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Victim Survivors' Advisory Council Expression of Interest

The Victorian Government is recruiting 7 new members of the Victim Survivors’ Advisory Council (VSAC) for the period September 2023 to September 2025.

The Victim Survivors’ Advisory Council (VSAC) provides formal advice to the Minister for Prevention of Family Violence and other decision-makers on service design, policy development and law reform to better prevent and respond to family violence in Victoria.

New Council members will join 8 existing Council members who will provide support and mentoring to new members as they transition onto VSAC.

The Victorian Government will ensure a range of experiences of family violence are included in the composition of the Council, with membership drawn from different ages, genders, demographics, and communities across Victoria. We are always looking to improve diversity on the council in order to better reflect the Victorian community.

Please review the information below to confirm your eligibility and readiness before applying.

The role of a VSAC member

As a VSAC member you will:

  • bring your lived experience expertise to inform the next phase of the Victorian family violence reforms
  • provide advice and insights to the Victorian Government to influence the development and design of services, policy and systems
  • work collaboratively to strengthen the family violence system for victim survivors, hold perpetrators to account and prevent violence from happening in the first place.

Please review the position descriptions below for further information.

VSAC formal meetings are held either online or in-person every six-weeks and this is the primary forum for members to provide advice to government. There are also optional opportunities for members to contribute to a range of other consultations with government and other stakeholders outside of the formal meetings.

VSAC members are paid for their time and expertise. Refer to the payment schedule below.

Your membership can remain confidential. For instance, some previous members have used pseudonyms to protect their safety.

VSAC 2020 - 2022 members were asked about the most significant change they had experienced as a VSAC member. In the below video, members outline the impact their lived experience has had on the family violence system, and share stories about their own professional and personal growth.

Selection process

The selection process will be guided by a range of factors including:

  • an ability to translate your lived experience into advice for the government on systems change, policy development, service design and law reform
  • a willingness to work as a member of a team, including sharing views and ideas, listening to different perspectives, and collaborating to form group positions on key issues
  • interest in professional and personal growth, through learning about new perspectives, issues, and change processes.

The Victorian Government will ensure a range of lived experience of family violence is included. We encourage applications from women, people of all ages, Aboriginal people, people with disability, people who have lost family members to family violence, people from multicultural and multi-faith backgrounds, new migrants and lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, gender diverse, intersex, queer and asexual people.

Due to 7 members soon to complete their terms on the Council, we are specifically seeking representation from:

  • experience of family violence as a child or young person
  • experience of family violence as an older person
  • people with experience of the criminal justice system
  • people with experience of working in the sex work industry
  • people with a disability
  • people from culturally and linguistically diverse communities.

Eligibility

You can apply to be on VSAC if you:

  • have lived experience of family violence
  • aged 18 years or over
  • live in Victoria
  • have the time and ability to read papers and attend regular 4-hour meetings
  • have access to email, phone, and a computer with a camera for online meetings (let us know if you need IT help).

You don’t need a driver’s licence.

During the application process, you will be invited to disclose personal information about yourself. You are not obliged to disclose personal information if you do not want to, but it can help us understand how we can support you through the recruitment process and beyond. We invite you to tell us if you identify as Aboriginal, a person with disability, from a culturally or linguistically diverse background, LGBTIQ+ or a young person, aged 25 years old or less.

If you identify as any of the above, we would welcome the opportunity to contact you and discuss how we can support you through the Expression of Interest process. Sharing this information will help you access support should you need it and will also help us to better understand the impact of our work.

The Victorian Government encourages prospective members to be up to date with their COVID-19 vaccinations, including a 3rd booster dose.

Key dates

Process Date

Expression of interest

29 May – 18 Jun 2023
Interviews held for suitable applicants

26 June – 7 July 2023

All applicants notified of the outcome of their application

September 2023

New members appointed by the Minister

September 2023

FSV may vary the key dates as necessary.

Frequently asked questions

Please find below responses to some of the most commonly asked questions about VSAC membership.

If you have any more questions, email: FSV.Engagement@familysafety.vic.gov.au.

  • VSAC formal meetings occur online or in person once every six weeks. At these meetings, different teams from across government and the family violence sector bring a piece of work to VSAC and ask for feedback. In general, members are asked questions related to improving outcomes for people with lived experience of family violence. Sessions where VSAC members are asked questions about a particular topic are called consultations.

