Implementing Building from Strength

Building from Strength has a broad scope to build family violence response and prevention capability over 10 years across a range of workforces that intersect with family violence. It will sustainably shift how we respond to and prevent family violence and violence against women.

Building from Strength identified four priority actions, as seen in Figure 3. As the first Rolling Action Plan, Strengthening the Foundations will focus on the foundation required for long-term prevention and response capability and capacity across a strong and connected system. Seven key focus areas, as seen in Figure 3, have been developed to steer our efforts and guide our first steps in achieving the long-term vision of Building from Strength.

The actions in this plan are grouped under the seven key focus areas, but many of them support more than one. In this way, the key focus areas are mutually-reinforcing, and together support systemic workforce and sector development.

A commitment to Aboriginal self-determination and intersectionality is embedded in all of the key focus areas. This plan sits alongside Dhelk Dja and Everybody Matters which provide roadmaps for this critical work. In particular, this plan is a companion piece to the forthcoming Aboriginal Family Violence Industry Strategy, to be developed by the Dhelk Dja Partnership Forum.

The key focus areas are underpinned by an evidence base from Building from Strength, the 2017 Census and the practice wisdom and experience of sector partners. Strengthening the Foundations has been developed using a gendered and intersectional lens. The Rolling Action Plans that succeed Strengthening the Foundations will incorporate emerging evidence, build on what works and map out the next steps to respond to the changing specialist family violence response and prevention systems.

The seven focus areas align with the Family Violence Outcomes Framework (FVOF) as introduced in Ending Family Violence: Victoria’s Plan for Change. In particular, they contribute to the systems domain outcomes: a system which is united and integrated; and a workforce which is properly recognised, understands risk and need, and is skilled to prevent family violence.

As Building from Strength is a 10-year industry plan, achieving its vision will require carefully prioritised, sequenced and sustained work. It is therefore important that this first Rolling Action plan focuses on putting the foundations in place and addressing evidence gaps to inform the next steps to be taken in future Rolling Action plans.

Building from Strength: Rolling Action Plan Framework

Building from Strength priorities- Building prevention & response capability across the system; Strengthening specialist workforces; Workforce health & wellbeing; Building a system that works together. RAP focus areas- 1 Building workforce capability 2 Enhancing training architecture 3 Recruiting & retaining specialist workforces 4 Strengthening leadership in specialist sectors 5 Prioritising health, safety & wellbeing 6 Building sector & organisational capability 7 Working in a connected & cohesive system

Building from Strength priority: Building prevention and response capability across the system

1. A culture of continuous learning enables specialist family violence response and primary prevention workforces to build the skills and capabilities required for their work.
2. Specialist family violence response and primary prevention workforces have highly developed technical skills and capabilities to deal with the complexity and diversity of their work.
3. Specialist family violence response and primary prevention, community services, health, justice, human services and education workforces are prepared to identify, assess and manage family violence risk and understand their role in supporting family violence prevention, early identification and response. When prescribed, organisations follow the maturity model to align policies, procedures, practice guidance and tools to MARAM.
1. Workforces are provided with a quality learning experience, with opportunities to grow, learn and develop throughout their career.
2. Future workforces are provided with relevant high-quality training content and courses that reflect the appropriate skills and knowledge required to build family violence response and primary prevention capabilities.
3. A network of skilled trainers and educators deliver specialist-informed and evidence-based family violence response and primary prevention training, working closely with the specialist sectors.
4. There are strong and sustainable connections between the education, training and professional development sectors and specialist family violence and response sectors.

Building from Strength priority: Strengthening the specialist workforces

1. Specialist family violence response and primary prevention sectors can attract, recruit and retain skilled practitioners, when and where they are needed.
2. Specialist family violence response and primary prevention workforces reflect the diversity of the community, because organisations are accessible, culturally safe places to work.
3. The value of the specialist family violence response and primary prevention workforces is recognised, and remuneration reflects skills, training and experience.
1. Sector leaders set direction and build, motivate and develop their workforces to work towards ending family violence.
2. Capable, purposeful and connected leadership underpins a system that works together to prevent and respond to family violence.

Building from Strength priority: Workforce health, safety and wellbeing

1. A positive and supportive work environment is strengthened by best practice supervision, peer support, opportunities for reflective practice and health, safety and wellbeing tools to support practitioners in their work.
2. Health, safety and wellbeing in the specialist workforces is enhanced by improved job security and employment conditions across the sectors. Role design supports a high level of health, safety and wellbeing.

Building from Strength priority: Building a system that works together

1. Organisations and sectors are capable in planning, resourcing, delivering and committing to change and reform.
2. Organisations and sectors have robust governance, policies, processes and support systems to ensure the long-term success and sustainability of the actions committed to in Building from Strength.
1. The system is connected, cohesive and dynamic and can respond to evolving economic and social trends.
2. A culture of collaboration, innovation and learning extends across organisations and sectors.
3. The system is accountable and works collaboratively towards shared outcomes. Continuous improvement is supported by robust data and evaluation.
4. Statewide and regional infrastructure exists to support system connection and cohesion, across government and non-government sectors.

Updated 25 November 2019