Community-led DFV Action Plans in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities
Responsible government
- Queensland
Fourth Action Plan actions
- Support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and their children
- 6 Value and engage the expertise of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and men, communities and organisations to lead in the creation and implementation of community-led solutions to build and manage change.
What are we doing?
The Queensland Government had planned to support six Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities (urban, regional and remote/discrete) to develop community-led domestic and family violence action plans from 2019-20 to 2020-21.
Queensland is committed to supporting development of the community-led action plans and trial Specialist DFV Workers in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Family Wellbeing Services (refer to separate initiative).
There are many factors which contribute to domestic and family violence in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. We know that self-determination, community leadership and community driven action are central to success and sustainability for DFV-related initiatives.
This was an action under Queensland’s Framework for Action – Reshaping our Approach to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Domestic and Family Violence, released in May 2019 (See separate initiative). The framework provides a clear statement of our commitment to a new way of working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to address domestic and family violence, towards the vision of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families and communities living free from violence and enabled and supported to undertake healing.
The framework sets out strategies and actions to achieve the vision, including new actions to be delivered in 2019-21. It acknowledges the strengths within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to address domestic and family violence, and supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to determine what, when and how services and responses are needed in their communities.
What have we achieved so far?
Work is progressing to engage with communities to develop their action plans following delays as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result of these delays and associated impact on project resources, two action plans are being developed in 2021-22 with Hopevale Aboriginal Shire Council and Torres Strait Island Regional Council announced as the successful applicants in the Local Thriving Communities grants towards locally led strategies for preventing domestic and family violence.
An Expression of Interest process for the DFV Social Reinvestment Project has been completed, and the Department of Seniors, Disability Services and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships has sought drawdown of social reinvestment funding held in contingency with Queensland Treasury to support delivery of the project.
What is next?
The community-led DFV action plans will include:
- supporting communities to identify the services and programs that are working and should be enhanced or scaled up;
- working with communities to redesign services that aren’t working, so that they can better meet local needs and priorities;
- taking account of the needs of women with disability.
What difference will we make?
Anticipated outcomes of the community-led action plans include:
- genuine partnerships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities to prevent and reduce domestic and family violence; and
- localised and culturally appropriate programs and service responses for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities.