Gippsland Family Violence Alliance

The Gippsland Family Violence Alliance is a collaboration of member agencies who expresses a joint vision to end family violence in Gippsland. The strength of the Gippsland Family Violence Alliance can be attributed to the strong commitment by agencies to the partnership and to creating better futures for victim/survivors of family violence.

Our Vision

Our vision is for a future where all people in Gippsland are safe, thriving and living free of family violence

Our Purpose

The Purpose of the Gippsland Family Violence Alliance is to critically evaluate and disrupt systems and structures to ensure they become inclusive, accountable, equitable and accessible for our Gippsland Communities. We do this through:

Building workforce capability
Collaborative practice
Evidence and advocacy
Taking a collective impact approach
Innovation

About the GFVA

Gippsland Family Violence Alliance is the Gippsland’s Regional integration Committee which is the local governance structures that has been underpinning the delivery of family violence reform for well over a decade in Gippsland.

Established in 2006, Family Violence Regional Integration Committees (FVRICs) were established to improve the integration of services, playing a vital role in the transformation of Victorian service delivery and community responses to family violence. Since their inception FVRICs have played a system leadership role focussed on increasing the safety of victim survivors and accountability of perpetrators.

The recommendations of the 2016 Royal Commission into Family Violence (RCFV) has driven far-reaching reform within the Victorian family violence service system. Regional integration plays a critical role in implementing the reform agenda, and in recognition of this Family Safety Victoria (FSV) has led a process to review the 2013 Regional Family Violence Integration Operational Guidelines (the Guidelines) to articulate the role of FVRICs in the current reform context. In 2021, 13 FVRICs operate across the 17 Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (DFFH) Areas. Funding is provided by FSV to support their operation including the co-ordination role of the Principal Strategic Advisor (PSA) positions and area-based projects.

The redevelopment of these Guidelines has been supported by a Reference Group with representation from FSV, DFFH Areas, Safe and Equal (formerly Domestic Violence Victoria), FVRIC Chairs, auspice agencies and the PSAs.

Source: Family Violence Regional Integration Committees Guidelines – 2022

Our Strategic Plan

The Gippsland Family Violence Alliance has a Strategic Plan, which is developed through extensive consultation and endorsed by the Governance Group.

2023-2028 Strategic Plan

Annual Reports

Each year the Gippsland Family Violence Alliance releases an Annual Report. This is an annual summary of the work which has occurred in the previous 12 months.

2023-2024 Annual Report

You can take a look at previous Annual Reports below:

2022-2023 Annual Report

Agency Partners

The Gippsland Family Violence Alliance has partner agencies from across the community service, health and justice sectors. This including specialist family violence, homelessness, mental health, Alcohol and other drug, health and government agencies, who work across Inner and Outer Gippsland. We cover the largest geographic area in the state to coordinate the service system to respond and support those who experience family violence and to assist those using violence to address their behaviour. Membership of the agencies vary based on their capacity to participate.

Our Partners

Quantum Support Services
Gippsland Lakes Complete Health
The Salvation Army
Yoowinna Wurnalung Aboriginal Healing Service
VACCA
Gippsland Free From Violence Partnership Coordinator
Gippsland and East Gippsland Aboriginal Co-operative
Bass Coast Health
West Gippsland HealthCare Group
Orbost Regional Health
Latrobe Community Health Service
Gippsland Centre Against Sexual Assault
Uniting Vic Tas
Anglicare Vic
Ramahyuck
Windermere
Latrobe Regional Health
Victoria Police
Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (APPS)
Family Safety Victoria
Department of Justice and Community Safety
Child Protection
Queen Victoria Centre
Key Assets
Berry Street
Central Gippsland Health Service
Family Mediation and Counselling Victoria
Specialist Family Violence Advisors to Mental Health and Alcohol and Drug Services
State-wide Children’s Resource Coordinator
Department of Families Fairness and Housing
Dhelk Dja Coordinators
Department of Education
Victoria Legal Aid
Gippsland Community Legal
Mooji
Mind
Headspace
Yarram and District Health
YSAS
Community Housing Ltm
Federation University
TAFE Gippsland
Magistrates Court of Victoria
Relationships Australia

Acknowledgement of Our Practitioners

The Gippsland Family Violence Alliance would like to acknowledge our practitioners both current and those who have pioneered the sector who have worked with both victim/survivors of family violence and with people who use violence in the home. These practitioners have supported people in difficult periods of their lives and we wish to acknowledge that vicarious trauma has an impact not only on the workforce but on their family members. Without practitioners we wouldn’t have a service system and we thank these workers every day.

