WOMENSHEALTHWESTANNUALREPORT200-2010
InTake
Intake workers are the frst point of contact for women entering family violence
services in the west. They provide a telephone or face-to-face crisis response to
women and coordinate referrals to WHW and other relevant services designed to
enhance the safety and wellbeing of women and children who experience family
violence in the western metropolitan region. The intake service also provides a critical
coordination role by responding to police faxback referrals and requests for secondary
consultations from other agencies, coordinating the list of clients requiring court
support, and managing the waiting list for case management services.
OBJ ECTIVES
Coordinate women and childrens access to family violence services in the west
through a central point
Provide information, risk assessments and safety planning to enhance women and
childrens safety as well as their ability to implement informed decisions
Provide specialist family violence consultation to other service providers
Manage court support and waiting list for case management services
STRATEGIES
Respond to telephone and face-to-face enquiries from women and service providers
Respond to Victoria Police faxback family violence referrals
Respond to requests for secondary consultation from other service providers
Coordinate and provide interim support to women on wait list for case management
Compile schedule of women requiring court support arising out of faxback referrals
OUTCOMES
Provided telephone support, information, advocacy and referral to 2,193 women, an
increase of 491 calls from 2008-9
Face-to-face support to women and children in crisis has doubled from 95 in 2008/9
to 191 in this reporting period
Responded to 1,609 police faxback referrals, with the highest number from Sunshine
police station
Provided 825 secondary consultations to external service providers including case
work advice about family violence risk assessment and safety planning
Managed the waiting list that existed from J anuary to J uly 2010 for case
management services, for 5 to 16 women per month
Court support workers provided with schedule of, on average, 55 women
requiring support per month
FUTURE DIRECTIONS
We expect the current trend of increasing client numbers to continue as a result of
family violence, homelessness sector and child protection reforms. This makes the
need to continue to advocate to the state government for specifc funding for the
intake service to accommodate increasing demand even more important
Introduce a 24-hour face-to-face crisis response program
Expand police fax-back program to include weekends
CourT SupporT
Family Violence Outreach
workers provide women with
support at three courts in the
western region the Melbourne
Magistrates, Sunshine
Magistrates and Werribee
Magistrates Courts
OBJ ECTIVE
Provide professional support to a
minimum of 77 women who are
attending court seeking family
violence orders
STRATEGIES
Provide outposted worker at:
Werribee Magistrates Court
one day a week
Melbourne Magistrates Court
one day a week
Sunshine Magistrates Court
three days a week
Outposted workers provide:
Explanations of court
processes, intervention
orders and their conditions,
breaches and how to report
them
Emotional support
Liaise with court staff, legal
services and police
Organise risk assessments
and safety planning
Referral to relevant services
including WHW Family
Violence Outreach program
OUTCOMES
We provided assistance as
planned to 634 women across
three courts; more than eight times
the annual target of 77 women
demonstrating the huge demand
for this type of support. On
average we saw:
3 clients per week at
Werribee
1 client per week at
Melbourne
9 clients per week at
Sunshine
FUTURE DIRECTIONS
Explore reasons for low
client numbers at Melbourne
Magistrates Court and
implement strategies to increase
client access
Develop internal policy and
procedures designed to build
relationships with other court
users
Figure 4. INTAKE SERVICE ACCESS TYPES

Figure 5. LENGTH AND TYPE OF SUPPORT
I found the facilitators
very committed to the issues
presented and ready to hear
comments from the audience
and integrate these into the
topic.
Service provider on outreach community
education
ouTreaCh
Family violence outreach case managers provide transitional support to women
experiencing family violence to coordinate resources relating to housing, legal,
health and other relevant matters required to support the long-term safety of
women and their children. Case managers work across specifc local government
areas to facilitate the formation of professional and advocacy networks.
OBJ ECTIVES
Ensure women and children who experience family violence are able to access
timely and relevant services and resources
Ensure that women who live in the outer west are able to easily access our services
Provide information that enables our local communities to respond appropriately to
the needs of women and children who experience family violence
STRATEGIES
Provide case management services to 522 women and their children
Outpost workers to three locations in the outer west, an increase of one on the
previous year
Develop strong partnerships with agencies including legal services, police, housing,
Centrelink, family and youth services to improve womens passage through the
service system
Deliver tailored community education sessions to relevant communities of interest
OUTCOMES
Approximately 73 percent of our case management targets were applied to providing
379 women with an outreach case management service, supporting up to 90 clients
at any time. The other 27 percent of targets were directed to providing an otherwise
unfunded intake service that responded to over 4,800 requests for service (see
above).
Provided outpost services to 179 clients in Melton, Point Cook and Werribee
Outreach workers regularly attended family violence
network meetings across the seven local government
areas comprising representatives from legal services,
police, housing, family and youth services
Provided 14 sessions of family violence community
education. All sessions received excellent feedback
FUTURE DIRECTIONS
Trial a fourth place-based outreach service at Carlton Family Resource Centre
Develop new partnerships with local agencies to introduce group work that will
increase the support options available for women recovering from family violence
Advocate for funding to establish a childrens case manager in the program
Demand for community education is high. WHW will continue to apply for family
violence funding to meet these requests
afTer hourS
CrISIS ouTreaCh
ServICe
The after hours crisis outreach
workers provide a response
to women and their children
who are currently in crisis
resulting from family violence,
on weeknights, weekends and
public holidays.
OBJ ECTIVE
Provide crisis intervention, risk
assessment and safety planning,
information, advocacy, and
referral to woman and children
experiencing family violence within
the western metropolitan suburbs
outside business hours
STRATEGIES
Respond to requests for face-
to-face support for women
and children referred by the
Womens Domestic Violence
Crisis Service (WDVCS), police,
hospitals and the WHW Crisis
Accommodation Service outside
business hours
Provide limited emergency
accommodation and relief
funds for items such as petrol,
medicine and baby needs
OUTCOMES
Responded to 110 after hours
requests from referring agencies
Provided six women with crisis
accommodation after hours
FUTURE DIRECTIONS
Implement a 24-hour crisis
response program to enhance
the current after-hours service
Introduce specifc WHW police
liaison role to facilitate links
between our after hours service
and police
Believed in me
gave me courage
and helped me see a
light at the end of the
tunnel.
Outreach Client
CrISIS aCCommodaTIon ServICe (CaS)
CAS consists of refuge/crisis accommodation properties and outreach services
to other crisis and transitional housing properties that provide shelter for
women and their children escaping family violence where it is not safe for them
to stay in their own homes.
Child from CAS after Werribee Zoo day trip
OBJ ECTIVES
Ensure that women and their children
are able to escape family violence by
providing crisis accommodation and
specialised family violence support
services that assist them to access
long term housing and re-establish
safe lives
Ensure that the specifc needs of
children in refuge are met through
recreational and developmental
activities
Implement a new public housing
access and support initiative to
sustain women and their children in
long term housing
STRATEGIES
Provide crisis accommodation and
case management services for an
average of three months for 151
women and their children in refuge
and crisis accommodation properties
(CAP)
Develop and implement case
plans for children who enter crisis
accommodation services in tandem
with their mother, prioritising childrens
access to education
Organise and provide childrens
recreational and developmental
activities to facilitate childrens healing
and recovery from violence and abuse
Provide long term case management
under the Stay at Home initiative
to four women and their children
to assist them to sustain long-term
housing and facilitate connections to
the community
OUTCOMES
Provided crisis accommodation and
case management to 68 women in
refuge; 28 of whom stayed less than
a week, 17 from 1-13 weeks, and 10
from 13-26 weeks
Provided crisis accommodation and
transitional case management to
25 women in CAP properties; 16
of whom stayed 13-52 weeks, 9
for more than 1 year. Most women
in CAP properties were awaiting
public housing, which can take 12-24
months
The total number of women assisted
- 93 women and 237 children
was less than the target of 151
specifcally because of the diffculty
facing women in accessing housing,
particularly single women and
women with large families, resulting
in nearly 40 percent of women
staying much longer than average
Case management services included
emotional support and information
about the impact of family
violence and ongoing safety, legal
information, fnancial assistance,
court support and linkages to
recovery services, housing support
including assistance accessing
transitional and public housing,
retrieval of belongings, and storage.
Five women required assistance with
immigration as they did not have
permanent residency
Over 70 percent of women accessing
the service were accompanied by
children, with 237 children receiving
support, the majority under 12 years

of age. Children are not currently
counted as statistical targets in our
funding model. The most frequent
support provided to children was
assistance accessing education,
childcare, counselling and health
services. Help with behavioural
problems was provided to seven
children and fve were referred to
specialist childrens support programs.
Recreational and developmental
activities were popular with the
children and their mothers. The most
popular activity this year was a trip
to Werribee Zoo supported by the
Lions Club of Footscray, attended
by 9 mums and 18 children. Mums
are also given free movie tickets
and attend the local childrens play
centre. The childrens worker provides
opportunities for the children to
participate in after-school activities,
which many mums join, while others
use the time to organise dinner and
get ready for bath time
Provided long term case management
under the Stay at Home initiative to
two women and their children, and
brokerage funding to another two
women case managed by another
agency.

