Our Strategic Plan
GenWest’s work is guided by the goals and vision in our Strategic Plan 2020-2025.
Our strategic plan helps to align the work we do with our vision of gender equity in the west.
Our Annual Report
Read more about our impact and who we are in our 2023-2024 Annual Report.
Data & research
Do you need data about our family violence service? Would you like to involve us in your research?
We can provide data reports for councils and community organisations and we can partner with universities to supply information and data.
Here’s a snapshot of our work from the 2023-24 financial year:
2,117 instances of case management support was provided to victim survivors in 2023-2024, compared to 525 in 2020.
This does not include victim survivors who were supported by GenWest staff based at the Orange Door. From their commencement in 2022 to June 2023, the two Orange Door locations in Melbourne’s west received over 20,000 referrals.
“My case worker was amazing, she provided assistance, reassurance and checked in regularly. The support provided was something you can’t get just anywhere. She was truly just wonderful the entire way through and I don’t know where I would have been able to get to without GenWest. Can’t thank you enough.”
GenWest client
In 2023-24 we reached 1,046 participants across the west with sexual and reproductive health programs.
We delivered these programs in schools, universities and at Dame Phyllis Frost Centre (women’s prison). This is nearly double the number compared to last year.
The Human Relations program is unique in providing sexuality and relationship education to newly arrived young people from diverse cultural backgrounds. This year we expanded the program to students in Werribee, including with Swahili, Arabic and Karen speaking young people.
“I think that all students desperately need to get this learning because of how potentially life-affecting it can be… to ensure that these students not just get the message but get it in a format that is comprehensible to their level of English.”
A teacher at Western English Language School
We provided 2,323 bed nights of accommodation to victim survivors at the refuge this year.
We are also responding in a new way to the housing crisis. In August 2023, GenWest created a Housing Pathways Program, which focuses on developing relationships with local housing providers and building the capacity of family violence case managers to navigate the housing system.
This program has improved outcomes for clients in emergency motel accommodation, by reducing the average length of stay from 9 weeks to 2 weeks.
“My case manager was very empathetic in listening to my story and making me believe that this is not the end. I can start my life again and can live happily. I am in a refuge right now, a little relieved. I know I still have to do a lot, but my case manager has laid a stepping stone in my life, or I can say she has given me another life.”
GenWest client
This year, the Sunrise program had over 2,200 contact hours with women and gender diverse people with disabilities, and delivered a total of 44 in person sessions across Brimbank, Melton and Wyndham and 24 online sessions.
Sunrise participants reported that engagement in the program had significantly and positively impacted their lives, improved their overall mental health and wellbeing, reduced social isolation and increased engagement with services and the community.
Sunrise groups are for women and gender diverse people who have a disability, chronic health issue and/or mental health challenges. The group’s activities are planned in collaboration with its members, through a series of planning and co-design sessions.
A new Sunrise model will be confirmed 2024-2025 with the intention of reaching more people, and a more diverse group of community members with a disability, chronic health issue and/or mental health condition, who are experiencing isolation in Melbourne’s west.
“In regard to my health, being a participant in Sunrise has helped to improve my mental strength. It has helped me to develop resilience in dealing with my health ups and downs... [It has] helped me to not focus on my symptoms so much, and realise I was still capable of things”
Sunrise participant
GenWest’s Children’s and Youth Counselling team provided counselling to 286 families this year.
After accessing the counselling service, 88% of children felt more optimistic about the future, and 85% of carers felt more connected with their child.
Our Children’s and Youth Counselling program assists adults to create a supportive environment for children who have experienced family violence. The program supports parents and carers to understand and respond to their child’s behaviours, which may be resulting from trauma. Building trusting relationships with children and their families is central to the team’s work.
“I am so grateful for GenWest for ensuring the safety of myself and child. I hope my feedback lets you know what a great team you have. I feel that women suffering from domestic violence are blessed to have your service available to them.”
GenWest client
This year, GenWest's multilingual health education team delivered a range of health information programs to 1,004 people from a range of backgrounds.
GenWest’s multilingual health education team create connections through long term engagement with community groups, building trust through shared language, culture and lived experience. These connections have enabled them to refer women experiencing family violence for support, when they had previously been too afraid to seek it due to language or cultural barriers. The program supports the mental health and wellbeing needs of migrant and refugee women in Melbourne’s west.
“This information about mental health has made me realize that I was suffering from mental health issues of stress and depression earlier but was not aware of it and suffering in silence.”
Multilingual health education participant
