Family Life has a strong history of thought leadership and innovation. We have designed cutting edge programs, influenced by our extensive research and clinical trauma work and seek out opportunities to collaborate with those outside our organisation to grow our impact. Below are some of our innovative partnerships to achieve these outcomes:
Leadership for Social Change
Together We Can is a collaboration between Family Life, Cardinia Shire Council, The University of Melbourne and Victoria Police under the guidance of the Tamarack Institute, Canada. Through a Collective Impact approach, Together We Can has brought together all sectors of the Cardinia community in response to alarming rates of family violence in the Shire. This large scale social change response is making promising inroads to combat this complex social problem.
Trauma Transformation
Under the guidance of The ChildTrauma Academy, USA, Family Life has applied a trauma-informed lens across all our work.
We have established a framework for supporting clients towards trauma repair, called Hopscotch. Family Life has also developed Strength 2 Strength, a state government funded integrated family violence response for women and children, in partnership with Good Shepherd, South Eastern CASA, Peninsula Health and the Salvation Army. And in partnership with TaskForce, we have developed Reboot, a trauma-informed response to increasing incidents of adolescent family violence in the home.
Specialist Infant Services
In 2003 the Cybec Foundation funded a pilot program which provided intensive holistic support to families with infants at risk.
Since then, Cabrini Health and the Barr Family Foundation have made significant contributions along with Cybec’s continued support, ensuring the development and continuity of the program, which is now known as Community Bubs.
Research proving its efficacy has led to an expansion of services on the Mornington Peninsula and to long term state government funding for vulnerable infants and children through our Cradle to Kinder program, in partnership with VACCA.
Family Violence Services
Family Life and the Salvation Army Family Violence Services have joined forces to develop and implement a rapid and significant response to police intervention in cases of family violence. This innovative triaging of risk and management addresses many of the concerns highlighted in the Royal Commission into Family Violence and the Coroner’s Report.
Family Life has also taken a leading role in the establishment and functioning of the Frankston Orange Door service, which is a new multi-service integrated response to family violence for women, children and young people.
Partnering with Swinburne to Grow Our Impact
Evaluating Our Impact
Family Life has been selected to collaborate with researchers from Swinburne’s Centre for Social Impact to pilot a tool for evaluating and sharing the social and economic effects of social enterprises and enterprising community initiatives in Australia. The Social Enterprise Impact Lab three year project will involve evaluation design and implementation to more effectively measure the social and economic impacts of Family Life’s social enterprises.
Technology Enabled Services for Vulnerable Young Parents
Family Life is participating in a 12 month research project with Swinburne University of Technology and Life Without Barriers to explore how the application of technology can better support vulnerable teen parents and infants.
The project will draw on Family Life’s extensive work in this area, and with the expertise and ICT capabilities of the Swinburne Social Innovation Research Institute, will explore assistive technology for transformational change for this vulnerable group.
Partnering for Change Through Our Graduate Programs
Swinburne’s Centre for Social Impact is partnering with Family Life to develop and deliver its new Social Venture Development Unit as part of the Masters of Social Impact. As part of this process Family Life provides working case studies for students to develop venture-based responses. Their first proposed venture was in response to the growing issue of housing and financial vulnerability amongst older women in our community. This innovative approach to learning brings social impact practice into the classroom and will enrich our thinking when designing new responses to social problems.
Community Enabled Innovation – Here4U
Here4U is an innovative Family Life initiative which piloted a family violence community support and advocacy program. Comprehensive training programs equipped volunteers to respond to gender inequality and promote community inclusion. Here4U is a result of the collaboration and support of a number of local community groups working together for community led change, including the Rotary Club of Beaumaris.
Innovation Within Schools
Family Life has a long history of working alongside schools to deliver innovations for better health and wellbeing outcomes for students, their families and the wider community.
Map Your World
Family Life is the Australian partner for internationally developed Map Your World, a digital and experiential learning curriculum that supports young people to make real change in their local communities. Map Your World students are supported by Family Life and school staff to become ‘change agents’ as they identify issues of concern and develop local projects in response.
Wellbeing in School Communities
Through Family Life’s Creating Capable Communities and SHINE programs, Family Life’s practitioners work closely with Tootgarook Primary and Doveton College to implement evidence informed strategies and interventions to engage the most vulnerable students, while building the resilience of their families and their communities.
