Wellsprings for Women
Gabrielle WILLIAMS (Dandenong – Minister for Mental Health, Minister for Ambulance Services, Minister for Treaty and First Peoples) (10:26): I rise today to celebrate the news that Wellsprings for Women, a support service for migrant women in my community, has received a funding boost of some $780,000 to continue to provide its critical services. Wellsprings for Women has been providing essential support services for women for nearly 30 years right across Greater Dandenong and Casey predominantly. They offer a range of educational programs, including English literacy, computer literacy and vocational pathways of many different kinds, as well as things like homework clubs for the kids while their mums avail themselves of the many services at Wellsprings, which is a wonderful initiative. Wellsprings provides case management services as well for women experiencing family violence as well as co-occurring issues of poverty, homelessness and mental health concerns.
We know of course that women from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds often face some additional challenges in accessing mainstream support services, and that is why this funding for Wellsprings is so vital. It will ensure that support remains accessible and available to some of our community’s most vulnerable and isolated women at all stages of their lives. The funding is part of $117 million to support victim-survivors of family violence announced in the last budget, and so far Victoria has invested more than $3.7 billion to end family violence since the Royal Commission into Family Violence handed down its report, an achievement we are very proud of here.