    Examples of consultations within formal meetings include:

    Formal meetings run for four hours and members can expect to prepare by completing 30mins to 1 hour of pre-reading before the meeting. Pre-reading supports members to understand background information so they can contribute meaningfully to discussions.

    Here is a sample formal meeting agenda:

    1. (10:30 - 10:35am) Welcome and introductions. Acknowledgement of Country and victim survivors of family violence.
    2. (10:35 - 10:55am) Updates from Family Safety Victoria
    3. (10:55 - 11:05am) Break
    4. (11:05am - 12:35pm) Consultation 1: family violence and sexual assault workforce capability frameworks. (VSAC providing feedback on the personal and professional capabilities of practitioners)
    5. (12:35 - 1:05pm) Break
    6. (1:05 - 2:05pm) Consultation 2: Child-focused research project (VSAC providing input to ensure children and young people receive the support they need)
    7. (2:05 - 2:25pm) Member updates
    8. (2:25 - 2:30pm) Closing remarks
  • In addition to the VSAC formal meetings, there are ongoing opportunities for VSAC members to be involved in a range of consultations with stakeholders from across government and the family violence sector.

    These types of opt-in consultations involve seeking input from a smaller number of VSAC members to participate in a workshop, online discussion or to provide written feedback on a particular issue. For example, stakeholders may seek to engage with an older person with experience of family violence or 2 – 3 members who have experience with the court system.

    Opt-in consultations are circulated on a weekly basis and members are invited to submit an expression of interest for any work they are interested in or where they have relevant experience.

    Examples of consultations include:

    • providing feedback on a pamphlet to ensure it is engaging and accessible for children and young people
    • participating in training videos for paramedics on responding to family violence
    • providing advice on the Digitally Recorded Evidence in Chief pilot where a victim statement is recorded by police using police-issued body worn camera.
  • Treating VSAC like it’s a job can be helpful. Creating a separate email address to use for all VSAC-related communications can also help organise different parts of your life. In the beginning it can be difficult to figure out what to get involved in because there are lots of optional projects, consultations, and workshops but after a while you will find you can filter some of the engagements coming through based on your interests and capacity.

  • It’s okay not to have any previous advocacy, leadership or advisory experience. Focus on the skills and strengths you will bring to the role of VSAC member in your application. Members have a range of experiences in advocacy and everyone is at a different stage in their journey.

    It can be daunting when you’re first starting out to understand how your lived experience applies within the family violence system. Members are not expected to be experts across all areas of the family violence system and Family Safety Victoria organises regular information sessions for members on different aspects of the family violence reforms to support your learning.

    In the beginning, Family Safety Victoria meets individually with members to understand your preferences and requirements for professional and personal development. The VSAC Secretariat will provide ongoing support for this development including arranging mentoring, facilitating your attendance at a relevant conference or attending a training session.

    Continuing VSAC members are also an excellent source of knowledge for new members in the areas of advocacy and professional development.

  • It depends on your individual preference and circumstances. Some members are comfortable engaging in public-facing engagements and advocacy. Others prefer to do their advocacy work anonymously, choosing to use pseudonyms and opting out of public-facing events or photography. VSAC members are also not expected to share any personal details of their story. There are lots of opportunities to contribute to the family violence reforms while maintaining your privacy and Family Safety Victoria will provide support to protect your identity with external consultations and stakeholders.

    Information shared at formal VSAC meetings or at consultations is for the purpose of that meeting only, people are advised not to share or discuss this information. Any information shared is done with permission and must always be de-identified for privacy and safety reasons.

  • We encourage VSAC members to have their own formal and informal support systems in place.

    Members have access to confidential debriefing support from an external provider for the term of their appointment and for six months after their membership on VSAC finishes.

    Members also have the option to attend an online group debriefing session after each formal meeting.

Application process

Privacy collection statement

Family Safety Victoria, part of the Victorian Department of Families, Fairness and Housing, is committed to protecting personal information provided by you in accordance with the principles of the Victorian privacy laws.

Read more about the Victorian Government's privacy policy.

The information you provide will be made available to a small number of staff in the Service Design, Policy and Engagement unit who are involved in the recruitment process for the Victim Survivors’ Advisory Council 2023 – 2025, as well as a representative of the Victim Survivors’ Advisory Council, who will be on the interview panel and have access to information on recommended applicants.

The collection of sensitive information on whether you are part of a diverse community group will be used to ensure that the Victim Survivors’ Advisory Council includes a diverse range of voices and experiences of family violence.