FUTURE DIRECTIONS
We will continue to lobby the state
government to review the funding and
practice model for the refuge program,
which was initially developed in the
1980s. This model no longer meets
the needs of women and children
accessing the program, evidenced by
statistics that show over 50 percent
of our clients require support for more
than four weeks, well outside a crisis
model of support.
We will continue to explore ways to
reduce the percentage of women
leaving within seven days.
Figure 6. LENGTH OF CAS SUPPORT

CulTurally and lInguISTICally
dIverSe (Cald) CrISIS houSIng
program
The CALD housing program is a culturally specifc family
violence case management service supporting CALD
womens access to safe long term housing. Our CALD
crisis worker has nomination rights for women in four
crisis housing properties managed by other services.
OBJ ECTIVE
Ensure that women from CALD communities who experience
family violence are able to access culturally appropriate
crisis accommodation and case management support to
assist them and their children to establish safe lives
STRATEGIES
Provide crisis case management services for an average
of three months for 52 women and their children from
CALD backgrounds escaping family violence and housed
in crisis accommodation properties
Engage in advocacy and liaison with real estate agents,
transitional housing managers and Offce of Housing
on behalf of CALD women to reduce the barrier they
experience when accessing safe affordable private rental
and public housing
OUTCOMES
The CALD Family Violence Housing Program assisted 48
women across 15 different cultural groups, with the largest
groups Vietnamese (27 percent), Ethiopian (10 percent),
Turkish and Filipino (each 8 percent)
Of those women, 14 received support for less than 4
weeks, 12 for 4-13 weeks, 13 for 13-26 weeks, 3 for 26-52
weeks and 6 for over 12 months
These statistics are consistent with the trend in CAS
properties for women to stay longer in crisis properties
because of a lack of housing options
Of those women, 13 were supported into transitional
housing, 10 into crisis properties, 5 were provided with
tenancy support assisting them to remain safely in their
own home, 1 accessed public housing, 2 accessed
private rental, 5 chose to return to their partner, 7 women
remained with their family and 3 with unrelated persons
because of the lack of housing options available to them,
and for 2 women their housing outcome is unknown
Case management services included advocacy and liaison
services with transitional housing, private rental and Offce
of Housing for 35 women; court support for 8 women; as
well as emotional support and information about the impact
of family violence and ongoing safety, legal information,
fnancial assistance and linkages to recovery services
FUTURE DIRECTIONS
Provide cultural educational sessions to housing services
in the region to highlight the barriers experienced by CALD
women escaping family violence
Continue to monitor the number of CALD women having to
live with family, friends and other unrelated persons due to
the shortage of safe affordable housing
prIvaTe renTal
Brokerage
This program provides support and
fnancial assistance to assist women
to remain in, or to attain, safe and
sustainable housing
OBJ ECTIVE
To assist women leaving situations of
family violence to maintain independent,
affordable and appropriate long-term
private rental housing by providing
rental assistance
STRATEGY
Provide a maximum of $2,000 fnancial
assistance in tandem with case
management support to 25 women who
meet the criteria for the program
OUTCOMES
The program assisted 39 women to
obtain or retain private rental housing
The increased numbers resulted from
program fexibility and the addition of
unspent grants
FUTURE DIRECTIONS
A combination of increased housing
prices and public policies that support
private over public housing tenure
has resulted in an increasingly
competitive private rental housing
market. Our data demonstrates that
a high percentage of women rely
on the private rental market for their
housing needs. As a result, we expect
increasing demand on this program
and will monitor expenditure to assist
as many women as possible
Use information from the private rental
brokerage program, CALD housing
program and crisis accommodation
service to support our continued
advocacy efforts regarding womens
access to affordable housing at state
and national levels
Figure 7. FAMILY VIOLENCE OUTREACH

DIVERSE CLIENT GROUPS
l4 W0MENS EAL1 WES1 ANNLAL REP0R1 200?-20l0
inTensiVe case ManaGeMenT
The intensive case manager provides family violence
support to women and their children with complex needs,
who are at greatest risk of extreme violence and death,
and experience multiple barriers to the service system.
Most of the women live in private or public housing and
have diffculty escaping a violent partner/ex-partner.
OBJ ECTIVE
Ensure that high needs clients receive a comprehensive
case management service designed to assist them to
escape long-term family violence, access other specialist
services and secure safe and sustainable housing
STRATEGIES
Provide medium to long-term intensive case management
support (up to 12 months) to 21 women and their children
Implement client engagement strategies designed to build
trust from women with previous negative experiences of
service systems
Where a woman is assessed as having an escalated risk
of death or injury as a result of family violence, refer her
to the High Risk Notifcation (HRN) register to ensure a
coordinated and specifc safety plan is established by
Victoria Police and her key support agencies
OUTCOMES
Provided an intensive case management service to 20
women. Of those women, 2 were supported for up to 4
weeks, 4 for 4-13 weeks, 6 for 13-26 weeks, 6 for 26-52
weeks and 2 for over 12 months
Of those women, 8 decided to return to or stay with their
partner and were assisted in developing safety plans that
would be activated if the violence escalated
The other 12 women were supported in developing safety
plans that took into account their individual needs and the
likelihood of their ex-partner reoffending. A safety plan was
developed to be activated in the event of an escalation of
violence
Fourteen (73%) women were accompanied by children.
Of those, 4 women were involved with Childrens Court
proceedings and 4 with the Family Court
Three ICM clients experienced an escalated risk of
harm and were referred to the HRN register, with case
conferences held between the client, Victoria Police and
agencies involved. Strategies were agreed to respond to
the escalated risk
FUTURE DIRECTIONS
We have noticed that women who are at greatest risk of
family violence often miss out on therapeutic interventions
because the focus tend to be on ongoing assessment and
monitoring of risk. We would like to explore ways in which
women can talk about their past, the impact of the violence
such as anxiety and depression and the coping strategies
that they have developed that may be harmful, such as
drug and alcohol abuse. Narrative therapy, art therapy and
other types of counselling interventions could enhance the
capacity of the intensive case managers to assist women
towards recovery
WoMen WiTh a disaBiliTY

inTensiVe case ManaGeMenT
The Intensive Case Manager for women with a disability
commenced a two year project in J une 2009 to increase
our family violence teams capacity to support women
experiencing family violence who have physical,
intellectual or sensory disabilities
OBJ ECTIVES
Build relationships between the disability sector and family
violence sectors
Develop a model of best practice
STRATEGIES
Form an advisory group to guide the direction of the
project
Organise a forum and invite representatives from the
family violence and disability sectors to discuss ways
family violence services and disability services can work
together to best support clients
Provide an intensive case management service to fve
women with a disability who experience family violence
In collaboration with local disability services deliver family
violence training to disability workers in those services
Build relationships between disability and family violence
sectors to ensure clear referral pathways for women
experiencing family violence
Network at regional and state levels with local agencies
and advocacy groups including Domestic Violence Victoria
and Women with Disabilities Network
Pilot out-posting worker to local disability agency to
provide secondary consultations regarding family violence
OUTCOMES
Established 15 member advisory group representing family
violence and disability sectors within three months of
project commencement
April 2010 forum attracted 11 participants from both
sectors. Discussion revealed specifc barriers for women
with disabilities seeking safety: each sector uses different
frameworks and implements different responses
Supported six women with physical, intellectual or sensory
disabilities. Of those women, 2 accessed private rental and
are now living safe
and independent lives,
2 are living with family
and were referred to
specialist services,
and 2 remain ongoing
clients of WHW
Developed a poster
promoting WHW
family violence
support to women
with disabilities and
distributed to agencies
in the west

Delivered family violence training to 37
staff across two disability services. Around
62 percent of participants stated that the
training would change their work practice
Provided training session on barriers
experienced by women with disabilities
who experience family violence. Session
increased the family violence outreach
teams awareness of the barriers women
with disabilities face when accessing
support
100 percent of clients reported barriers to
accessing support from agencies including
disability services, general practitioners,
community health centres, courts, child
protection and legal aid services. Women
said they were often not asked or heard,
and felt more alone or even invisible
Networking with agencies resulted in a
working group to develop examples of
best practice in co-case management for
women with disabilities. The working group
participants are Womens Health West,
Housing Resource and Support Service,
Annecto, Womens Domestic Violence
Crisis Service, Women with Disabilities
Victoria and Mollys House
Out-posted worker for family violence
consultation for two hours per fortnight to
disability client services over three months.
Review of the effectiveness of this service
is underway
FUTURE DIRECTIONS
Develop a training package in partnership
with Domestic Violence Resource Centre
Victoria to deliver common risk assessment
framework (CRAF) training to disability
services in the north west metropolitan
region to enhance the consistency of
responses between agencies
Increase the family violence and disability
sectors understanding of the particular
needs of women with a disability who have
experienced family violence by holding
a number of working groups to explore
ways in which they can work together and
documenting examples of best practice to
promote collaborative work between the
sectors

The workers dont take any

notice, they dont believe me. I
couldnt tell them.
Intensive Case Management Client,
comment about her disclosure of
violence she was experiencing
childrens
counsellinG ProGraM
Childrens counsellors provide a
therapeutic environment where
children can recover from the trauma of
witnessing and/or experiencing family
violence.
OBJ ECTIVES
Ensure that children and young people
who have experienced family violence
have access to services and resources
tailored to their support and recovery
needs
Build womens capacity to support their
children in their recovery from family
violence
STRATEGIES
Provide high quality counselling and support to 91 children and young
people who have experienced family violence, using creative arts and
play therapy techniques to engage with them and facilitate their recovery
from trauma
Co-facilitate two childrens therapeutic art groups with key community
agencies
Actively involve mothers in their childrens counselling and group work to
build on their capacity to support their children in their recovery
Provide counselling at two outposts in Melton and Werribee
OUTCOMES
Provided counselling to 74 children and therapeutic group work to a
further 12 children, a total of 86. The slightly reduced number results from
the program being understaffed for 8 weeks
Around 95 percent of the children were 12 years or under, which refects
the age group of children accompanying women accessing family
violence services (88 percent of accompanying children are 12 years or
under).
Counselling sessions provided an opportunity for children to talk about
their experiences and explore their feelings
All mothers were actively involved in their childrens counselling sessions
and engaged with their childrens recovery
Ran two childrens therapeutic arts groups with an average of six children
per group in tandem with ISIS Primary Care and Anglicare in Footscray
and Tarneit
One counsellor was out-posted at Werribee one day a week averaging
four appointments a day. The Melton outpost has operated under capacity
following few referrals from this area
FUTURE DIRECTIONS
Compile information for funding bodies of the differing needs of
adolescents (13-18 year olds) compared with children (3-12 year olds)
and advocate for additional specialist counselling positions based upon
ages of children accessing the service system
Engage in continued advocacy in tandem with other organisations in
the sector for funding to increase our ability to respond to the needs of
children who experience family violence
Improve data recording systems to better measure unmet demand to
strengthen funding applications to expand this service
Develop an evaluation form to capture childrens feedback
Develop a brochure to promote the childrens counselling service,
including one aimed at children to explain counselling
Children explore their experiences of

