inTouch Multicultural Centre Against Family Violence

Last week, representatives from 160 Community Legal Centres launched a national campaign at Parliament House, urging the Federal Government to save the frontline legal services that support 180,000 people annually. Chronic underfunding has left many Community Legal Centres, (including our Women’s Legal Centre) struggling to meet demand. These centres are lifelines for vulnerable communities, particularly migrant and refugee women facing family violence. Without immediate funding, many will have to cut essential services, leaving countless Australians without legal support. We stand with the Federation of Community Legal Centres in calling for urgent government action. Properly funded Community Legal Centres are not only crucial for a fairer Australia, but quite literally save lives. It's time to ensure these vital services remain open and accessible to those who need them most. More here: https://lnkd.in/guPxmE3f #SaveCommunityLegalCentres

Last week’s federal reports reinforced that family, sexual, and gendered violence is a national emergency. To effectively address this crisis, it is crucial to also elevate the voices of migrant and refugee communities at the decision-making table. The lived experiences of diverse communities offer essential insights that should guide our prevention and intervention efforts. An intersectional approach means not just hearing these voices but empowering them to lead. Community-led solutions, particularly from those closest to the issues, are key to ending this violence within a generation. Sustainable funding and real collaboration are necessary to support this vital work. Thanks to our colleagues at Respect Victoria for this analysis: https://lnkd.in/giYPRbzE

More history for our 40th year! 2018 was a busy period for inTouch program development. Alongside the creation of our inSpire initiative and our Survivor-Advocate group, NOOR, inTouch also launched Motivation for Change, our program for men who use violence. Based on our successful inLanguage, inCulture model for victim-survivors, the program is the first of its kind as it is specifically tailored to men from culturally and linguistically diverse communities who use violence towards family members. MfC continues to grow and work successfully with this cohort of men- about 130 individuals each year.

Jobs! We have a number of positions open. Come and join our talented, diverse and passionate team. More information here: https://lnkd.in/gR5mdYiS

Last week, the inTouch team had the privilege of presenting at Workshop UNITE, organised by our valued partners at IndianCare Inc, held at the Koorie Heritage Trust in Federation Square. Our session focused on visa abuse and supporting women on temporary visas, providing crucial information for practitioners working to protect and empower vulnerable women in our communities. We were delighted to engage with a number of attendees from different professions, including case workers, program managers, city council representatives, and members of VicPol. The insightful discussions and positive feedback underscore the importance of collaborative efforts in addressing complex issues affecting migrant and refugee women. We look forward to continuing this impactful work alongside our incredible partners. For more information about our professional development, training and capacity building opportunities for your organisation, visit our website: https://lnkd.in/gcbg8p9Y

There's still time to enrol for our upcoming Welcome to inTouch online information session! These sessions provide an opportunity for specialist family violence, community sector and multicultural agency staff to learn about the services that inTouch provides, eligibility criteria and referral pathways. Each session we will explore a different program and project being undertaken within inTouch, followed by a Q&A session. We'll will be spotlighting our specialist family violence case management program, sharing the eligibility requirements, referral pathways and expected outcomes for clients. Go here to register: https://lnkd.in/gwDMjJpH

Today, our Principal Lawyer and Executive Manager of Legal Services, Ajsela Siskovic is in Canberra presenting evidence at the Inquiry into Family Violence Orders alongside our colleagues from National Women's Safety Alliance and Single Mother Families Australia. We're proud to highlight our learnings and experience working with migrant and refugee women within the justice and legal system. Our Women's Legal Centre functions as part of inTouch's wraparound, holistic family violence services, and today we'll continue to iterate the importance of sustainable and long term funding to provide the best protection and support possible for vulnerable women and their children.

inTouch travelled to regional Victoria last week, to deliver fee for service training as organised by Mallee Family Violence Executive (MFVE). There were approximately 50 participants from the Mallee region (Mildura and surrounds) engaging in 'Culturally Responsive Practice: Responding to Family Violence in Refugee and Migrant Communities' training over two days. inTouch offers a suite of training packages to build workforce capacity. If you would like to know more, please be encouraged to contact us via trainingadmin@intouch.org.au.

Consulting to services like inTouch Multicultural Centre Against Family Violence reminds me why I used to be a lawyer. inTouch's small team of committed, impressive lawyers and paralegals do extraordinary work. They recently launched a pilot legal information program for migrant and refugee women experiencing family violence. The Australian legal system creates multiple barriers for these women to access the information they need for their decision-making. I’ve enjoyed conducting the needs analysis for the pilot and designing the evaluation with the Legal Centre. inTouch is celebrating 40 years of service and they do terrific work. If you’d like to support or learn more about their work, check out https://lnkd.in/gRm23Kv7 Rasha Abbas Ajsela Siskovic Yasmin Ildes Zenia Vasaiwalla Shilpa Sondhi Sarah Simpson

Yesterday, Domestic, Family, and Sexual Violence Commissioner Micaela Cronin released her first annual update on the progress of the National Plan to End Violence Against Women and Children at the National Press Club. The report highlights the incredible strides we've made so far, including the platforming of those with lived experience through the first ever national Lived Experience Advisory Council, as well as greater collaboration across the sector communties. However, it also acknowledges what we already know: frontline services (including legal services) remain overwhelmed and underresourced. A national workforce strategy is imperative, underscored by sustainable, long-term funding with a focus on integration with broader sectors like education, health and law to strengthen response and prevention. We also know through our own work with men at inTouch that engaging men in all aspects of ending violence reamins vital. Governments must support redefining masculinity, improving intervention options for men who use or are at risk of using violence. We also must place importance on trauma-informed approaches, better information sharing, and effective justice interventions that hold men accountable while preventing harm. More here: https://lnkd.in/gK_brzxx