Prioritise adequate funding for Aboriginal community controlled organisations

Implemented

Who is leading the change

Family Safety Victoria

The Victorian Government give priority to providing adequate funding to Aboriginal community controlled organisations for:

culturally appropriate family violence services for Aboriginal women and children
family-centred services and programs—including programs that focus on cultural strengthening— therapeutic child-centred programs, and one-door integrated services where family members can obtain a range of supports
culturally appropriate legal services for victims and perpetrators, to meet the increased demand for services and the need for statewide coverage
crisis accommodation and support options for Aboriginal women and children based on core and cluster-style and best-practice models with access to longer term housing
culturally appropriate services for Aboriginal men who perpetrate family violence—including access to suitable accommodation
early intervention and prevention actions in Aboriginal communities—including whole-of-community activities and targeted programs.

Work is underway to ensure ongoing, sustainable funding is built into business as usual activity, through the implementation of Dhelk Dja: Safe Our Way – Strong Culture, Strong Peoples, Strong Families and the first Dhelk Dja 3-Year Action Plan (2019-21).

To realise the government’s commitment to Aboriginal self-determination, Family Safety Victoria is ensuring that the Dhelk Dja Partnership Forum is involved in the process of informing and monitoring the implementation of this recommendation.

Progress on strategic priority and supporting activities is measured through the Dhelk Dja Monitoring, Evaluation and Accountability Plan (MEAP), which will identify outcomes and use quantitative and qualitative data to track progress. The MEAP is expected to be finalised in late July 2020 after an endorsement process through the Dhelk Dja Partnership Forum.

Government will remain transparent and accountable by reporting on progress of the 3-Year Action Plan in the following ways:
- as part of the Action Plan and MEAP reporting and monitoring obligations to the Dhelk Dja Partnership Forum
- as part of the whole-of-government progress report to Parliament on the Victorian Aboriginal Affairs Framework 2018-2023
- as part of the bi-annual Royal Commission into Family Violence Recommendation implementation updates.
Family Safety Victoria (FSV) have adopted the Aboriginal Prioritised Funding Policy, with at least 10 percent of all family violence and sexual assault service delivery funding provided to Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs) in 2020-21. This funding includes therapeutic interventions, refuge responses and perpetrator accountability.

In addition, a total of 16 per cent of total COVID-19 response funding in 2020-21 was allocated directly to ACCOs to support a range of family violence and sexual assault service delivery, as well as to support agencies to adapt to COVID-19 safe operations and service delivery.

The Dhelk Dja Community Initiatives Fund (CIF) provides funding of $1.1 million annually under the Aboriginal CIF, to implement community led projects that educate, prevent, reduce, and respond to family violence in Aboriginal communities across Victoria.

The Dhelk Dja Family Violence Fund has been established as a flexible pool of funding streams for eligible Aboriginal organisations and community groups to enable a range of Aboriginal-led tailored responses for victim survivors and people who use violence. The fund builds on the Victorian government’s commitment to embed Aboriginal self-determination in our family violence service system by supporting Aboriginal communities to implement Aboriginal-led solutions to address family violence. In May 2021 the Minister for Prevention of Family Violence and Aboriginal Affairs announced $13.4 million investment from the $18.2 million available for Aboriginal-led initiatives.

The fund supports the work of the Dhelk Dja Partnership Forum by ensuring projects align to the Dhelk Dja 10 Year Agreement and the Dhelk Dja Three-Year Action Plans. The Fund has set a new direction for prioritising family violence services and responses to identified need consistent with the principles of self-determination.

Updated 28 September 2021