violence through art therapy
MPs and local newspapers took up the story
and the Brimbank Police Family Violence
Unit reopened in March 2010
OBJ ECTIVE
Provide community-based regional integration leadership to
assist family violence services in the western metropolitan
sub-region
STRATEGIES
Monitor and review family violence reform processes
Support organisations to develop and commit to agreed
integration frameworks
Facilitate clear referral pathways and intake processes
Encourage and support community education and
prevention activities
OUTCOMES
Attended 27 regular statewide, regional and sub-regional
meetings to facilitate the following outcomes:
Swinburne Institute of Technology, DVRC and No to
Violence developed and rolled out the Common Risk
Assessment Framework
Womens and childrens family violence services hosted
partner contacts for two mens behaviour change
services to enhance referral processes
Victoria Police Brimbank Family Violence Response Unit
was reopened in March 2010 as a result of lobbying
members of parliament and media to reallocate
resources diverted to general policing
The Western Region Local Government Prevention
Network partnered with the Western Region Football
Leagues Women in Football Foundation and the
WIFVC to create a violence prevention social marketing
campaign
In November 2009 WIFVC funded the Wyndham Family
Violence Network to run a successful White Ribbon
Day businessmens breakfast for the industrial sector
of Laverton. Eighty participants received resources and
guidance on prevention of violence against women in the
workplace
In J une 2010 the Enhanced Service Intake into mens
behavioural change programs commenced in the north-
west metropolitan region guided by a regional advisory
group including womens services and police
FUTURE DIRECTIONS
Develop a statewide partnership agreement to facilitate
collaborative working relationships between regional
specialist family violence services, child protection and
child frst/family services
Identify one action plan area that WIFVC and the
Indigenous Regional Action Group will work on together in
the next reporting period
Map responses to children and young people in the
western sub region to determine the need for more
resources
Work with local football league to distribute information
cards outlining suport available for men and women
FaMilY Violence reGional

inTeGraTion coordinaTion
The family violence Regional Integration Coordinator
reports to the Western Integrated Family Violence
Committee (WIFVC). The position is auspiced by
WHW as a member organisation of the Womens
and Childrens Partnership.
VicTiMs assisTance
counsellinG ProGraM (VacP)
VACP offers up to fve free counselling sessions as
well as practical support to women who are victims of
family violence and have reported to police or obtained
an intervention order. WHW works in partnership with
Western Region Health Centre to provide this program.
OBJ ECTIVE
Ensure that women who are victims of criminal assault in the
home are able to access counselling and practical support to
enhance their recovery
STRATEGIES
Provide 360 client hours to victims of family violence
Continue to build partnerships with the Western Region
Health Centre and other community-based agencies to
improve referral pathways for women and their children
who experience family violence
Provide counselling at an outpost in Wyndham
OUTCOMES
Provided individual counselling to 39 women
(approximately 195 client hours). Targets were not
achieved because the position was vacant for fve months
Participated in cross-agency peer supervision on a
six-weekly basis with Western Region Health Centre
counselling team
Provided counselling at Wyndham outpost once a fortnight
averaging four appointments per day
FUTURE DIRECTIONS
Promote the value of community counselling programs to
funding bodies including Department of Human Services
and Department of J ustice and explore opportunities to
access non-government funding to expand the availability
of counselling to women victims of family violence
The impacts of trauma can make it very diffcult for
clients to engage in counselling leading to a high rate
of clients who do not attend following the referral. The
program would beneft from researching and implementing
strategies to improve engagement and rates of attendance

healTh ProMoTion, research and
deVeloPMenT
The Health Promotion, Research and Development
team at Womens Health West operates within a
feminist framework to deliver projects that improve
womens health, safety and wellbeing. Our work is
premised on a social model of health, recognising that
health is infuenced by more than biology, lifestyles and
access to health care. Other social determinants such
as poverty, education, age, sexuality, culture and, of
course, gender also impact on health and wellbeing.
As a feminist organisation we focus on redressing the
gender and structural inequalities that limit the lives
of women, through a range of health promotion and
community development actions:
Undertaking gendered research, needs identifcation,
information provision, training and workforce
development
Infuencing population health planning and service
development to promote on-going responsiveness to the
needs of women and their children
Enhancing service access through advocacy and
systemic change
Womens Health West has always teamed up with others

to maximise the effectiveness and sustainability of our
efforts to achieve real change. We work in partnership
with a very broad range of groups and organisations to
pursue and embed our goals in the delivery of services
and programs across the region. In 2009-10, the
health promotion team collaborated with more than ffty
organisations in projects across our program areas of
equity and social justice, mental wellbeing and social
connectedness, and sexual and reproductive health.
Womens Health West is the lead agency in the regional
health promotion priority areas of prevention of violence
against women, and sexual and reproductive health.
Our work is undertaken within a model that focuses
on processes that promote individual and community
change and empowerment. Such processes include the
importance of women naming their own experiences
and having a clear voice within the public arena, and
are supported by encouraging women to develop skills
that allow them to participate in the development and
implementation of health promotion activities and other
change processes.
PoWer on For carers
Power On For Carers is an eight-week program for
women who are carers of people who experience
mental illness. The program arose out of Power On at
the request of carers and is based on a similar peer
education/strengths-based approach.
OBJ ECTIVE
Ensure that women carers of people who experience mental
illness have access to skills and knowledge that assist them
to enhance their health and wellbeing
STRATEGIES
Co-facilitate the delivery of one Power On For Carers
program for women clients of Carers Respite Connections
Implement a training and support program for staff at
Carers Respite Connections with a view to transferring the
delivery of the program to that agency
OUTCOMES
Sixteen women who are clients of Carers Respite
Connections successfully completed the Power On For
Carers program
One facilitator and three support workers at Carers Respite
Connections were trained and supported to deliver Power
On for Carers with minimal ongoing input from WHW
FUTURE DIRECTIONS
Continue to support the capacity of Carers Respite
Connections to deliver Power On for Carers, particularly in
relation to training program facilitators and peer educators.
Through Power On for Carers, I learned

that I have a right to speak up and be heard,
my opinion is just as important as any other
person.IfoundtheconfdenceIneededto
follow my instincts and even to say no.
Participant, Power On for Carers
PoWer on
Power On is a twelve-week program designed by and
for women who experience mental illness comprising
modules identifed as key to assisting them to enhance
their health and wellbeing. The program takes a peer
education approach that recognises women as experts
in their own health and values women sharing their
expertise.
OBJ ECTIVE
Ensure that women in the western region who experience
mental illness have access to skills and knowledge that
assist them to enhance their health and wellbeing.
STRATEGIES
Facilitate two twelve-week Power On programs for women
who experience mental illness in collaboration with
regional mental health services
Train and support staff from two mental health services to
deliver the Power On program themselves
Secure the sustainability of Power On by obtaining
recurrent funding
Promote the Power On model to other organisations and
agencies in the western region and beyond
OUTCOMES
Twenty fve women who are clients of two mental health
services in the western region successfully completed the
Power On program
Eleven staff from four mental health services were trained
to deliver and implement Power On, with follow-up support
and guidance provided
In light of unsuccessful funding efforts, a consortium of
seven agencies has been established to pursue program
sustainability and recurrent funding
Program promotion led to an invitation to train staff at two
Tasmanian services on the delivery of the Power On model
in April 2010
Agreement reached with the Victorian Womens Mental
Health Network to assist with implementation of the
program across the state, if funding is secured
FUTURE DIRECTIONS
Resource the Power On consortium to achieve sustainability
and expansion of the program to services throughout Victoria
Staff from four mental health agencies engaged in Power On facilitator training with WHW staff
One woman I have worked with for a
long time is so different after Power
On. She even dresses differently
and she cut her hair. Its important
to feed back results to other workers
especially caseworkers. Some women
were so enthusiastic they came an
hour early!
Mental Health Staff/Facilitator of Power On
seXual and reProducTiVe
healTh
The Sexual and Reproductive Health program brings
together organisations and agencies from across the
western region to develop strategies and undertake
actions to improve services and programs provided within
the region.
OBJ ECTIVE
Build the capacity of service providers and organisations
to effectively respond to and enhance the sexual and
reproductive health of disadvantaged communities in
Melbournes western region.
STRATEGIES
Lead the HealthWest Sexual and Reproductive Health
Working Group
Carry out a mapping and needs analysis that investigates
the sexual and reproductive health status of the
catchments population, maps current services and health
promotion initiatives, and identifes gaps and areas for
improvement in program delivery
Hold a regional forum with service providers to present
and build on the mapping and needs analysis, and identify
opportunities for action
Use the results of the mapping and needs analysis and
the outcomes of the forum to inform the development of a
2010-12 Sexual and Reproductive Health Action Plan
OUTCOMES
Facilitated twelve working group meetings attended by
eleven representatives from HealthWest member agencies
A mapping and needs analysis report was completed
and widely distributed. The report outlines key fndings
and recommendations based on a review of 69 sexual
and reproductive health programs and services from
23 agencies. The report highlights current gaps in
service provision and the need for a more targeted and
coordinated approach among agencies in the western
region
The forum attracted 31 local service providers who
identifed barriers for communities in the west in accessing
appropriate sexual and reproductive health services and
initiatives
A collaborative 2010-12 Sexual and Reproductive Health
Action Plan is in the initial stages of development
FUTURE DIRECTIONS
Work undertaken to date indicates two main needs. One, a
requirement for a stronger emphasis on partnerships and
development of initiatives in tandem with local communities
/ target groups. Two, a greater orientation towards initiatives
that target the impact of inequities on the sexual and
reproductive health of disadvantaged groups. WHW plan
to undertake work to enhance understanding of how we
might reorient our regional actions to focus on the social
determinants of health as well as the provision of clinical
services
seXual and reProducTiVe

healTh coMMuniTY educaTion
ProGraM
This program is delivered in educational settings for
newly-arrived and CALD young women.
OBJ ECTIVE
Enhance students knowledge and understanding of
human relationships and sexual and reproductive rights
to encourage young women to become more confdent in
taking control over sexual and relationship decision-making
STRATEGIES
Work in partnership with Western Region Health Centre
and Maribyrnong City Council Youth Services to deliver a
fve-week human relations program to newly-arrived young
people attending the Western English Language School
(WELS), with WHW delivering the girls program
Involve interpreters in the delivery of the WELS program to
aid student comprehension
Deliver a four-week sexual and reproductive health
program to CALD young women who are students at
Victoria University
OUTCOMES
The fve-week program was delivered in term three 2009
and again in term two 2010, with approximately twenty
girls in attendance each time
Interpreters were provided to meet the language needs of
all students, this year funded by Western Region Health
Centre
Approximately thirty young women participated in a four-
week sexual and reproductive health program at Victoria
University, with 80 percent reporting improved knowledge
and increased confdence about making decisions as a
result of participation
FUTURE DIRECTIONS
The program delivered at Western English Language
School will undergo evaluation in early 2011 to identify
areas of content and delivery that can be improved to
better meet students' needs
Given its success in enhancing students' confdence to
take greater control of sexual and reproductive decision-
making, the program at Victoria University for young
women students from CALD backgrounds will be delivered
again in early 2011

sunrise WoMens GrouPs
WHWs longest running program is the Sunrise Womens
Group for women with a disability, which is held once
each month from February to December in Werribee and
Laverton. The focus is on fun, friendship, skills building
and information sharing within a woman-centred context.
OBJ ECTIVE
Ensure that women with a disability who live in the outer
western region can access opportunities to develop a
support network, share information and build skills that
enhance their health and wellbeing
STRATEGIES
Hold one group in Werribee and one in Laverton as
these localities have the poorest access to transport and
services
Work in consultation with women participants to develop
an annual calendar of activities and events
Promote the Sunrise Womens Groups within the
community to enhance the likelihood of isolated women
fnding out about the existence of the program
OUTCOMES
An average of six women with a range of disabilities from
Laverton, Werribee and St Albans regularly attended the
Laverton group and fve attended the Werribee group
Participants assisted with the development of the groups
calendar, leading to social outings, skill sharing, art
therapy, and information sessions on pap screening,
healthy relationships and sexual health
Promotional mailout to disability services in Werribee
and Laverton; promotion of the program at local forums;
presentation of a conference paper at the national
Australian Health Promotion Association conference
FUTURE DIRECTIONS
The Sunrise Womens Groups will focus on increasing the
number of regular participants by promoting the program
among service providers. Particularly, the relatively low
number of women participants from CALD backgrounds has
been identifed as a high priority for action in 2010-11
Financial liTeracY ProGraM

This six-week course is about Australian fnancial systems
for women from newly-arrived communities. It is delivered
in partnership with other agencies in the western region,
and each program is tailored to participants needs with
content based on the results of consultation with women
from each target group.

