A new initiative is set to bolster the family violence and sexual assault sectors by attracting, recruiting, and retaining frontline workers.
Minister for Prevention of Family Violence Vicki Ward announced a $1 million investment in the Workforce Vacancies Demonstration Program, aimed at addressing workforce shortages in these critical areas.
The program will fund four innovative projects that focus on local partnerships to trial new recruitment and retention strategies:
- Uniting Vic. Tas: This project will support the family violence workforce across Bayside and Peninsula by creating a centralised recruitment and placement program for students and early career professionals. The initiative involves 14 partner agencies and offers professional development and mentoring, drawing on the experiences of Victorians with lived experience and the Wisdom in Practice mentoring model developed by victim-survivor advocate Geraldine Bilston.
- Mallee Sexual Assault Unit and Mallee Domestic Violence Service: Funding will be used to provide professional development opportunities and mentoring for new employees. This initiative aims to improve employee retention by offering support and growth opportunities within their roles.
- Nexus Primary Health: The Goulburn Demonstration Project will address burnout and stress in the sector by facilitating staff secondments to different agencies. Additionally, shared induction and education programs will be created to enhance recruitment and retention efforts throughout the region.
- WRISC Family Violence Support: In the Central Highlands, this project will focus on creating a culturally safe workplace to recruit and retain Aboriginal staff. The initiative includes a cultural safety and student pathways program, as well as a new supervision model, to deliver culturally sensitive and appropriate responses to family violence in Aboriginal communities.
These initiatives build on recent reforms aimed at driving action at every stage of the response to family violence. The reforms focus on supporting victims, ensuring a stronger justice response to hold offenders accountable, and enhancing prevention efforts to stop violence before it starts.
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