The primary role of the Council is to provide advice on policy design and service delivery as part of the family violence reforms, which commenced in 2016. The collection of sensitive information on people’s engagement with the family violence system since 2016 will ensure that new members have recent experience that can inform ongoing reform work.

By submitting an application, you consent to Family Safety Victoria collecting and using any personal and sensitive information which you provide in your responses for the purposes outlined above.

If your submission includes any information about racial or ethnic background, sexuality, criminal records and/or religious beliefs it is understood that you consent for us to collect this data. However, applicants are not obliged to disclose this information.

You are entitled to access and correct your personal information. If you would like to access or correct the information you have provided, please contact us by email at FSV.Engagement@familysafety.vic.gov.au. In some cases, requests for personal information may be handled in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Vic).

Probity checks

In line with the Victorian Government’s appointment and remuneration guidelines, probity checks (including a criminal record check) will be undertaken for all appointments to an advisory council, including reappointments.

These checks will be undertaken for preferred applicants only.

A Declaration of Private Interests will also be completed by new appointees and reappointed members to identify real or perceived conflicts of interest that could pose risk to the operation of VSAC. Family Safety Victoria will support applicants to undertake these checks, including payment.

FSV recognises that many people in the criminal justice system have experience of family and/ or sexual violence. This is particularly so for women who have committed offences, who are often victim survivors themselves.

Government is committed to hearing the perspectives of people who have been through the criminal justice system. This includes people who may have been misidentified as the predominant aggressor in family violence situations.

We encourage you to contact us to discuss your personal circumstances.

A reminder that you are not obliged to disclose personal information if you do not want to, but it can help us understand how we can support you through the recruitment process and beyond.

  • Background

    Current and former VSAC members have described their time on the Council as personally and professionally beneficial and satisfying with many opportunities for mutual learning and growth for members. Members are strongly motivated by wanting to improve the family violence system for the benefit of all victim-survivors.

    Members of VSAC have the opportunity to provide their advice and insights to the Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence as well as other government departments and services responsible for how the state prevents and responds to family and sexual violence.

    This work can understandably be challenging and uncomfortable at times for those who have experienced trauma and violence. While Family Safety Victoria provides and encourages participation in individual and group de-briefing sessions to Council members, it is important to note that VSAC is not a therapeutic group, nor a substitute for counselling or other forms of therapeutic intervention.

    VSAC members are encouraged to ensure that they have personal and professional recovery and healing support in place during their term on VSAC.

    Self-reflection tool

    This self-reflection tool may help you in determining your goals and readiness to participate on VSAC.

    We encourage you to reflect on the following questions to help you consider if this work is for right you. You do not need to send us your responses but we will ask you to verbally share a summary of your reflection as part of the interview process.

    You may want to revisit these questions every six months or so as a critical reflection exercise.

    Questions

    • What motivates you to be involved in VSAC?
    • What do you want to achieve from your participation on VSAC?
    • Have you had sufficient time since your experience (or that of your family member) to feel ready and safe to participate?
    • Are you prepared to listen to the experiences and views of other members, which can potentially be distressing to hear?
    • What do you bring to your participation on VSAC (ideas, information, knowledge, skills, experience)
    • Do you understand the time commitment expected of this role and will you be able to commit?
    • What type of support do you need to participate (training, resources, mentoring etc)?
    • Do you have any legal or privacy considerations that might impact on your capacity to participate on VSAC?
    • What do you do for self-care?
    • What support systems do you have in place? (These can be formal such as services and informal like community, friends and pets.)
  • Payment rates: Victim Survivors’ Advisory Council (VSAC) members

    The below table outlines payment rates for people with lived experience providing advice to government on the family violence reforms. The sitting fee for the Victim Survivors’ Advisory Council is based on government guidelines for board members and hourly rates are aligned to other similar lived experience programs across community and government sectors.

    Payment type Activity Payment
    Sitting fee
    • Member: attend formal meetings of the Victim Survivors’ Advisory Council.
    • Chair: facilitate discussion at meetings of the Victim Survivors’ Advisory Council.
    • If the Deputy Chair assumes the role of the Chair, the Chair’s fee will be payable for the period the Deputy Chair acts as the Chair.