OBJ ECTIVE
Ensure that women from newly-arrived communities have
access to services, resources and information that builds
their capacity to understand and control fnancial decision-
making

STRATEGIES
Deliver a six-week fnancial literacy program to women
from three newly-arrived communities, ensuring that
program content is specifc to each communitys needs
Improve linkages between women and agencies in the
western region by involving agency staff in program
delivery
Work with partner agencies to deliver an information
session for Somali women about resources and services
available to women who run their own business

OUTCOMES
Developed and delivered three six-week fnancial literacy
programs specifc to each communitys needs and
attended by:
18 Somali women in Braybrook
26 South Sudanese women in St Albans
21 Karen women in Laverton
Five agencies contributed specialist knowledge by
participating in delivery of the program: Centrelink, the
Australian Tax Offce, Good Shepherd Youth and Family
Services, ISIS Primary Care Financial Services, and the
NEIS program provider Victoria University
Participating agencies report a marked increase in their
services being used by Somali, South Sudanese and
Karen women
In response to a request from participants in the program,
a one-day information session on running a business was
attended by 25 Somali women, delivered in partnership
with the North West Migrant Resource Centre and
Flemington Neighborhood Renewal
FUTURE DIRECTIONS
Conduct an assessment to identify three communities
that will beneft from the program and the partnership
opportunities that exist
I feel like its made a big difference to my life

because I have a connection with nice people. The
activities are very rewarding it helps me mentally.
Before that I didnt have anyone to talk to, I always
look forward to the meetings.
Ruth, Laverton Sunrise group
Karen women graduate the fnancial literacy program in Laverton
Prior to the workshops we had trouble engaging with the
[South Sudanese] community... Since I participated in the
delivery of the workshops, I have had thirteen women from
thiscommunityattendfnancialcounsellingappointments.
Financial Counsellor, Good Shepherd Youth and Family Services
I found the workshop on racism
to be a rare opportunity to try to
unpack some of the baggage that
goes with a scary term like racism.
The well-facilitated discussion
made me realise how inextricably
entwined notions of race are with
other essentialising beliefs about
gender, culture and class.
Anti-racism workshop participant
2l W0MENS EAL1 WES1 ANNLAL REP0R1 200?-20l0
anTi racisM ProJecT
The anti-racism project is a two-part workshop
that explores safe ways to discuss and defne
racism, how it affects women in the western
region and strategies that might assist us to
unravel racism itself.
OBJ ECTIVE
Gather information about racism and racial
discrimination and its effects on women in the
western region, and provide support to other
regional efforts to reduce racism
STRATEGIES
Run a workshop with WHW staff to defne
racism and explore ways we, and women we
work with, are affected by racism
Publish an anti-racism article in WHW News
Contribute to an anti-racism project
established by Western Young Peoples
Independent Network (WYPIN)
OUTCOMES
24 staff of WHW attended a workshop that
explored the causes and effects of racist
beliefs, and created a map that identifes the
impacts of racism within employment, housing,
service access and education

An article exploring the complex nature of
racism was distributed to 1500 women and
online in the second edition of WHW News
2010
The workshop facilitator is participating in the
WYPIN steering group, which is in the early
stages of developing an anti-racism project
with young people
FUTURE DIRECTIONS
A second workshop will be held at WHW
where staff will assist in the identifcation of
anti-racism strategies
A series of workshops will be held with
service providers in the western region and
with women affected by racism, based on the
outcomes of the WHW workshops
Continue to identify and assist with other anti-
racism strategies in the western region
FaMilY and reProducTiVe riGhTs

educaTion ProGraM (FarreP)
FARREP provides a range of professional development and
community education services that respond to the practical, cultural
and social needs of women from communities affected by the
practice of female genital mutilation (FGM).
OBJ ECTIVE
Curtail the practice of FGM and improve access to culturally-appropriate
services by women who are already affected
STRATEGIES
Deliver professional development programs to at least thirty maternal
and child health nurses in the western region
Collaborate with community services to deliver a community education
program for newly-arrived women
Update and disseminate WHW FARREP resources to communities
and service providers
Produce health information products for African women
Produce a resource for service providers who work with FGM-affected
women during pregnancy and birth
OUTCOMES
More than seventy maternal and child health nurses from all seven
local government areas in the west participated in the training. Over 94
percent of the participants identifed at least one aspect of the training
that will be useful to their work
Seven community education sessions were delivered to approximately
thirty women at AMES and New Hope Foundation
Healthy African Women brochure was updated, in consultation with
African womens groups and service providers, and translated into
Arabic, Amharic, Somali and Tigrinya
A second edition of Mama and Nunu, a sexual and reproductive
health resource produced by WHW for service providers who work with
FGM-affected women, was produced and made available on the WHW
website, and 47 services were notifed of its availability
FUTURE DIRECTIONS
Deliver a second stage of professional development with maternal and
child health nurses based on the outcomes of the evaluation of phase
one
Review FARREP community education program priorities by consulting
with women from FGM affected communities
Deliver a professional development program for maternity and allied
health staff at Western Hospital (Sunshine campus) on the cultural and
social aspects of working with women who are affected by FGM
Well presented, factual, relevant

and engaging.
Maternal and Child Health Nurse
Build The caPaciTY oF
orGanisaTions in The WesTern
reGion To PreVenT Violence
aGainsT WoMen
The Prevention of Violence Against Women program
undertakes collaborative activities in the region designed
to build communities, cultures and organisations that are
non-violent, non-discriminatory, gender equitable and that
promote respectful relationships.
OBJ ECTIVE
Build the capacity of agencies in the western metropolitan
region to develop integrated strategies for the primary
prevention of violence against women, and their commitment
to adopt prevention of violence against women as a priority
STRATEGIES
Establish a Western Region Prevention of Violence Against
Women Working Group to oversee the project
Develop an integrated action plan to prevent violence
against women for the western region, in partnership with
other organisations
Align the action plan with existing best practice frameworks
at local, state and national levels, such as HealthWests
Healthy Communities, Healthy Lives model and A Right
To Respect: Victorias Plan to Prevent Violence Against
Women 2010-2020
Engage local councils, community health services and
primary care partnerships participation in the working
group and consultation in the development of the plan
Evaluate the effcacy of the action plan to build the political
will and capacity of organisations in the western region to
undertake actions to prevent violence against women
Launch action plan in mid-2010
OUTCOMES
Established ffteen-member working group comprised of
representatives from six local councils, three community
health services and two primary care partnerships. The
working group met monthly during the twelve month period
with additional meetings as required
Developed Preventing Violence Together: the Western
Region Action Plan to Prevent Violence Against Women,
an ambitious but achievable plan for organisations that is
comprised of mutually reinforcing actions across seven
strategy areas
Worked with key organisations at state and regional level
to align Preventing Violence Together with relevant policy
documents
Strengthened existing relationships and built new
relationships with local councils, PCPs and community
health services, engaging them in the development of the
plan
Developed evaluation plan that will be implemented from
2011
Developed logo for the action plan, which will also be used
as a regional brand for work to prevent violence against
women across the region
While the plan was initially due for launch in mid-2010,
external factors in particular, policy developments at
state government level meant that it was necessary to
extend the original timelines by six months.
FUTURE DIRECTIONS
In 2010-11 the action plan will be implemented under
the direction of the new steering structure comprised of
representatives from PVT signatory organisations and
other key agencies in the region
Womens Health West will continue to be a lead partner in
this work, providing expert advice and capacity building to
organisations working to prevent violence against women
The working group has worked with the Offce of Womens
Policy to explicitly align our regional action plan with the
state plan, which will maximise the benefts of our efforts
and ensure the western region is well positioned to take
advantage of funding opportunities and of resources and
tools as they are developed
Regional collaboration and consultation

enabled the working group to
establish an action plan that enables
organisations to effectively work
towards preventing violence against
women together.
J o Noesgaard, HealthWest Partnership
The images throughout Preventing Violence Together are used with permission by women from the
Womens Program Support Group (Family Violence Prevention Programme) Djerriwarrh Health Services.
The art therapy project gave women who are survivors of violence an opportunity to use art to create a
representation of their lives living with violence and abuse.
Lucy Forwood, school nurse and students from the Girls Talk - Guys
Talk committee in 2010
Lucy Forwood, school nurse and students from the Girls Talk - Guys
Talk committee in 2007
Girls Talk - GuYs Talk
Girls Talk-Guys Talk is a whole-school sexuality education
program that is delivered in one secondary school within
the western region at a time, over one year.
OBJ ECTIVE
Improve students capacity to make healthy decisions about
sexual health and relationships, by engaging students,
teachers, parents and community members in building a
sustainable whole-school approach to sexuality education
STRATEGIES
Implement the World Health Organisations whole-school
approach to sexuality education at Hoppers Crossing
Secondary College (HCSC) by involving students, parents,
teachers and principals in program delivery
Establish a student committee to guide the content and
direction of the program and to establish partnerships
between students, school staff, parents and local agencies
Enhance linkages between the school and local service
providers
Build capacity within HCSC to ensure skills and knowledge
developed through the program are sustained within the
school
Undertake a student survey at the commencement of
the program to identify the key focus for the school, and
evaluate the effcacy of program delivery by surveying
students at completion
Develop a play about relationships and sexual health
based on the survey, written and performed by students, to
parents and other members of the school community
OUTCOMES
Girls Talk - Guys Talk delivered at HCSC across the
domains of curriculum and teaching, school organisation
and environment, community links, and partnerships and
services
Committee of ffteen year nine students provided input
and leadership on program design and delivery, advised
on topics to include in sexual health curriculum and their
preferred teaching style, and contributed to school policy
development
Wyndham Council Youth Services, school welfare staff,
school health promotion nurse, year nine coordinator,
teaching staff, and school principal and assistant principal
participated in a staff and service provider working group
to enhance linkages and ongoing collaboration between
the school and local services
All school staff participated in a sexual health training

program to build their capacity to deliver the program
on an ongoing basis. Pastoral care and sexual health
teaching staff were trained to deliver the newly-created
curriculum and teaching materials
Racism and cyber-bullying were identifed as key problems
based on a survey of 120 year nine students. Students
and school staff collaborated to develop two new school
policies on racial harassment and cyber bullying, and
these policies were incorporated into the schools Student
Welfare and Management Policy
All year nine students participated in the sexuality and
healthy relationships program. An enhanced capacity
for healthy sexual and relationship decision-making was
evidenced by pre- and post-testing
A school play on sexual decision-making and relationships
was written and performed by ten students and attended
by twenty parents, ten school staff and representatives of
Wyndham Youth Services and Family Planning Victoria
FUTURE DIRECTIONS
Girls Talk - Guys Talk will be hosted by Taylors Lakes
Secondary College in 2010-11
The long-term impacts of Girls Talk - Guys Talk at HCSC
will be evaluated in 2012, when the participating students
will be in year 11
The students are driving

this. They have ownership.
The students are motivated.
It acknowledges and
validates their strengths.
It provides them with a
more active role in learning.
HCSC Health Promotion
Secondary School Nurse
Now that I know all this
stuff I will make different
decisions about going to
parties, getting drunk and
having sex.
HCSC Student group
member
Girl Talk - Guys Talk has given students an opportunity
to develop leadership skills and work in teams around
wellbeing matters this is not an area where students are
given an opportunity to lead others in conveying important
messagesaffectingyoungpeople.Ithasinfuencedour
pastoral care curriculum and whats critical for us to be
teaching at years 7-9 and it has highlighted for staff how
important it is to gain student feedback about issues.
Hoppers Crossing Secondary College Assistant Principal
2007 2010
Lead On Again
lead on aGain
Lead On Again is a fve-day leadership program for young
women aged 16-24, from culturally and linguistically diverse
backgrounds
OBJ ECTIVE
Increase the leadership skills, knowledge and capacity
of young women from culturally and linguistically diverse
(CALD) backgrounds and provide support for sustainable
participation in their communities
STRATEGIES
In partnership with Melton Youth Service (MYS) and
Djerriwarrh Health Service (DjHS):
Implement the fve-day leadership program for twelve
young women from CALD backgrounds who live, work or
study in the western region
Facilitate the participation of 50 percent of graduates in
leadership initiatives by J une 2010
Distribute the Lead On Again manual to fve agencies for
their implementation of the program
Build the capacity of Melton Youth Service and
Djerriwarrh Health Service to run Lead On Again
independently of Womens Health West, by mentoring
program staff during delivery
OUTCOMES
The fve-day leadership program was delivered in
Melton with seven young women participating, including
fve young CALD women and two from Anglo-Saxon
backgrounds. The majority of participants lived in Melton
Two of the graduates are strongly involved in programs at
Melton Youth Services following Lead On Again
The resource was distributed to two partner agencies
(MYS and DjHS). The aim to reach fve agencies was
not met because the project worker was seconded to the
Offce of Womens Policy for part of the year.
Melton Youth Services and Djerriwarrh Health Services
report feeling confdent in their capacity to deliver Lead
On Again independently in the future
FUTURE DIRECTIONS
Womens Health West will partner with Western Young
Peoples Independent Network to run Lead On Again in
Footscray in J anuary 2011, targeting young women from
across the western region
Be available for consultation to Djerriwarrh Health Service
and Melton Youth Service in their delivery of Lead On
Again in the Melton area
Investigate the viability of delivering Lead On Again in
other outer west areas and developing the capacity of
agencies in those areas to implement the program
16 March 2010
HealthWest Partnership Sexual
and Reproductive Health Forum
Sexual and Reproductive Health
Needs Analysis and Mapping
Results
Anna Vu, Sexual and Reproductive
Health Worker
18 May 2010
Australian Womens Health
Conference, Hobart
Poster presentation
Women who experience mental
illness Power On across the
Western Metropolitan Region of
Melbourne and Tasmania
Sally Camilleri, Health Promotion
Worker
20 May 2010
Workshop
Creative Ways of Exploring
Womens Power
Sally Camilleri and Erin
Richardson, Health Promotion
Workers
31 May 2010
Australian Health Promotion
Association National Conference,
Melbourne
Girls Talk - Guys Talk Health
Promoting Schools Program
Lucy Forwood, Health Promotion
Worker
Chantal Maloney, Health
Promotion School Nurse
Partnerships, Consultation
and Financial Literacy: Health
Promotion through Financial
Literacy for Newly Arrived
Women
Worker
When Health Promotion doesnt
ft in the boxes: The Power On
Experience
Worker
Working Effectively with Women
with a Disability in the Outer
West
Lindy Corbett, Sunrise Women with
a Disability Project Worker
1 June 2010
Association National Conference,
Melbourne
Mama and Nunu 2: Developing
a resource on female genital
mutilation for Health Service
Providers
Reem Omarit, FARREP
Community Worker
10 June 2010
Centre for Ethnicity and Health,
Melbourne
Female genital mutilation:
Information for Health
Professionals
Reem Omarit, FARREP
Community Worker
23 June 2010
Building on Diversity Conference,
Melbourne
Working with African women
affected by female genital
mutilation, the role of maternal
and child health nurses
Reem Omarit, FARREP
Community Worker
Family Violence Community
Education
21 July 2009
Horizons Womens Group
Deb and Sally Camilleri
6 August 2009
Annecto
Deb and Emma
17 september 2009
St Albans Migrant Resource Centre
Deb
14 October 2009
Wyndham Family Violence
Network
Emma and Luise
16 november 2009
Djerriwarrh Break the Cycle
Womens Group, Melton East
Community Health Centre
Luise and CAS
3 December 2009
Orygen
Emma and Merryn
27 January 2010
MetroWest, Footscray
Luise and Tammy
25 February 2010
New Hope Foundation, Werribee
Suzannah and Hatice
25 March 2010
Bapcare North West Family
Services, Brimbank
Suzannah and Batsi
26 March 2010
Sunrise Womens Group
Deb and Lindy Corbett
15 May 2010
Kealba Secondary College
Batsi and Isabelle
23 June 2010
Maternal Health Care Centre
Hatice and Tammy
7 June 2010
Sudanese Womens Group, Melton
Batsi
WhW PresenTaTions
coMMunicaTions
STRATEGIES
Work in partnership with staff and
other regional agencies to develop
innovative, accessible and culturally
appropriate resources for women
across the region
Produce an informative and up-to-
date website, annual report and
newsletters
Produce creative and inspiring
publications, posters, training
manuals and brochures
Assist WHW staff to promote and
publicise their work
Write prompt media releases on
topics warranting advocacy and to
publicise WHWs achievements,
events and innovations
Organise community events that are
inclusive of our members and service
users
Distribute womens health information
on request, at community education
sessions, community events and via
the website
Promote membership and maintain
membership database
OUTCOMES
Collaborated with Victoria Police
to produce a video outlining ways
of safely collecting evidence if
your partner has breached your
intervention order. WHWs versatile
and talented staff acted out the parts
and the fve minute flm, launched by
Chief Commissioner Simon Overland,
is now distributed through court, via
our website, YouTube and Victoria
Police BlueTube, resulting in 953
views since April 2009
Produced three colourful and
informative editions of WHW News
and distributed each edition to 1,200
readers across the region including
our membership
Produced a re-formatted annual
report better targeted to funding
bodies
Coordinated the preliminary

redevelopment of the website with a
focus on accessibility for a range of
communities of interest
Worked with four staff to produce
two posters and two sets of
handouts for conferences
The FARREP workers worked with
communications and a focus group
to produce a new set of Healthy
African Women brochures in four
community languages
WHW distributed seven media
releases on topics that impact on
womens health and wellbeing in the
western region including Brimbank
Police specialist family violence
unit, pay equity, public housing and
fnancial literacy for African women.
Over the past 12 months, WHW has
featured in 25 news stories in local
and state papers plus an interview
on J oy FM raising awareness of
family violence; a marked increase
on the 11 news stories recorded in
the previous reporting period
The 2009 annual general meeting
marked the 21st birthday of WHW
and we celebrated in style with a
party for over 120 members and
women who have been involved
with WHW over the years. The
Hon. J oan Kirner AM launched
REtroSPECT, our 21-year history
book, which has since been
distributed to libraries as well as
individuals and organisations in the
region and has attracted a great
deal of praise
Organised an in-house International
Womens Day event for staff and
directors to share food and stories
from their culture
Produced and distributed an
updated membership brochure and
increased membership from 411 to
507
FUTURE DIRECTIONS
Foster partnerships between
communications teams in local
womens health agencies and family
violence services by establishing a
regular information-sharing forum
Continue to produce regular
publications and include innovations
where possible including specifc
promotional material to educate and
inspire women to vote in the 2010
state election
Complete and launch new website
WHWs communications co-ordinator

