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Women and children experiencing family and domestic violence in Perth’s south metropolitan area will soon have access to a specialised new service established by Hope Community Services (HOPE).
Minister for Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence Sabine Winton today announce that HOPE in partnership with Yorgum Healing Services and a consortia of service providers has been awarded a $14.7 million State Government contract to establish a family and domestic violence (FDV) hub in the City of Armadale that will allow clients to access a comprehensive range of mental health, health and social support services under one roof. Services on offer will include counselling, advocacy, legal advice, early childhood and family support. Yarning, healing and other group activities will be hosted at the Armadale FDV hub on a regular basis. HOPE Chief Executive Officer Merinda March said the organisation was working hard to get the new service up and running as soon as possible. “We look forward to opening our doors and offering these much-needed services to vulnerable people within the community,” Ms March said. “Our goal is to provide a culturally safe and inclusive service that enables women and children to build a safe and stable future, free from violence.”
Collaborating to support clients
As the lead agency, HOPE will manage and operate the Armadale FDV hub but will draw on the specialised expertise of local service providers within the consortia. “This close collaboration between specialist service providers is critical as this ensures clients are linked to appropriate and timely support, without having to tell and retell their story many times over,” explained Ms March. “A client can simply walk into the hub, tell their story once and get all the different types of support they need.” This service brings together an innovative and experienced group as part of the consortia, with agencies including Yorgum Healing Services, Ngala, Ishar Multicultural Women’s Health Services, Marmun Mia Mia, Aboriginal Legal Service of WA, Women’s Legal Service WA, Ruah Community Services and 360 Health and Community. Each agency brings depth of experience and specialist expertise to that will ensure the community needs are met.
Holistic approach to a complex issue
Yorgum Healing Services’ Chief Executive Officer Laurel Sellers said responding to FDV could be complex and needed to involve many members of the community. “Using a healing approach Yorgum will support women and their families by providing trauma-informed care, building on women’s connections, social and emotional well-being and sense of safety. Services will be holistic, understanding the needs, safety and challenges experienced by women and children,” Ms Sellers said. The Armadale FDV hub will be the second such service operated by HOPE. In 2020 HOPE opened Western Australia’s first regional FDV hub, the Mara Pirni Healing Place in Kalgoorlie. The early successes of this Kalgoorlie hub would be used to inform the development of the Armadale hub, she said.
