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 2024-2025 Annual Report.
Here’s a snapshot of our work from the 2024-25 financial year:
GenWest’s family violence services provide flexible, person-centred support for victim survivors of family violence and their families. Our work is grounded in a trauma-informed approach that prioritises safety, choice, and dignity.
This year:
At The Orange Door, we delivered 79,044 hours of support—a 31% increase on the previous year.
We provided around 1,500 nights of emergency accommodation, mostly in hotels and motels.
We delivered 358 Personal Safety Initiative packages, helping people improve their safety through technology and security measures such as security cameras and new locks.
Our After-Hours Program supported people in crisis, providing 607 episodes of emergency assistance when people most need them out of business hours.
“My dedicated support worker demonstrated exceptional dedication in ensuring my wellbeing and that of my four-year-old child. As a non-native English speaker, I deeply appreciated [her] ability to communicate with me in Arabic, fostering a strong bond and enabling me to express my emotions and concerns more effectively. The support and assistance I received from GenWest and [my case manager] have had a profound impact on my life, and I am eternally grateful for their intervention.”
GenWest client and survivor
GenWest delivers programs that improve health and wellbeing and promote gender equity amongst communities in Melbourne’s west.
We deliver health, wellbeing, education and social connection programs in a wide range of community settings including language schools, high schools, universities, community centres, women’s prisons, sports clubs and faith-based settings. These programs respond to the changing and emerging health and wellbeing needs of people in our region.
This year:
525 people attended health education sessions delivered by the Multilingual Health Education team.
848 people (young people, educators, parents, carers and healthcare professionals) participated in sexual and reproductive health education sessions across the west including in schools, universities and at Dame Phyllis Frost Centre.
131 people (health professionals and community members) were reached with information and training about Female Genital Cutting/Circumcision.
“Thanks for giving me a good lessons. I learn a lot of things which can help me in my life and helping with others.”
Human Relations Program participant - a student at Western English Language School (WELS)
In 2024, the Sunrise program implemented a new model, Theory of Change and evaluation framework.
In June 2025, the team launched a pilot partnership co-designed with Western Health’s HOPE (Hospital Outreach Post-Suicidal Engagement) Program and Mind Australia (lead agency for the Melton Mental Health and Wellbeing Hub). This collaboration has provided more integrated, trauma-informed, and accessible mental health pathways for women in Melbourne’s west. 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.
“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
This year, GenWest opened our new Child and Youth Counselling Hub in Maribyrnong.
This purpose-built hub enables the program to support more families and reduce wait times. The Hub is a special space for children and young people to feel safe and focus on their healing. Expanding this service ensures we can continue to support kids and families to break the cycle of violence.
“Drawing helped me say things I couldn’t talk about.”
Child, aged 7 on their experience in GenWest's Children's Counselling Program
Lived experience continues to guide our work.
Our Survivor Advisory Group and LGBTQIA+ Advisory Group continue to play a central role in ensuring lived experience informs our planning, service design, and advocacy. Their insights strengthen GenWest’s commitment to safety, inclusion, and responsiveness to the needs of the communities and clients we serve. We are deeply grateful to the members for generously sharing their experiences and expertise.
Read more about our impact in our 2024-2025 Annual Report.“Being part of the Survivor Advisory Group has been one of the most grounding experiences of my life. It’s not just a space to share—it’s a space where lived experience is respected, valued, and used to drive real change. GenWest didn’t just invite us to the table—they made sure our voices shaped the agenda.”
GenWest Survivor Advisory Group member