GFVA Governance Structure

The Executive Team is made up of three members from the Governance Group who oversee finance, the auspice agreement and chairing of the Governance Group meetings.

The Governance Group consists of core members from Specialist Family Violence and Family Services agencies, along with associate members from government agencies. The role of the Governance Group is to oversee the development and implementation of the Strategic Plan and to lead advocacy for the Gippsland Region.

The GFVA Network, consists of members from key community service agencies. The role of the Network is to operationalize the GFVA Strategic Plan and provide system’s knowledge.

The Mental Health and Alcohol and Drug Advisory Committee is facilitated by the Specialist Advisors to Mental Health and AoD. Membership consists of agencies from the AoD and mental health sector. They advise and build practice between the AoD, Mental Health and Family Violence Sector

The Gippsland Behaviour Change Community of Practice consists of members from agencies that support Men and Adolescents who are using violence. The purpose is to build practice, networking and wellbeing opportunities for practitioners.

Practice and Connection Forums are aimed at those working directly with clients, to provide ongoing skills development, wellbeing and being networks within the service system. Each session has a focus area. Click here to register

Five Strategic Pillars

We have five strategic pillars from which we base the work we do:

01

Workforce Capacity and Capability

GFVA has a key role in understanding the capacity and capability of workforces supporting the delivery of integrated family violence responses across all workforce tiers and sectors. Working with key stakeholders, including training providers and tertiary institutions, FVRICs identify and develop initiatives to address specific workforce capacity issues and to build capability through training and development activities across sectors.

The Victorian Governments Building from Strength: 10-year Industry Plan for Family Violence Prevention and Response provides the policy framework for this work.

Source: Family Violence Regional Integration Committees Guidelines – 2022

02

Supporting the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of family violence reform initiatives

GFVA focuses on system development and strengthening integration within local service systems enables the identification of systemic issues which impact on the implementation of the family violence reform agenda. GFVA undertake planning and targeted work to promote and embed specific family violence reforms at the local
level including but not limited to the adoption of practice aligned with the MARAM Framework and the relevant Information Sharing Schemes, building family violence literacy across sectors, and initiatives which support the integration of The Orange Door with the local service system.

Source: Family Violence Regional Integration Committees Guidelines – 2022

03

Developing an evidence base to inform planning, prioritisation of system improvement initiatives and advocacy for system change

GFVA collates and analyse available service level data and other qualitative and quantitative evidence to understand local area needs, identify and prioritise systemic issues and to support advocacy for improvements to the service system.

Working together as the SFVIAC, the PSAs share and collate local data to inform an understanding of system issues across sectors, to identify state-wide issues, and to understand the impact of various initiatives.

FVRICs need to have a strong focus on desired outcomes, and to consider indictors and measures of success. A data and evidence driven approach is required to demonstrate the impact of FVRIC activities and associated outcomes.

Source: Family Violence Regional Integration Committees Guidelines – 2022

04

Leading Initiatives that Support Service Integration and System Improvements

GFVA actively contributes to developing integrated service responses by identifying opportunities for service system improvements. Building connections between services and fostering a commitment to collaboration and innovation strengthens integration at local and regional levels resulting in improved access to services and enhancements in the range, quality and inclusiveness of family violence service responses. Drawing on local service system data, qualitative data and other evidence, FVRIC members work together to identify gaps and design and deliver solutions for service system improvements.

Source: Family Violence Regional Integration Committees Guidelines – 2022

05

Effective Cross-Sector Governance for System Leadership

Achieving system change requires a commitment to high level collaboration by key players across the service system. GFVA brings together representatives from government and non-government agencies, family violence services, children and family services, Victoria Police, justice and legal services, housing, community, and health services to understand and improve service responses to family violence.

Source: Family Violence Regional Integration Committees Guidelines – 2022

Principal Strategic Advisor (PSA)

The Gippsland Family Violence Alliance is supported by a Principal Strategic Advisor’s (PSA) who supports, informs and influence strategic integration initiatives and activities that work to achieve priorities set out in the Gippsland Family Violence Alliance Strategic Plan.

Auspice Agency

The Gippsland Family Violence Alliance is auspiced by Gippsland Women’s Health, who supports the facilitation and implementation of the Gippsland Family Violence Alliance and its strategic priorities. Gippsland Women’s Health, expends brokerage at the request of the GFVA; and provides operational support, human resource and information technology to the GFVA Team.

Gippsland’s History of Family Violence Partnerships

The Gippsland Family Violence Alliance is a continuation of a long history of partnerships in the Gippsland region to supporting victim/survivors and those who are using violence. We want to acknowledge: