In 2017, in response to the rising rates of women’s incarceration, we identified Keeping Women Out of the Justice System (KWOJS) as a priority-funding theme of our grants program.

Download this 11 page report to learn about the Grants Program and how it’has been influencing policy and reform and changing lives.

You will also find out about some of the Award-winning Projects that we have funded.

 

The 2020 Grant round has awarded $1 million in funding to seven legal and community organisations to help vulnerable Victorians gain access to legal services.

 

Successful Applicants

First Step Health Justice Project and Evaluation (First Step HOPE) Extension Project

First Step Legal
$130,000 over 1 1/2 years

The First Step Legal team will continue to work closely and collaboratively with the Windana Therapeutic Community staff, to build upon the positive preliminary outcomes of their pilot HJP, First Step HOPE. They will refine processes and systems of best practice integrated care, in support of the ongoing recovery and rehabilitation of residents.

Pathways Out of the Justice System for Women in Regional Victoria

Law and Advocacy Centre for Women 
$100,000 over 1 year

Improving access to holistic, gender-informed legal and support services for women in regional Victoria who are at risk of entrenchment in the criminal justice system.

Maryborough Family Justice Project

Loddon Campaspe Community Legal Centre (ARC Justice)
$230,000 over 1 year

Further development, testing and embedding of an integrated model of legal service delivery and coordination to increase access to wrap-around support for vulnerable families to break intergenerational cycles of disadvantage.

Women’s Voices – understanding pathways to desistance of criminalised women

Women and Mentoring (WAM)
$180,000 over 1 year

Extending the Women and Mentoring Women’s Voices project to collect stories of criminalised women’s experiences in order to improve understanding of gendered pathways away from offending.

Disability Support Pension Access and Appeals

Mental Health Legal Centre 
$200,000 over 1 year

Improving access to the Disability Support Pension for people who are unable to demonstrate evidence that they meet the eligibility and evidence requirements without support. The project will improve access to Centrelink resources for people managing complex health and mental health issues.

Joined-Up Justice for Gippsland

Gippsland Legal Assistance Forum (Victoria Legal Aid)
$60,000 over 1 Year

Improving the reach of the Gippsland Legal Assistance Forum to improve access to timely, appropriate and culturally safe legal assistance for priority clients and communities in the Gippsland region.

Continued employment of Indigenous Women’s Arts Officers in Prisons and Community

The Torch 
$100,000 over 1 Year

Reducing the disproportionately high incarceration and recidivism rates for Indigenous women in Victoria through the continued employment of a Women’s Indigenous Arts Officer working with In Prison and Post Release women across Victoria.