We acknowledge all victim survivors of family violence. We remember those who have been killed as a result of family violence. We also keep forefront in our minds all those who are still experiencing family violence today, and for whom we undertake this work.
We want Victoria to be the first choice for those currently working in family violence or primary prevention or for those seeking a career in the sector.
We want to ensure their health and wellbeing and professional development are key priorities.
While our family violence reform work is unprecedented it is being built on the shoulders of giants. We salute those that have come before us, those who tirelessly strive to end family violence.
We are fortunate in Victoria to have a highly skilled, dedicated and resilient family violence and primary prevention workforce who have worked tirelessly for decades to help keep women and children in our communities safe.
Their experience, leadership, wisdom and expertise helped set out the long-term vision for the future of the workforces that intersect with family violence outlined in Building from Strength: 10-Year Industry Plan for Family Violence Prevention and Response.
Thousands of people working across community services, justice, health and education and training - our police officers, doctors, teachers and lawyers - also have contact with people experiencing or at risk of family violence. We want to make sure they all feel equipped and confident to play their role in preventing, identifying and responding to family violence.
A lot of work is already underway to strengthen capability across sectors. This Rolling Action Plan, as the first of three, brings this work together and builds on it, prioritising the initiatives that will strengthen the foundations needed to realise the long term vision.
We should never lose sight that this is incredibly complex reform and much of what is being delivered has never been done before.
This work has come at a time of huge social change. People are looking for work that is purposeful and meaningful.
They want to give back to their communities and we need to capitalise on this appetite for values-driven work.
We recognise there are many valuable transferable skills that people can bring to the family violence and primary prevention sectors. New ways of delivering services, such as The Orange Door, therapeutic responses for victim survivors and perpetrator interventions, also provide an opportunity for people wanting to work in a flexible, dynamic and collaborative environment.
I thank the members of the Industry Taskforce, as well as leaders across community services, health, justice and education, who are collaborating with us to implement the Industry Plan and this first Rolling Action Plan.
I also want to thank those with lived experience of family violence whose voices have informed this action plan – as always, they are at the heart of our work.
Together, we can work to ensure that our workforces are supported to respond to family violence and to prevent it from occurring in the first place, today and into the future.
The Hon Gabrielle Williams MP
Minister for Prevention of Family Violence
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