Our Impact

No matter your gender, race, or history, you all have the right to live free from violence, discrimination and to determine your own future.

Elizabeth Morgan House (EMH) works on the frontlines of the impacts of discrimination and oppression.

Protecting and defending ourselves from the ongoing trauma of colonisation with its the forced removal of children, systemic racism and violence is ongoing. Many services continue to fail Aboriginal women.

EMH steps in to defend and uphold our women’s rights.

Aboriginal women are inspiring leaders, keepers of knowledge, and exemplify bravery and courage. Together our resilience, community bonds, and deep understanding of what strategies are effective for well-being and safety, keep us strong.

Collaboration and accountability are essential as we unite to ensure the inclusion of Aboriginal women in our collective efforts to create a future free from gender-based violence and any form of discrimination.

Our Outcomes Framework highlights our approach to better outcomes for our women.

The issues

Family violence continues to rise against Aboriginal women and their children

(source: Vic Crime Stats, 2023)

More information: What is Family Violence, Family Violence Impacts

Our response in 2022-2023

Developed an Outcomes Framework
Created the EMH Aboriginal Women’s Centre and Keeping Place

Developed plans to refurbish our Clarke St building into an Aboriginal Women’s Hub.
Built a strong presence at the magistrates' courts within our catchment areas
Actively engaged in various meetings, events, and training sessions to enhance our expertise and stay updated on developments within our sector
Connected our women with inclusive employment opportunities and traineeships
Established partnerships with community legal services to assist in applying for reductions or clearance of fines under the family violence scheme

Provided outreach and face to face appointments with women
After years of advocacy to DFFH to change the way they measure outcomes in crisis accommodation, our approach has been recognised
Continued Roadshows, MARAMIS, Secondary consults to educate the sector

643 intake enquires (100% of inquiries responded to)
276 families supported
4569 views of the resources on our website

Outcomes

Safe and affordable housing is increasingly rare, yet 40% of calls to our team identify housing and homelessness as the main presenting issue

Our response in 2022-2023

Hired a Housing and Homelessness Support Worker
Implemented a process where no external referrals will be accepted without prior secondary consultation, to ensure that EMH programs are the right fit for the client
Have staff on-site 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at our high security refuge to offer intensive support to residents

Strengthened our relationships with housing sector stakeholders, to improve exit pathways from our crisis accommodation to transition into alternative accommodation

Outcomes

'I’ve seen a change in my kids: Mum, I’m not afraid of dark anymore' - said by a woman in refuge (Yarning circles, April 2023)

24 Families supported in our high security refuge
42 women supported with crisis accommodation over 194 nights

The impact of colonisation continues today, and we need social and emotional wellbeing support to thrive in a world continually discriminating against us
(source: Blagg et al, 2018)

Our response in 2022-2023

Developed a Walking Beside women model – a holistic therapeutic service delivery model
Internalised and expanded our therapeutic team to include counselling staff and invested in a dedicated social and emotional resource
Employed a Learning and Development Manager to oversee our Theory of Change development and Outcomes Framework, as well as developing a learning journey for staff and the sector.
Continued to support our staff to upskill, including rolling out a workforce wellbeing program, including support four staff to voluntarily completed their qualifications to meet the Royal Commission into Family Violence recommendation 209.

Outcomes

Counselling support provided to 110 people
80-90% of counselling clients continue using the service after the first session, either for short- or long-term support

Keep up the wonderful work; your ancestors are walking beside you and very proud. – Stakeholder snapshot response, May 2023

Community needs are not met through current funding models

Aboriginality is a strength which, when nurtured and upheld, can be a protective factor. We recognise that services and supports cannot be siloed from one another and must interact and interconnect in order to uphold social and emotional wellbeing despite our funding restrictions.

Our response in 2022-2023

Recognising women’s role in their families and communities, we provided cultural, emotional and material support to family members attending coronial inquests
Provided funding to flood victims, responding to individual requests and assessing their needs.
Developed models that look at holistic recovery from trauma.
Provide secondary consultations across the service sector ensure appropriate support for Aboriginal women across the service sector

Outcomes

Cultural Element Package_Impact_in_Community_Light Blue.png

59% of our intake and assessment calls are secondary consults.

Services we fund outside of traditional brokerage allocations include:

NDIS and medical expenses for women where appropriate, as these can be necessary but expense.
Transport costs to attend sorry business

We also reviewed our workforce wellbeing and learning journey for our staff and contracted a culturally informed service at considerable extra cost.

We continue to lead the sector in culturally safe support for Aboriginal women and children experiencing family violence and coming into contact with the justice system. Our funding models continue to lag behind our self-determined approach.

Aboriginal women continue to be disproportionately imprisoned, with the rate nationally tripling since 2007
(source: Corrections Vic, 2019)

“When I went to court..it’s like I have to tell my story 20 times. And I don’t like it. So I’m just like ‘can we just get this..whatever you need to do, whatever you like, I’ll agree, I’ll sign. I just want it done as quick as possible” Participant 3 (AVoC Summary Report, 2023).

Our response in 2022-2023

Began the Relink and Reconnect program in partnership with Drummond St Services to provide case management for Aboriginal women in prison as they near release and the weeks following release
Continued our Court Support program to assist in applying for IVOs and breaching PUV is done in a way that consider women’s voice
Successfully tendered for an Aboriginal Healing Unit in Dame Phyllis Frost Centre so we can support women while incarcerated

Outcomes

1670 court support hours

We work together with Aboriginal Women within their communities to ensure safe and culturally strong futures for our women, children and youth. Join us as we continue to work towards a future that is free from gender-based violence and all forms of discrimination that denies Aboriginal women and children their rights.