    General members: Four hours or under: $240 / Over four hours (daily rate): $319

    Chair: Four hours or under: $350 / Over four hours (daily rate): $410

    Hourly rate
    • Represent a lived experience or client voice perspective on an advisory group, working group, committee, consultation process or interview panel.
    • Capability building and awareness raising activities.
    • Media or public speaking engagement.
    • Storytelling to support communications, program development or delivery: interviews, writing, video development.
    • Contribute to projects through workshops, focus groups, or reviewing documents.
    $60 per hour
    Contract/consultancy fee
    • Represent a lived experience or client voice perspective for a specific project external to the Victorian Government. Working as a member of a project team to develop policies or programs or deliver and implement programs of work
      • Note that these engagements may be fixed term, casual or in a consultancy capacity for a specific project or program of work. It would include engagement with Commonwealth Government Departments, sector-based organisations or researchers.

    As per negotiated consultancy fees
    Not applicable
    • Attend an event as an audience member.
    • Complete a client feedback survey for a government-funded service.
    • Receive and read communication from the government, for instance, newsletters, communiques.
    • De-briefing sessions.
    N/A
    • Amounts for sitting fees are determined by Victorian Government’s Appointment and Remuneration Guidelines for a Group C board.
    • The sitting fee is only paid to VSAC members. There is no separate sitting fee for a Deputy Chair. Deputy Chair’s payment will be at the member’s rate. If the Deputy Chair assumes the role of the Chair the Chair’s fee will be payable for the period, the Deputy Chair acts as Chair.
    • Sitting/participation fees have been segmented into four-hour blocks, with maximum payment capped at the daily rate (eight-hours or less). The sitting/participation fee may include reading papers, attending pre-brief sessions, telephone calls, emails, meeting attendance and a post brief meeting. It does not cover travel time.
    • ^ Hourly rates are aligned to rates for other lived experience initiatives within government and the community sector. The hourly rate is fixed to ensure participants in a group are paid the same amount, and for consistency across the activities. There is a minimum payment of two hours for online meetings and three hours for face-to-face meetings. Hourly rates are paid to VSAC members for the activities outlined in the table.
    • The number of hours assigned to an activity will be discussed and agreed to in advance to ensure expectations and payment are clear prior to a VSAC member undertaking any work. For example, agreement would be reached in advance for attending a workshop to include 1-hour pre-reading and 2-hour workshop, 3-hours in total.
    • VSAC appointments are sessional in nature: appointees are not expected to work a set number of days per week.

    Mechanisms for payment

    • VSAC members are appointed as sessional members and paid via the finance branch of Department of Families, Fairness and Housing.

    Travel guidelines

    • Where a person with lived experience needs to travel for their engagement with government, they can seek reimbursement for travel costs. General principles are:
      • the default method of travel should be by the most economical and direct route
      • when accessible, safe and appropriate, public transport is the preferred method of travel
      • when using private vehicles government will reimburse for mileage costs and car parking (calculated at $0.72 per kilometre)
      • if a person has specific accessibility or safety requirements or is unable to use public transport, FSV can seek approval to issue a digital cab pass.

    Accommodation guidelines

    • Accommodation may be provided for people with lived experience on a case-by-case basis. For example, a person living in a rural or remote area is required to participate early in the day or where it is unsafe for them to drive long distances before and after their participation.
  • Title Victim Survivors' Advisory Council Member
    Employment Type Session, fixed term
    Work location Online and in-person participation
    Expected time commitment 4-hour meetings every six weeks and ongoing optional engagements
    Payment Rates Refer to the payment schedule above

    The role of a VSAC member

    The role of a Victim Survivors’ Advisory Council member includes the following primary functions:

    • provide advice to the Victorian Government on the different and diverse experiences of family violence from the victim survivors' perspective to inform family violence reform initiatives
    • provide advice and insights to the Victorian Government to influence the design, development and evaluation of services, programs, policy and law reform.
    • identify issues and options for consideration by the government which have the potential to improve outcomes for people experiencing family violence.

    VSAC advises the Minister for Prevention of Family Violence who appoints members to the Council. VSAC is a formal advisory council and operates within the Victorian Government’s standard appointment and remuneration guidelines for governance bodies.

    VSAC members participate in formal meetings every six weeks where the Council provides advice on specific issues related to the design, development and evaluation of a range of programs, policies, services and legislation. Members are expected to be able to attend 80 per cent of formal meetings held throughout the year.

    Role accountabilities

    VSAC members will be required to:

    • provide insights and advice to government on the design, development and evaluation of a range of programs, policies, services and legislation based on their lived experience
    • work as a member of a team to find a shared perspective on issues relating to the design of programs, policies, services and legislation.
    • attend regular meetings and participate in discussions.

    Key selection criteria and personal qualities

    Suitable candidates will have:

    • an ability to translate lived experience of family violence and the Victorian family violence system into advice for the government on systems change, policy development and service design
    • willingness to work as a member of a team, including listening to and respecting different perspectives, being open minded and curious, and collaborating to form collective positions on key issues
    • an interest in growing both professionally and personally, through learning about new perspectives, issues and government processes. This includes developing a strong understanding of how the VSAC advisory role interacts with government and the broader community sector.

    Members from diverse communities

    The Victorian Government is committed to ensuring that government boards and committees reflect the rich diversity of the Victorian community.

    We encourage applications from people of all ages, Aboriginal people, people with disability, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and from lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, gender diverse, intersex and queer people. We will provide adjustments to the recruitment process upon request.

    Members are appointed to ensure the composition of the group reflects the diversity of the community. While members may provide advice on behalf of members of their community or from the perspective of their identity group, they are not expected to assume a formal representative role on behalf of their communities.

    Term of the role

    The Victims Survivors’ Advisory Council is comprised of 15 positions.

    Members are appointed for a two-year term, with a staggered annual membership and renewal process, with half of the Council concluding their terms every September. This enables a continuous process of renewal and to enable longer serving members to support newer members with orientation to the group.

  • Title Deputy Chair, Victim Survivors' Advisory Council
    Employment Type Sessional
    Work location Online and in-person participation
    Expected time commitment

    2 hours for Deputy Chair duties per week

    4-hour meetings every six weeks and ongoing optional engagements
    Payment Rates Refer to the payment schedule above

    The role of the VSAC Deputy Chair

    The VSAC Deputy Chair is appointed to the role by the Minister for Prevention of Family Violence following a selection process supported by FSV. The role of the Deputy Chair is to support the Chair of VSAC, including to assist them with their role, the operation of VSAC meetings and alignment with VSAC’s terms of reference.

    • The Deputy Chair’s responsibilities include:
    • leading small group discussion at VSAC meetings and consultations
    • providing a leadership role to ensure safe, collaborative and respectful engagement and participation of members
    • meeting regularly with the Secretariat team and Chair to plan the approach to formal meetings and key engagements.
    • providing strategic advice to government on how the expertise of lived experience and VSAC can support the family violence reforms.
    • take on the role of Chair when the Chair is not available
    • All VSAC members, including the Deputy Chair, are expected to able to attend 80 per cent of formal meetings held throughout the year.

    Accountabilities

    In addition to the accountabilities for a general VSAC representative, the Deputy Chair will be responsible for acting in the Chair role when the Chair is not available.

    Alongside the Chair, the Deputy Chair will work with the Family Safety Victoria Secretariat team to plan the agenda and structure of formal meetings and key engagements, including providing strategic advice on approach and how information should be shared and presented clearly, and ensuring approaches are sensitive to the needs and preferences of VSAC members.

    Attributes

    The VSAC Deputy Chair will bring the following attributes to their work:

    • Leadership – an ability to create a culture of trust, safety and respect within the group and ensure VSAC members are actively participating in meetings and have the opportunity to influence and contribute towards the family violence reforms.
    • Relationship management – an ability to manage constructive relationships with VSAC members, government and other stakeholders.
    • Accountability and integrity – assisting and grounding the group in understanding the purpose of VSAC.
    • Effective communication – to promote the value of lived experience, and the groups’ collective views across government.
    • Emotional intelligence – ability to empathetically manage situations where strong emotions are present and to manage conflict.

    Support and supervision

    FSV will provide regular supervision via a regular catch up with a relevant FSV executive, to support the Deputy Chair to perform their role.