and information worker work with
WHW staff and with others in the
region, including the media, to produce
engaging print and web publications
promoting womens health, safety and
wellbeing
OBJ ECTIVE
Increase the profle of womens health to
achieve equity and justice for women in
the west
DATE ACTION
J uly
2009
Submission to Commonwealth
Government regarding
development of new National
Womens Health Policy
Nov
2009
Endorsed National
Submission for Adjustable
Height Examination Beds
J an
2010
Submission in response
to Victorian Government A
Right to Justice and Safety:
Continuing Family Violence
Reform Victoria 2010-2010
consultation paper
March
2010
CEO International Womens
Day address to Moonee
Valley Council
March
2010
Written response to Offce
of Housing, Public Housing:
New Segmented Waiting List
Proposal
May
2010
Submission in response to the
Mens Health and Wellbeing
Strategy Background Paper
Consultation
May
2010
CEO presentation to ASU
forum for womens support
and advocacy services on pay
equity
adVocacY
WHW engages in advocacy designed
to change the structural factors that
cause and maintain the conditions under
which women and their children face
discrimination, here is a selection of
actions we took in the last fnancial year.
OUTCOMES
Organised 48 maintenance service visits
Buildings kept clean and safe with daily cleaning by contractors
Responded to approximately 15,240 phone calls (60 calls average per
day)
Database and referral information updated on an as-needs basis, with
some information continuously updated, other as it is received
Implemented a client appointment register and trained direct service
staff in how to use it
Provided administration support for 482 tasks including PowerPoint
presentations, spreadsheets, graphs, Gantt charts, reports and data
collation
An audit of human resource records by the Finance and Risk
Committee of the Board showed these to be exemplary, with all
information clearly available for each staff member in every area
required
There have been no inaccuracies with any staff members pay in the
previous year
Responded to 115 requests for assistance with ICT as well as
producing and distributing 20 written resources to guide staff on
commonly experienced ICT problems
Engaged White Room Consultancy to conduct a needs analysis
of WHWs information technology and communication needs, who
worked with staff to develop a fve year plan to respond to changing
ICT needs
Installed ten new computers running Windows 7 as phase one of the
computer turnover plan identifed in the fve year plan
Submitted quarterly board reports that were identifed by the directors
as clear and appropriate to their ability to carry out their governance
role
Human Resources staff leave, new staff, resignations, etc
Risk Management reporting Quality Committee actions
Staff Training numbers and nature of training attended by staff
FUTURE DIRECTIONS
Implement new Information and Communication Technology Strategy
Continue with quality improvement
Expand the client appointment register to record all external
appointments with staff
operaTIonS
The reception and administration functions of
WHW are undertaken to support and enhance
direct service, program and project workers
capacity to meet the strategic goals of our
organisation.
OBJ ECTIVES
Maintain buildings, systems and equipment
through proactive and responsive repairs and
maintenance
Provide a professional, friendly and welcoming
reception service to clients and service users
by telephone and in person
Provide a responsive administrative support
service to WHW staff
Provide an accurate and timely payroll and
human resources service
Maintain an up-to-date information and
communication technology (ICT) system
Ensure the WHW Board of Directors is
informed of appropriate operational matters
based on a balanced scorecard approach to
governance
STRATEGIES
Keep up-to-date records of purchases,
maintenance and repair requirements
and organise maintenance, repairs and
replacement as required
Engage and monitor cleaning contractors
Provide responsive information, support and
referral to clients and service users of WHW
as appropriate to the reception role, including
regularly updating information and referral
databases and other promotional material
Establish a client appointment register system
to ensure a more professional response to
clients
Respond to staff requests for administrative
support including typing, event management,
feet management, maintenance of offce and
stationery supplies, and the collection and
collation of data to support program needs
Maintain accurate human resource
records regarding contracts, leave status,
superannuation, training and award systems,
and provide staff with accurate HR information
on request
Ensure accurate fortnightly payroll
submissions
Provide a developmental operational and
troubleshooting service to respond to staff ICT
needs
Plan a fve-year strategy to review and
respond to WHWs ICT needs in a changing
environment
Regularly report to the board of directors on
identifed operational matters
Figure 8. RECEPTION CALL REGISTER

Miscellaneous
Provided information
Referred to other services
Services calling for staff
Clients calling for staff
Family violence intake
35%
20%
20%
5%
10%
10%
2 WOMENS HEALTH WEST ANNUAL REPORT 2009-2010
Staff member Team
Deborah Family Violence
Nancy Crisis Accommodation Services
J o Harper Operations, Communication
Robyn Gregory CEO
Lindy Corbett
(Retired, March 2010 after three years)
Health Promotion
Erin Richardson
(J oined March 2010)
Health Promotion
MeMBershiP oF ohse coMMiTTee
occuPaTional healTh, saFeTY and enVironMenT
OBJ ECTIVES
Identify, develop, implement, monitor and evaluate WHWs
occupational health and safety policies and practices
Consider changes to the workplace, policies, work practices or
procedures that affect the health and safety of employees
STRATEGIES
Convene quarterly OHSE meetings consisting of
representatives of each work area and respond to any actions
arising from committee meetings in a timely manner
Ensure that OHSE is a regular agenda item at team meetings
Perform twice-yearly audits to monitor risk controls, safety
performance and OHSE policies and procedures
Develop and implement a calendar of OHSE training for all staff
Plan, implement and monitor regular fre and reception drills
OUTCOMES
Four OHSE meetings held and all actions attended to
Placed OHSE on the agenda of every team meeting
Developed Safety Audit Procedure, Safety Audit Form and
Safety Qualitative Audit documents to assist with conducting
the safety audit
Audit carried out by subgroup of committee and
recommendations presented back to full OHSE Committee for
implementation
Implemented personal alarm system for counselling rooms
resulting in four alarms
22 incidents recorded in the incident register and audited at
OHSE meetings to monitor that follow up action was completed
Zero staff time lost from workplace accidents
24 staff attended fre extinguisher and emergency procedures
training; eight staff attended CPR training
Four fre drills conducted at Barkly Street with an average of
24 staff attending, two fre drills conducted at CAS with an
average of four staff attending; two reception drills carried out
with written recommendations to the staff Quality Committee for
implementation
FUTURE DIRECTIONS
Continue to lift the profle of occupational health, safety and
environment across the organisation
enVironMenTal susTainaBiliTY
Womens Health West ensures that environmentally
sound products are used:
Purchased $768 of carbon offsets to offset 51.6
tonnes of CO2 or approximately 12 months of
greenhouse emissions caused by the 12 cars in
WHWs feet.
Daylight globes are ftted above desks
All copy paper is fully recycled
Tea and coffee is supplied by People for Fair Trade
All photocopier and printer toner cartridges are
recycled by Planet Ark
DISPOSAL
WHW comply with Environmental Protection Authority
requirements when disposing of our waste:
Type of waste Disposal procedures
Sanitary
waste
Sealed sanitary waste bins
in all toilets
Syringes
Syringe disposal containers
in toilets
Other waste
Disposed of at the Dynon
Road Recycle Centre,
Footscray

CEO AND EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT
Australian Womens Health Network
Conference
1
Executive Assistant Forum - Business
Writing Skills
1
VHIA CEO Forums 1

ProFessional deVeloPMenT
FAMILY VIOLENCE TEAM
Isnt This a Leading Question? 1
Achieving Equity Forum in Victoria 1
Borderline Personality Disorder 1
Building on Diversity 1
Case Notes, Family Violence and the
Law
9
Challenging Behaviours 1
Child First Information Sharing 2
Childrens Play Therapy 2
Common Risk Assessment
Framework Training
4
Conducting Effective Performance
Appraisals
2
Confict Management Skills for
Women
2
Counselling Practice Forum 2
Critical Incident Management 2
Day to Day Occupational Health and
Safety Management
3
Dealing with Family Violence in the
Courts
5
Designing Community Based Health
Programs
1
Drumbeat Workshop 2
Evaluation - Service Delivery 1
Evaluation for Health Promotion
Short Course
1
Family Law 1
Family Violence Planning Day 6
Family Violence Protection Act 2008 6
Is Family Violence a Crime? Forum 7
Getting Safe Against the Odds 1
Group Facilitation Skills 1
High Risk Young Children 1
Hope and Despair (Mental Health
Workshop)
1
Identifcation and Response to
Perpetrators of Family Violence
2
Immigrant Womens Family Violence
Service Introduction
1
Indigenous Cultural Awareness 3
Introduction to Family Violence 8
Introduction to Housing and
Homelessness
1
Introduction to OHSE for Managers 1
Lead and Develop Others in the
Workplace
1
Legal Aid Training and Family Law 4
Managing and Developing Teams 1
Managing Challenging Behaviours 1
Mental Health - Navigating the
System
1
Mental Health - Opening Doors to
Service
2
Mental Health First Aid Training for
FARREP workers
2
Mind the Baby Forum 1
Mindful Friday Forum 2
Moving to Grow - Dance Therapy 2
Narrative Approach to Trauma
Counselling
3
Overcoming the Barriers - Supporting
Women with Disabilities
3
Preparing a File for Subpoena 2
Preventing and Managing Bullying
and Harassment
1
Professional Supervision for Health
Professionals
1
Recovering from the Effects of
Trauma
1
Sexual Abuse and Trauma 1
SMART Data - Introduction and
Intermediate
7
So Youve Made it to Manager - How
to Survive and Thrive
1
Solution Focussed Therapy 1
Solving the J igsaw - Whole School
Approach to Bullying
1
Subpoenas, Presenting in Court and
Being a Witness in Court
13
Suicide Assessment and Intervention 1
Sunshine Court Orientation 2
Supervision - Managers Perspective 1
Supervision - Workers Perspective 1
Support Victims of Stalking Workshop 4
Trauma, Attachment and the Body 2
Victoria Legal Aid Services 8
Walk in her Shoes (Melbourne
Magistrates Court)
1
Walking Into Sunshine (Sunshine
Court Orientation)
2
Working with Challenging Behaviours 2
Working with Clients who are Hard to
Engage
1
Working with Sexual Assault and
Sexual Abuse
14
HEALTH PROMOTION TEAM
Conference
4
Association
4
Cervical Screening Education
Program
1
Evaluation for Health Promotion 1
Introduction to Lobbying 2
Love in the Time of Social Inclusion 1
Managing and Developing Teams 1
Mental Healthh First Aid Training 2
Participation for Health Short Course 1
Protecting and Promoting Womens
Rights in Australia
1
for Young Immigrant and Refugee
Women
1
Student Supervision 2
VHIA Senior Executives Forum 1
OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH, SAFETY
AND ENVIRONMENT
Fire Drill Barkly Street 16
Fire Drill CAS 3
Fire Drill CAS 5
Fire Extinguisher Training 23
First Aid Level 2 Training 7
Food Hygiene Level 1 2
OPERATIONS, FINANCE,
COMMUNICATIONS
Adobe Photoshop 1
Conference
1
Better Use of Emails 1
Desktop Publishing for Offce and
Business
1
Doing IT Better Final Conference 1
Financial Education 1
How to Edit Colours in a Photo with
Destroying It
1
Keeping in Touch - Choosing a Client
Records System
1
Manage Budgets and Financial Plans 1
Managing Poor Performance 1
Measuring Family Violence in Victoria 1
MS Project Introduction 1
QuickBooks BAS and Financial
Reporting
1
Using Social Media to Listen, Talk and
Engage
1
Victorian Standard Chart of Accounts 1
Writing for Cross Cultural
Communication
1
BOARD
Conference
2
Board Builder Conference 2
Board Training 2
Key Features of the Fair Work Act 7
ALL STAFF
Anti-racism workshop 24
Feminist Audit 20
Feminist Audit - Part 2 12
Information Communication
Technology Workshop
14
Stress and Your Organisation -
Workplace Culture
12
suPerVision
WHW provides supervision for staff,
tailoring the type of supervision to the
needs of the work area:
External clinical supervision for
counsellors and intensive case
manager
Fortnightly internal supervision for
direct service staff
External debriefng on as needs
basis
Monthly internal supervision for all
other staff
External group supervision for CAS
and outreach teams
Monthly management supervision
for managers and coordinators, with
occasional external supervision
Bimonthly external supervision for
CEO
Group supervision for CAS and
outreach workers on as needs
basis
Womens Health West was certifed in

