Programs and Services
Our three underpinning principles – Gurrutu, Client-led and Two Worlds – guide us to employ culturally safe approaches to the education, support and safety of women and families experiencing violence.
Our Services
& Programs
We create a safe space for women and children in Galiwin’ku who are experiencing domestic and family violence. We offer access to Gurrutu centred case management, crisis accommodation and outreach support women and their families will be empowered to live the lives free of domestic and family violence.
Our Services aim to combine Yolŋu and Balanda laws and processes to address domestic and family violence through early intervention, crisis support and rehabilitation and healing. It is through these services that intervention of the cycle of violence can be facilitated and supports can be put in place to protect the women and children experiencing violent situations.
Our unique and locally developed service model reflects the work of the Galiwin’ku Women’s Space Inc. members, who have been building the service for years from their own experiences of domestic and family violence as Yolngu Women. The purpose of our service is to add value to the current safety strategies women in Galiwin’ku practice and provide structured support to the GWS members and other strong community leaders who act as supports to their families and advocates for a community free of domestic and family violence.
WOMEN & CHILDREN
Our Services aim to combine Yolŋu and Balanda laws and processes to address domestic and family violence through early intervention, crisis support and rehabilitation and healing. These services can facilitate interventions to the cycle of violence, and assist in finding and maintaining support systems that protect women and children experiencing violent situations.
COMMUNITY
As a major town in East Arnhem land, Galiwin’ku has a large population of transient residents that split their time between the town and very remote outstations/homelands. As such, the reach of these programs, and Galiwin’ku Women’s Space, is extensive. We hope to also learn from and inspire fellow remote Indigenous communities that share similar experiences with family violence.
How We Can Help
Community
Education
GWS will facilitate a range of community education sessions aimed at informing all community members about the underlying drivers of domestic and family violence to inspire community led initiatives for change.
Community
Events
GWS run celebrating each other and our achievements. Since 2017 GWS have hosted annual International Women’s Day ‘Ladies Night Out’ event where all women in Galiwin’ku are invited to a fun night of dressing up and dancing.
Crisis
Accommodation
Available at the newly built Galiwin’ku Women’s Space Building will be access to short term crisis accommodation for women and children.
Case
Management
GWS staff and members are currently developing a unique case management framework that is grounded in Gurrutu and aligned to essential Balanda processes and best practice models of family violence support work.
Community
Laundromat
A community Laundromat will be part of the new building. The service design is still in development, but the goal is to provide access to industrial washing and drying machines for the entire community to benefit from.
Young Women's
Campfire Night Program
The campfire program started as informal meetings amongst teenage girls to talk about their relationships, their worries, really anything on their mind.
Gurrutu
Support Workers
Details on how we incorporate Gurrutu in our services is currently being developed and will be published soon!
Women's Wellbeing
Camps
Annual Women's Wellbeing Camps encourage women to come together to learn, heal and experience connectedness with each other and their country.
About the Centre
Multi-purpose
Crisis Accomodation
The new Galiwin’ku Women’s Space Building will be multi-use; offering access to short term crisis accommodation for women and children, and day use areas for other services, programs, activities, or down time.
Communal Space
The crisis accommodation will have the capacity to house 16 people within 6 rooms.
The service will provide clients with:
· Secure accommodation if required to sleep/ rest
· Access to a secure shared space and facilities (kitchen, lounge and TV, laundry and garden)
· Meals and amenities
A less formal communal space has been designed to accommodate a wide range of activities and trainings, which will be accessible to any woman who wishes to drop in during the day
Laundry Facilities
Office & Private Rooms
The day use portion of the building will house large office spaces including a private room for women to access online services and hold confidential meetings.
A community Laundromat will be part of the new building. The service design is still in development, but the goal is to provide access to industrial washing and drying machines for the entire community to benefit from.