  • Title Chair, Victim Survivors' Advisory Council
    Employment Type Sessional, fixed term for up to two years
    Work location Online and in-person participation
    Expected time commitment

    2 - 4 hours for Chair duties per week

    4-hour meetings every six weeks and ongoing optional engagements
    Payment Refer to the payment schedule above

    The role of the VSAC Chair

    The VSAC Chair is appointed to the role by the Minister for Prevention of Family Violence and endorsed by Cabinet following a selection process conducted by FSV. The Chair is a critical leadership role within the Council and is responsible for:

    • chairing VSAC meetings in a way that enables equitable participation of members, allows for fair and open discussion, adheres to the agenda and encourages consensus while respecting diversity of opinion
    • providing a leadership role to ensure safe, collaborative and respectful engagement and participation of members
    • meeting regularly with the Secretariat team and Deputy Chair to plan the approach to formal meetings and key engagements.
    • providing strategic advice to government on how the expertise of lived experience and VSAC can support the family violence reforms
    • representing VSAC on select committees, executive meetings, public and stakeholder events, forums
    • representing VSAC from time to time through public speaking events and in the media, including social media.

    All VSAC members, including the Chair, are expected to be able to attend 80 per cent of formal meetings held throughout the term of appointment.

    Note: The VSAC Chair undertakes representative duties on behalf of the Council. The role also participates in other engagement opportunities through VSAC and is paid at an hourly rate as per attached schedule.

    Accountabilities

    In addition to the accountabilities for a general VSAC representative, the Chair will be responsible for:

    • Chairing the VSAC meetings to ensure adequate time is allowed for the discussion of each agenda item, ensuring opportunity is available for all members to contribute and developing strong, cohesive and positive group dynamics.
    • Working closely with the VSAC Secretariat team to plan the agenda and structure of formal meetings and key engagements, including providing strategic advice on approach and how information should be shared and presented clearly, and ensuring approaches are sensitive to the needs and preferences of VSAC members.

    Attributes

    The VSAC Chair will bring the following attributes to their work:

    • Leadership – an ability to create a culture of trust, safety and respect within the group and ensure VSAC members are actively participating in meetings and have the opportunity to influence and contribute towards the family violence reforms.
    • Relationship management – an ability to manage constructive relationships with VSAC members, government and other stakeholders.
    • Accountability and integrity – assisting and grounding the group in understanding the purpose of VSAC.
    • Effective communication – to promote the value of lived experience, and the Council’s collective views across government.
    • Emotional intelligence – ability to empathetically manage situations where strong emotions are present and to manage conflict.

    Support and supervision

    FSV will provide supervision via a regular catch up with a relevant FSV executive, to support the Chair to perform their role.

  • Section Information
    Purpose

    The Victim Survivors’ Advisory Council (VSAC) was established in 2016, providing a formal mechanism for victim survivors to advise the government on family violence reform and to ensure the voices of victim survivors influence how family violence reforms are delivered and achieved. VSAC’s role and function was defined by the Royal Commission and endorsed at its establishment by the Victorian Government.

    VSAC remains a key component of the Victorian Government’sFamily Violence Lived Experience StrategyExternal Link , which outlines the commitment to partnering with people with lived experience in the ongoing delivery of family and sexual violence reforms. In the current phase of the reforms, Family Safety Victoria (FSV) is committed to increasing opportunities and mechanisms which support shared decision making, leadership and influence for people with lived experience.

    Role

    VSAC’s key role is to provide collective advice to government decision makers on program, policy, law reform and service design priorities, including to:

    • provide advice to the Victorian Government on the different and diverse experiences of family violence from the victim survivors’ perspective to make proposed family violence reform initiatives more accessible and effective
    • provide advice and insights to the Victorian Government to influence the design, implementation and evaluation of family violence services
    • identify key issues and options for consideration by the government which have the potential to improve outcomes for people experiencing family violence
    Scope The Council provides whole-of-system advice across family violence primary prevention, response and recovery, as well as on a range of reform priorities including sexual assault, workforce development, The Orange Door network, the Multiagency Risk Assessment and Risk Management Framework (MARAM), legal services, responses to children and young people, inclusion and access to the system for diverse communities and housing responses.
    Reporting

    The group reports and provides advice to the Minister for Prevention of Family Violence, Family Safety Victoria and government departments with responsibility for family violence reform.

    The Chair and other members will also be appointed to represent the Council on other advisory and working groups, including the Family Violence Reform Advisory Group, the Dhelk Dja Partnership Forum, and the Primary Prevention Sector Reference Group to ensure a strong voice for victim survivors in reform governance. Representatives will be required to report back to the Council regularly.

    Forward agenda

    VSAC engagements are broadly anchored to the Rolling Action Plan 2020-23 to Ending Family Violence: Victoria’s Plan for Change, future family and sexual violence reform strategies and other key interdependent reforms.