April 2010:
Quality Improvement Council
Accreditation Standards
Homeless Assistance Standards
Accreditation Program
Since undergoing the accreditation
process, WHW has set up a Quality
Committee to monitor and coordinate
ongoing quality improvement processes,
such as cyclic reviews of policies and
procedures, auditing of practices, and
coordinating staff training or discussion
forums on topics identifed by staff as
requiring improvement. This group
meets on a six-weekly basis and has
drafted a three-year plan to support our
goal of continuous improvement. The
group produces six-monthly reports on
accrediTaTion, qualiTY iMProVeMenT

and risk ManaGeMenT
keY ParTnershiPs
AMES
Annecto
Australian Research Centre in
Sex, Health and Society
Australian Services Union
Australian Womens Health
Network
Barwon South Western Regional
Womens Health
Bendigo Bank
Berry Street - Victoria
Braybrook/Maidstone Youth
Partnership/ Melbourne City
Mission
Brimbank Council
Carers Victoria - Respite
Connections
Carlton Family Resource Centre
(City of Melbourne)
Carolyn Lodge
Centre for Culture, Ethnicity and
Health
Centre for Womens Health,
Gender and Society
City of Melbourne
Colac Community Health Service
Deakin University
Department of Human Services
Department of Health
Department of J ustice
Department of Planning and
Community Development
Djerriwarrh Health Services
Domestic Violence Resource
Centre Victoria
Domestic Violence Victoria
Doutta Galla Community Health
Service
Eastern Domestic Violence
Outreach Service
Elizabeth Hoffman House
Aboriginal Womens Service
Family Planning Victoria
Footscray Community Legal
Service
Gippsland Womens Health
Service
HealthWest
Hobsons Bay City Council
Housing Resource and Support
Service
Immigrant Womens Domestic
Violence Service
Isis and Pluto
Isis Primary Care
Key Centre for Womens Health
in Society
Laverton Prep-12 (formerly
Laverton Secondary College)
Lifeworks
MacKillop Family Services
Maribyrnong City Council
McAuley Community Services for
Women
McCaughey Centre
Melbourne City Council
Melbourne Magistrates Court
Melton Shire Council
Metro West Transitional Housing
Services
Mollys House
Moonee Valley City Council
Moreland Moonee Valley
Melbourne Yarra PCP
Moreland (now Merri)
Community Health Centre
Mother and Child Health
Research, Latrobe University
Multicultural Centre for Womens
Health
Multicultural Health and Support
Services
Municipal Association of Victoria
New Hope Foundation
North West Metropolitan Region
Community and Womens Health
Managers Network
North West Migrant Resource
Centre
North West Victim Assistance
and Counselling Program
Norwood
Offce for Womens Policy
PapScreen Victoria
ParentLink
Point Cook Community Centre
Portland District Health
Public Health Association of
Australia (Victorian Branch)
Queen Victoria Womens Centre
Relationships Australia
Salvation Army Crossroads
Network
Salvation Army Social Housing
Service
South Kingsville Community
Centre
South West Community Health
Centre, Warrnambool
Spire
Studio Racket
Sunshine Magistrates Court
The Gathering Place
The RE Ross Trust
The Stan Willis Trust
The William Buckland
Foundation
The Womens (formerly Royal
Womens Hospital)
Tweddle Child and Family Health
Service
United Somali Womens
Organisation in Victoria
University of Melbourne
VicHealth
Victoria Police
Victoria University
Victorian Aboriginal Child Care
Agency
Victorian Community Health
Association
Victorian Cooperative on
Childrens Services for Ethnic
Groups
Victorian Council of Social
Services
Victorian Local Governance
Association
Victorian Magistrates Court
Victorian Women and Mental
Health Network
the progress of the
plan and forward
these reports to
QICSA along with
evidence that the
tasks have been completed. This
work has dramatically improved our
understanding and implementation of
quality improvement processes.
The Quality Committee also
redeveloped our process for
identifying, treating and evaluating
risk management processes. A
comprehensive data base has been
established to support this process and
staff and board directors have identifed
relevant training to further support
our work to build a proactive risk
management culture at WHW.
Victorian Women with Disabilities
Werribee Magistrates Court
Werribee Support and Housing
Group
West CASA
Western Division of General
Practice
Western English Language
School
Western Health
Western Independent Young
Persons Network
Western Region Football League
Women in Football Foundation
Western Region Health Centre
Western Regional Disability
Network
Wingate Avenue Community
Centre
Womens Circus
Women with Disabilities Network
Womens Domestic Violence
Crisis Service
Womens Health Association of
Victoria
Womens Health East
Womens Health Goulburn North
East
Womens Health Grampians
Womens Health in the North
Womens Health in the South
East
Womens Health Information
Centre
Womens Health Loddon Mallee
Womens Health Resource
Services, Barwon Health
Womens Health Tasmania
Womens Health Victoria
Womens Information and
Referral Exchange
Wyndham City Council
Wyndham Financial Counselling
Service
Zonta Club of Melton
Name Qualifcations/Experience Working Groups
Meetings
Attended
Megan Bumpstead
chair
Co-opted Dec 2006
Health Sector Management Consultant
B.App.Science, Grad. Dip. Advanced Clinical
Nursing ICU, Undertaking MBA
Industrial relations task group 7/10
Georgie hill
deputy chair
Co-opted J une 2007
Coordinator, Safer Communities and Health
Promotion, Maribyrnong City Council
BA, Postgrad. Cert. Social Science
Strategic planning task group
Performance management
and succession planning task
group
9/10
karen Passey
Treasurer
Co-opted April 2008
CEO, SIDS and Kids Victoria
RN, RM, Grad. Dip. (Management), Cert.
Finance, Cert. Emergency Nursing, Paediatric
Cert.
Finance and risk committee
Industrial relations task group
9/10
ruth Marshall
Co-opted March 2007
Senior Business Analyst, Western Health
Chartered Management Accountant
Finance and risk committee 7/10
naomi raab
Co-opted May 2008
Consultant and Researcher, Raab
Organisational Dynamics, Womens Group
Facilitator
B.Economics, M.Business
Industrial relations task group 8/10
dr June kane aM
Co-opted Dec 2009
Independent Expert on Child Exploitation
(UN: International Labour Organisation,
UNICEF); European Commission Expert on
Violence against Children and Women
group
4/5
lisa Field
Elected Nov 2006
Coordinator, Planned Activity Groups,
Gateway Social Support Options
Grad. Cert. Health Promotion, Dip. Managing
Health and Community Services
group
10/10
Gainore atkins
Elected Nov 2006
Mark Dohrmann and Partners
Cert IV Training and Assessment
Performance management and
succession planning task group
7/10
Michelle Towstoless
Elected Nov 2005
Executive Dean, Faculty of Health,
Engineering and Science, Victoria University
B.Science (Physiology), PhD
Strategic planning task group 6/10
GoVernance
WhW Board oF direcTors, 2009-2010
L-R Gainore Atkins, Georgie Hill, Lisa Field, Megan Bumpstead, Michelle Towstoless, Ruth Marshall, Naomi Raab, Karen Passey
ABSENT: J une Kane
P
H
O
T
O
:

E
r
i
n

S
l
a
t
t
e
r
y
Task GrouPs
FINANCE AND RISK
The committee identifed, developed
and reviewed policy and procedures
regarding fnancial, governance and
organisational risk management. This
included a signifcant redevelopment of
risk management policies and procedures.
Developed investments and fnancial
delegation policies
Undertook audit of the risk management
database, indicating excellent practices and
knowledge of policies and procedures in
the areas examined
Undertook regular reviews of fnancial
controls and compliance systems through
internal audit procedures, indicating
excellent accountability and recording
systems
Oversaw WHW budget, assessing fnancial
reports and monitoring budget variance on
a quarterly basis. Financial reports on page
34 show a robust organisation
Oversaw planned and unplanned capital
works program, including refurbishment
of the building attached to the existing
premises to accommodate a growing staff
group
Reviewed and informed scope of annual
external audit

INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS
Drafted an Enterprise Agreement to negotiate
with staff
Consolidated current fve industrial awards
Developed budget modelling tool to ensure
agreement is fnancially sustainable
Incorporated new legislation into Enterprise
Agreement
Undertook consistent activities related to CEO
performance development and monitoring
BOARD PERFORMANCE MONITORING
AND SUCCESSION PLANNING
Recruited Dr J une Kane for co-option
Developed a process for professional
development of directors
Succession planning for current board
directors
Engaged in board recruitment processes
STRATEGIC PLANNING
Ongoing monitoring of WHW strategic plan
Developed an action plan to ensure board
operational activities are aligned with the new
strategic plan
NAME OF TASK GROUP PRIMARY FOCUS 2009-10

