How we support workforce development
The Primary Prevention and Health Promotion that improves the health and wellbeing of women across our region, is broad, diverse and dynamic.
This workforce works in a range of roles, in government, health, community services and for a range of outcomes for women.
To ensure that all women in our region are safe, healthy and thriving, WHISE provides a range of support to our partners to develop our workforce, its capacity and capability around our priority areas. This includes:
- Communities of Practice as part of our Regional Strategy to Prevent Violence Against Women
- Communities of Practice as part of our Regional Strategy to improve women’s sexual and reproductive health – Good Health Down South.
- Annual Forum on Sexual and Reproductive Health for Good Health Down South
- Seminars, training and forums on women’s health and health promotion on areas such as Values Based Messaging, implementation of the Gender Equality Act and, sexual and reproductive health (medical termination of pregnancy).
Resource and Tools
As part of building regional capacity of the prevention and women’s health workforces, WHISE also produces resources and tools to assist the workforce fulfil their roles. These include:
- Gender Equity Victoria – The GE Toolkit
- Gender Lens on Women’s Health and Wellbeing – WHISE EScan
- Prevention of Violence Against Women – PVAW Local Government Snapshots
- Health Promotion Campaigns on prevention of violence against women, sexual and reproductive health and women’s health in the pandemic. The resources include campaign planners and advice
Emergence and Evolution: A conference to encourage workforce reflection on how the pandemic has changed practice
WHISE has established a model for networks and local groups of workers in community and social services (including health and family violence sectors) to reflect on how the pandemic has changed the practice of delivering services to the community.
In partnership with the City of Casey, WHISE piloted the model through an online forum on November 24, 2021.
Partnership for Workforce Development of the Primary Prevention, Family Violence and Gender Equity Workforces
WHISE is proud to partner with Chisholm TAFE on a working group for the Southern Metropolitan Region. This working group comprises membership from a range of organisations including the Southern Melbourne Integrated Family Violence Partnership, the Bayside Peninsula Integrated Family Violence Partnership, Family Safety Victoria and Respect Victoria.
The working group:
- Provides a consultative forum on issues related to workforce development of the Family Violence and Gender Equity workforces in southern metropolitan Melbourne
- Enhances consistent approaches and collaborative opportunities to develop the workforce of the family violence (prevention and response) and gender equity sectors in southern metropolitan Melbourne
- Provides advice to identified partners and stakeholders in the Southern Melbourne Metropolitan region on effective workforce development strategies of the family violence and gender equity workforces
- Maximise opportunities for partnerships, networking and information sharing about workforce development of the family violence and gender equity workforces, and share information, resources and experiences
- Provides members with an opportunity to learn from one another
Our action plan for the 12 months across 2021-2022:
- Support the implementation of Mandatory Minimum Qualifications (Rec 209) for the specialist Family Violence Workforce in the region
- Develop a career and employment pathway for our workforce.