    FSV will support VSAC members to contribute to setting VSAC’s priority areas of influence, through an annual planning day. This is an opportunity for members to collectively develop priorities which are shared with senior leaders at FSV to guide their work.

    FSV leads the preparation of the group’s engagements together with the Chair and Deputy Chair of VSAC on behalf of the Council, as well as management and coordination across government for its implementation.

    Government respects the time and expertise of VSAC members and will engage on issues where there is scope to influence change in response to members’ insights. If VSAC members wish to provide advice on an individual basis on other issues, FSV will seek to link them up to the relevant department or organisation.

    Aboriginal Self-determination and intersectionality In providing advice on family violence reform initiatives all participants are expected to promote Aboriginal self-determination, embed cultural safety, provide advice from an intersectional lens, and focus on the needs and experience of victim-survivors and people who use services.
    Chair

    The Chair is a victim survivor of family violence and is appointed by the Minister for Prevention of Family Violence and approved by the Cabinet of the Victorian Government. The Chair is responsible for:

    • chairing VSAC meetings in a way that enables equitable participation of members, allows for fair and open discussion, adheres to the agenda and encourages consensus while respecting diversity of opinion
    • providing a leadership role to ensure safe, collaborative and respectful engagement and participation of members
    • representing VSAC on select committees, executive meetings, public and stakeholder events, forums
    • representing VSAC from time to time through public speaking events and in the media, including social media.

    In addition to a Chair being appointed, a Deputy Chair will also be appointed to support this role. The Deputy Chair is a key leadership role and assumes the role of Chair as required. Both the Chair and Deputy Chair work closely with FSV to plan, design and deliver engagements.

    Membership

    Members are appointed by the Minister for Prevention of Family Violence. Members are selected to reflect the diversity of the community. Through the membership, there is opportunity to draw on diverse experiences of family violence and people from the following communities:

    • Aboriginal communities
    • culturally and linguistically diverse communities and people with a migrant and refugee experience
    • people with disability
    • people living in regional and rural Victoria
    • LGBTIQ+ communities
    • older Victorians
    • people working in the sex industry
    • people who have experience of criminalisation
    • family members who have lost relatives to family violence
    • people who experienced family violence as a child or young person

    Members are appointed to ensure the composition of the group reflects the diversity of the community. While members may provide advice on behalf of members of their community or from the perspective of their identity group, they are not expected to assume a formal representative role on behalf of their communities.

    Members are appointed for a two-year term.

    There is a staggered process of membership renewal on VSAC, with half of the members concluding their terms in September each year. This will enable longer serving members to mentor and support incoming members, improve succession planning for VSAC leadership roles and to support continuity of the Council.

    Attendees Senior government representatives will also be present at meetings to listen firsthand to VSAC’s advice. The VSAC Secretariat team will attend meetings to support the Chair and members. All guests invited to attend the meeting will have a specified role in the meeting and presenters will attend for their portion of the agenda only. As part of a trauma-aware approach, all observers must be approved by the Chair.
    Confidentiality Sensitive information that VSAC members share will be treated as confidential. Information will only be used for the purpose stated in the consultation and government will seek consent to share feedback more broadly. In government’s analysis of VSAC advice, generic terms will be used so that VSAC members cannot be easily identified.
    Conflict of Interest Members of VSAC will be required to work with FSV to manage any actual or perceived conflicts of interest, and options to ensure the integrity of the Council.
    Meetings VSAC meets every six weeks from February to December and other meetings may be organised out of session if required. Members are required to attend 80 per cent of formal meetings held throughout the year.
    Secretariat FSV provides secretariat support to the group as well as additional support including facilitating professional development and other training for members. Papers and agendas are circulated one week prior to each meeting. The secretariat will advise if papers are confidential.
    Payment

    Please refer to the payment schedule above.

    Amounts for sitting fees are determined by Victorian government’s Appointment and Remuneration Guidelines for a Group C band two board.
    Media and social media The Chair can make comment in the media on behalf of VSAC. Council members should not make public statements to the media on behalf of the Victorian Government, or on matters regarding to the Council, unless authorised to do so.

Contact information

The Family Safety Victoria Engagement Team coordinates government's engagement with VSAC and provides secretariat support to the council. If you have any questions about the positions, process, safety or privacy, please contact FSV.Engagement@familysafety.vic.gov.au or call Sashi Weerasinghe on 03 9595 2777 for a confidential conversation.

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Reviewed 19 June 2023

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