NO. OF
MEETINGS
Strategic Planning Develop action plan aligned with strategic plan 7
Industrial Relations Draft an Employee Agreement 12
Performance Management and
Succession Planning
Review, develop and implement relevant
policies and procedures
9
Finance and Risk Committee
Oversee the fnancial and risk management
aspects of governance
6
Total No. of Meetings 34
At the 2009 AGM these WHW staff members
received the annual awards from the board of
directors that honour staff who contribute to the
kind of culture that we aspire to achieve.
The Maat award is based on the Egyptian
goddess of truth and justice who prevented the
world from reverting to chaos, the GOYA award
is for Getting Off Your Arse and doing fantastic
things, and the VITA award goes to the woman
who is Very Inspiring, Totally Active.
PHOTO: Meredith OShea
organISaTIon CharT
This organisation chart was designed to show the relatively fat structure of WHW while indicating each workers
relationship to her co-workers. Teams are colour-coded and match the colours indicated in the staff list opposite.
WOMENS HEALTH WEST ANNUAL REPORT 2009-2010
Robyn Gregory
Chief Executive Offcer
J ulie Veszpremi
Executive Assistant
oPeraTions
J o Harper
Coordinator Operations and
Personnel
Amy Clark, Poppy Mihalakos
Receptionist/Administration
Support Worker
Finance
Lara Polak
Business Manager
Meriem Idris
Finance Offcer
coMMunicaTions
Nicola Harte
Communications Coordinator
Veronica Garcia
Information Worker
Esther Singer
History Project Worker
healTh ProMoTion,
research and
deVeloPMenT
Lynda Memery
Health Promotion, Research and
Development Manager
Anna Vu
Promotion Worker
Sally Camilleri, Kirsten Campbell,
Lucy Forwood, Erin Richardson
Health Promotion Workers
Lindy Corbett
Sunrise Group Project Worker
Reem Omarit, Rumia Abbas, Teresia
Mutisya
FARREP Workers
Roslyn Beer, Patricia Chalmers,
J enny Hickinbotham
Power On Peer Educators
Wendy Burton
Attendant Carer
FaMilY Violence
serVices
J acky Tucker
Family Violence Services
Manager
Hang Pham
Intake and After Hours
Coordinator
Emma
Intensive Case Manager
Deborah
Disability Intensive Case Manager
OUTREACH
Tammy Vu
Outreach Coordinator
Victoria, Irene, Batsi, Christine,
Luise, Hatice, Susannah, Merryn,
Isabelle
Outreach Workers
Phuong
CALD Housing Worker
COUNSELLING SERVICES
Melissa
VACP Counsellor / Counselling
Coordinator
Rebecca, Stephanie
Childrens Counsellors
CRISIS ACCOMMODATION
SERVICES
Sophie Campbell
CAS Coordinator
Fabian, Samar, Leah
Refuge Workers
Mishelle
Childrens Support Worker
AFTER HOURS WORKERS
Gabbi, J oylee, Meriem, Melanie
REGIONAL INTEGRATION
COORDINATOR
Maureen Smith
Regional Integration Coordinator
RELIEF WORKERS
Evelyn
After Hours / Intake Workers
Shensev, Lucia, Gwyneth
Refuge Workers
MaTerniTY leaVe
Katherine Koesasi
Health Promotion, Research and
Development Manager
Catherine Mayes
Coordinator
Michelle Vranic
Intake and After Hours
Coordinator
resiGnaTions
Lauren Eagle
Accounting and Finance Manager
Melissa
Administrative Worker
Emma
Intensive Case Manager
Riqik, Tania, Dinar, Zuleyha
After Hours / Intake Workers
Ana
Childrens Counsellor
Wan Chi
Childrens Support Worker
Zahra J afar
FARREP Worker
J ustine Carter
Receptionist
Samar, Leah, Kim, Evelyn
Refuge Workers
J oy Free
Researcher
Kim
VACP Counsellor / Counselling
Coordinator
sTudenTs
Kim Robertson, Stephanie Micallef,
Hannah Musil
sTaFF
Financial rePorTs For the year ended 30 J une 2010
noTes To and ForMinG ParT
oF The accounTs
1 STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTING
POLICIES
This fnancial statement is a general purpose
fnancial statement that has been prepared
in accordance with Australian Accounting
Standards and other mandatory professional
reporting requirements and the requirements
of the Incorporated Associations Act of
Victoria. They are compiled on a going
concern basis adopting the principles of
historical cost accounting and do not refect
current valuations of noncurrent assets
except where stated. This fnancial report has
been prepared on an accruals basis.
DECLARATION BY MEMBERS
OF THE BOARD
The members of the Board declare that:
1 The fnancial statements and notes:
(a) comply with Accounting Standards and
Australian equivalent of the International
Reporting Standards (AIFRS) as detailed
in Note 1 to the fnancial statements; and
(b) give a true and fair view of Womens
Health West fnancial position as at 30th
J une 2010 and of its performance for the
year ended on that date in accordance
with the accounting policies described in
Note 1 to the fnancial statements.
(c) are, in the Boards opinion, in
accordance with the Incorporated
Associations Act of Victoria
2 In the opinion of the Members of the Board
there are reasonable grounds to believe that
the organisation will be able to pay its debts
as and when they become due and payable.
This declaration is made in accordance with
a resolution of the Members of the Board by:
Megan Bumpstead
01 October 2010
Chairperson
Karen Passey
01 October 2010
Treasurer
incoMe sTaTeMenT
Note 2010 2009
$ $
Dept of Human Services 2,946,894 2,645,812
Other Grants 106,289 130,296
Other Income 44,315 81,112
Interest 60,338 72,123
Proft/loss on Disposal of
Assets
34,162 42,013
Total Income 2 3,191,998 2,971,356
Employee benefts expense 2,312,184 2,237,135
Administrative expenses 43,724 66,195
Board expenses 5,912 4,965
Professional Support 36,491 35,754
Motor Vehicle expenses 45,877 44,188
Depreciation expense 82,724 73,380
Occupancy expenses 10 196,388 173,597
Refurbishment expenses 12 0 92,728
Equipment expenses 54,243 -
Other operating expenses 85,394 94,041
Direct program expenses 328,253 146,032
Total Expenses 3,191,191 2,968,014
Net Surplus from ordinary
activities
7 808 3,342
Balance sheeT
Note 2010 2009
$ $
Current Assets
Cash and cash equivalents 8(a) 1,533,463 1,103,822
Receivables 16,248 9,036
Prepayments 2,979 -
Sundry Debtors 3,971 -
TOTAL CURRENT
ASSETS
1,556,661 1,112,859
Non-Current
Assets
Property, plant and
equipment
3 251,735 234,715
TOTAL NON-CURRENT
ASSETS
251,735 234,715
TOTAL ASSETS 1,808,396 1,347,573
Current Liabilities
Payables 4 1,022,119 598,117
Provisions 5 284,054 258,666
TOTAL CURRENT
LIABILITIES
1,306,173 856,783
Non-Current Liabilities
Provisions 5 51,468 48,820
TOTAL NON-CURRENT
LIABILITIES
51,468 48,820
TOTAL LIABILITIES 1,357,641 905,603
NET ASSETS 450,756 441,970
EQUITY
Retained Surplus 7 360,788 359,980
Reserves 6 89,968 81,990
TOTAL EQUITY 450,756 441,970
sTaTeMenT in chanGes in equiTY
Retained
Earnings
General
Reserve
Total
$ $ $
Balance at 30 J une 2009 359,980 81,989 441,970
Proft attributable to
members
808 7,979 8,787
Balance at 30 J une 2010 360,788 89,968 450,756
sTaTeMenT oF cash FloWs
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES
Receipts from grants etc 3,417,287 2,933,265
Interest received 60,338 72,123
Payments to suppliers and
employees

(2,981,140)
(2,848,489)
Net Cash provided by
(used in) operating
activities
8(b) 496,485 156,899
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Proceeds from (payments
for) property, plant
and equipment
(65,583) 38,188
Net Cash used in investing
activities
(65,583) 38,188
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Borrowings (repayments)
for leased equipment
(1,262) 355
Net Cash used in fnancing
activities
(1,262) 355
Net increase (decrease) in
cash held
429,640 195,442
Cash at the beginning of
the fnancial period
1,103,823 908,381
Cash at the end of the
fnancial period
8(a) 1,533,463 1,103,823
The full fnancial report is available on request.
DOnAte
Womens Health West receives funding
from the State Government but we rely on
grants and donations to help us extend our
services.
Any support that you provide will have a very real impact
on our ability to meet the needs of women in the west.
$7
allows us to purchase a metcard for a
woman escaping violence
$30
allows us to provide an information manual
to healthcare providers about reproductive
health services for refugees from the Horn
of Africa
or to give a toiletry pack to a woman
or a childrens pack to a child who has had
to leave home without their belongings
$150
allows us to pay accommodation for a
woman and her children when there are no
beds available in overcrowded refuges
$1,000
would assist us to run a fnancial literacy
program
Donations to WHW are tax deductible. To
fnd out more about making a donation
please call 03 9689 9588 or visit www.
whwest.org.au/docs/donate.pdf
are You a MeMBer?
JOIn Us!
All women living, working or studying in the western metropolitan region of Melbourne are
eligible for membership of Womens Health West, as are organisations whose client base
includes the western region.
Membership is free and includes a great newsletter and invitations to events like our AGM.
Most importantly, our members help to strengthen the voice of an organisation working to
bring equity and justice to women in the west.
To fnd out how to join call us on 03 9689 9588, email info@whwest.org.au or complete an
online membership form at www.whwest.org.au

Annual Report 2009-10

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wumens health wesL

unnuu repurL 200?-20l0

The Best Practice Australia independent

The launch, by the Hon. J oan Kirner AM, of

The launch, by Chief Commissioner Simon

The relocation of crisis accommodation

The development by WHW, local councils

Womens Health West staff openly discussed

A high percentage (35%) of women stayed in

Regardless of strong partnerships in

There remain few services available in the

An outdated funding model for refuge services

Enhance direct service

Work with others to

Lead sexual and

Work with other

6 W0MENS EAL1 WES1 ANNLAL REP0R1 200?-20l0

I am very happy with myself

Figure 4. INTAKE SERVICE ACCESS TYPES

support, the majority under 12 years

Figure 6. LENGTH OF CAS SUPPORT

Figure 7. FAMILY VIOLENCE OUTREACH

WoMen WiTh a disaBiliTY

l5 W0MENS EAL1 WES1 ANNLAL REP0R1 200?-20l0

The workers dont take any

Children explore their experiences of

FaMilY Violence reGional

l7 W0MENS EAL1 WES1 ANNLAL REP0R1 200?-20l0

Womens Health West has always teamed up with others

Through Power On for Carers, I learned

seXual and reProducTiVe

20 W0MENS EAL1 WES1 ANNLAL REP0R1 200?-20l0

Financial liTeracY ProGraM

I feel like its made a big difference to my life

FaMilY and reProducTiVe riGhTs

Well presented, factual, relevant

Regional collaboration and consultation

All school staff participated in a sexual health training

The students are driving

Coordinated the preliminary

WHWs communications co-ordinator

Figure 8. RECEPTION CALL REGISTER

2 WOMENS HEALTH WEST ANNUAL REPORT 2009-2010

Womens Health West was certifed in

accrediTaTion, qualiTY iMProVeMenT

NAME OF TASK GROUP PRIMARY FOCUS 2009-10

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