Restoring Financial Safety Launch

WEstjustice has launched Restoring Financial Safety: The Transforming Financial Security Project (RFS Project) evaluation report with key stakeholders and representatives from government and the legal and family violence sectors. 

The RFS Project is a two-year integrated services partnership with McAuley Community Services for Women that supported 137 women to regain financial security after family violence. It also succeeded in working with women to erase over $900,000 in debt accrued through financial abuse. This represents an average of $11,000 per client who sought to erase abuse-related debt.

This model brings together specialist family violence support and specialist legal and financial advice. There are few examples in Australia where these are provided together as part of a single integrated response and the outcomes for women demonstrate what could be possible if this model was rolled out across Victoria.

Aunty Georgina Nicholson opened the event with a Welcome to Country. She spoke about her family history and the importance of protecting women via family violence support services.

WEstjustice CEO, Melissa Hardham, gave an overview of the RFS project and welcomed the Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence, Ms Gabrielle Williams MP as the keynote speaker.

This project and its predecessors were generously funded by the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation.

RFS Program Manager, Dacia Abela, presented the evaluation report and outlined the importance of continuing and expanding this vital support to women experiencing family violence and financial abuse.

McAuley Community Services for Women CEO, Jocelyn Bignold OAM, spoke about the positive impact of adding legal and financial counselling to McAuley's specialist family violence support hub in Footscray.

This project would not have been possible without the support of Lord Mayor's Charitable Foundation and we hope their investment in demonstrating the success of our integrated model of family violence, legal and financial support will improve the lives of many more women and children

You can download the full RFS Project evaluation or visit our website for more information.

 
 

WE are located

  • Footscray
  • Werribee
  • Sunshine
Footscray

Workspace365, Level 2, 90 Maribyrnong St, Footscray VIC 3011 (temporary relocation)

Tel: + 61 3 9749 7720
Mail: PO Box 2199, Werribee VIC 3030
Email:  admin@westjustice.org.au

Office hours:
Monday to Friday, 9.00am-1.00pm and 2:00pm-5:00pm - Phone Hours: Monday to Friday 9:30am-1:00pm and 2:00pm-4:30pm

Advice by appointment only. Please call to book

Werribee

Level 1 / 8 Watton Street, Werribee VIC 3030

Tel: + 61 3 9749 7720
Mail: PO Box 2199, Werribee VIC 3030
Email:  admin@westjustice.org.au

Office hours:
Monday to Friday, 9.00am-1.00pm and 2:00pm-5:00pm - Phone Hours: Monday to Friday 9:30am-1:00pm and 2:00pm-4:30pm

Advice by appointment only. Please call to book

Sunshine

Visy Cares Hub, 80B Harvester Road, Sunshine VIC 3020

Tel: + 61 3 9749 7720
Mail: PO Box 627, Sunshine VIC 3020
Email:  admin@westjustice.org.au

Office hours:
Monday to Friday, 9.00am-1.00pm and 2:00pm-5:00pm - Phone Hours: Monday to Friday 9:30am-1:00pm and 2:00pm-4:30pm

Advice by appointment only. Please call to book