Emergency Support for Women Escaping Family Violence Wellsprings for Women provides trauma-informed support to vulnerable migrant and refugee women experiencing or at risk of family violence. When women come to us in crisis, they often have nothing – no access to money, no safe place to go, and no essential supplies for themselves or their ...
Wellsprings for Women
Pathways to Safety and Strength
GOAL
$10,000
Australia > VIC > Metro
Field of Interest
- Individual/family services and support
- Social inclusion and justice
Target Population
- Women and girls
- Asylum seekers, refugees, migrants and people from CALD backgrounds
Wellsprings for Women
Wellsprings for Women is a women-only, grassroots organisation based in Dandenong, Victoria. Established in 1994 by the Presentation Sisters, our vision is: All women shaping their own lives. Our mission is to support women from migrant, refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds through inclusive, trauma-informed programs that build skills, confidence, and social connection.
We address the systemic barriers facing newly arrived and marginalised women – including language, digital exclusion, isolation, housing insecurity, and family violence. Each week, over 750 women and 400 children from 39 countries access our services in the Cities of Greater Dandenong and Casey. These include English language, digital and financial literacy, employability, wellbeing, family violence casework, and parenting support. We also offer study support for children, playgroups, and outreach across Greater Dandenong, Casey and Cardinia.
Wellsprings is uniquely placed to deliver this work. We have deep trust in the communities we serve and 30 years’ experience delivering place-based, culturally tailored programs in over 30 languages. We are a Neighbourhood House and Learn Local provider, with strong local partnerships and a proven track record in building social cohesion, community leadership, and recovery pathways for women and their families.
Our current priorities include:
– Sustaining our housing and family violence support program
– Expanding into Casey to meet growing demand
– Investing in income-generating skills for women through tailored programs like sewing, hospitality, and volunteering
Funding will help us continue providing safe, empowering, life-changing support for women and children in some of Victoria’s most disadvantaged communities.
Project Summary
Emergency Support for Women Escaping Family Violence
Wellsprings for Women provides trauma-informed support to vulnerable migrant and refugee women experiencing or at risk of family violence. When women come to us in crisis, they often have nothing – no access to money, no safe place to go, and no essential supplies for themselves or their children.
This funding will provide vital emergency assistance to help women in immediate need. It will enable us to cover the cost of temporary hotel accommodation, food, clothing, and hygiene products, as well as fund urgent safety measures such as changing locks, replacing keys, and installing security cameras at their homes. Transport is another critical barrier — many women need assistance getting to safe housing, appointments, or court hearings.
These simple, practical supports can be the difference between a woman remaining in danger or taking her first steps toward safety. They are especially important for women on temporary visas or those with limited English, who may not be eligible for government support or confident navigating services alone.
While Wellsprings offers wrap-around casework and referrals, there is often a gap in what we can provide at the moment a woman reaches out. This funding will allow us to respond rapidly, respectfully, and safely.
With demand for our family violence program increasing, particularly in Greater Dandenong and Casey, this support would ensure we can meet the urgent needs of more women and children – giving them a safer start as they begin to rebuild their lives.
Project Outcomes
The goal of this funding is to meet the immediate and practical needs of women and children escaping family violence — helping them stabilise in the critical hours and days after leaving an unsafe environment.
Expected outcomes include:
- Emergency accommodation provided for women and children with no other safe housing options
- Basic needs met through provision of food, clothing, toiletries, and children’s essentials
- Transport assistance to help women attend urgent appointments (e.g. housing, courts, police, legal aid)
- Home safety improvements, such as changed locks, new keys, or the installation of low-cost security cameras
- Rapid response capability for frontline staff, ensuring women are not turned away or left unsupported in crisis.
- Improved wellbeing for women and children who would otherwise remain in unsafe, unstable, or traumatic situations.
Wellsprings will track support through case notes, expense records, and de-identified service data. Importantly, we will also collect feedback from clients where appropriate, to ensure the assistance provided was useful, timely, and culturally safe.
Success is measured not by how many services we offer, but by whether we meet women where they are – with dignity, speed, and compassion. This funding helps us do exactly that.
Budget Breakdown
TOTAL BUDGET: $30,000
FUNDING
| Funding source | Amount |
|---|---|
| Collier Charitable Foundation | $20,000 |
| Funding Gap | $10,000 |
EXPENSES
| Expense item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Emergency Relief - Food and Essentials | $15,000 |
| Security - Change Locks/Camera's installed | $5,000 |
| Transport - Uber/Taxis to appointments | $3,000 |
| Emergency Accommodation | $5,000 |
| Coordination and Delivery | $2,000 |
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