Below are the three shortlisted projects for members of the Ballarat Women's Fund to vote for. Voting will take place on 6th March at the Pick our Project event with the winner to receive the $30,000 grant for their project.
Ballarat Perinatal Educational Pilot Program
Starting or adding to a family is a major life transition that can be stressful and overwhelming. Often new mums can become isolated, left to fend for herself and felling like they have ‘lost their village’. These issues can be magnified in rural communities.
The Ballarat Perinatal Educational Pilot Program (BPEPP) will be run by the St John of Gods Hospital. The program is a 12-month pilot and aims to support new and expecting mothers, particularly in the disadvantaged areas of Ballarat, by giving access to perinatal care.
Approach and Activities
The BPEPP will be a new, free program which will provide six 2-3 hour sessions for new mothers to come together and connect and discuss experiences and concerns in a safe place.
Key elements include:
Educational sessions - to provide information on health topics such as women’s and baby’s health, lactation, nutrition, and early parenting,
There will be four rounds of session per year. Evaluation after each session will guide future adjustments.
Expected Outcomes
Evaluation and Sustainability
Participants will be surveyed after each session, at the end of the program, and again three months after completion. The results will be analysed to measure the program’s effectiveness and guide future improvements. If the program proves effective, the service will seek alternative funding options to sustain and expand it, potentially integrating it into regular operations.
Effectiveness in Addressing Women’s Health
The BPEPP is designed to address significant disparities in access to maternal services, particularly in rural and disadvantaged areas of Ballarat. By offering comprehensive support and fostering community connections, the program expects to significantly improve the well-being of participants in perinatal care.
Changing the Game
The Changing the Game program, led by the Western Bulldogs Community Foundation (WBCF), aims to reduce violence against women in Ballarat by addressing the root causes—gender inequality and rigid masculinity norms. With Ballarat experiencing violence rates 51% higher than the Victorian average, local football clubs are well positioned as key influencers in driving cultural change.
Approach and Activities
A major barrier to progress is fear. Men hesitate to speak up about gender-based violence or intervene due to various fears: saying the wrong thing, being misunderstood, interfering in personal matters, or facing social repercussions such as ostracisation, judgment, or even being targeted by the community. By equipping the football and then the broader community with the knowledge, tools, and confidence to take charge of their own safety and that of others, a cultural shift can begin. This involves fostering an environment where safety is prioritised, and fear is replaced with collective action and accountability.
Changing the Game employs a multi-step, interactive approach designed to create long-term cultural change. The program will engage young men, coaches, and volunteers in workshops designed to:
Deconstruct gender stereotypes and promote respectful communication.
Teach bystander intervention strategies to encourage individuals to challenge harmful behaviours.
Embed gender equity in club policies and practices through tailored action plans.
Key program components include:
These sessions, developed with GenWest, align with best practices in gender equity and violence prevention.
Expected Outcomes
Evaluation & Sustainability
Pre- and post-workshop surveys will measure changes in attitudes and knowledge.
Tracking of Gender Equity Action Plans will assess implementation success.
Stakeholder feedback and case studies will demonstrate cultural shifts.
Fee-for-service and post-program consultation will ensure long-term sustainability.
Effectiveness in Reducing Violence Against Women
By leveraging the influence of sports clubs, the program fosters a proactive, community-driven approach to violence prevention. It directly challenges harmful gender norms and equips individuals, primarily men, with practical intervention skills, making it a strategic and impactful initiative for addressing violence against women in Ballarat.
Project Sitara
Around one-third of women from culturally diverse communities in Australia experience violence from partners. These women are less likely to disclose abuse and more likely to remain in abusive relationships than other women. In late 2024, Victoria Police contacted BRMC noting family violence as a growing concern within this community in Ballarat. This led to the establishment of the Family Violence Multicultural and Therapeutic Support Services (FV-MaTSS) program. As an extension to this program, BRMC is looking to introduce the Sitara model which seeks to reduce barriers to seeking help and build trust through culturally tailored prevention and support.
Approach and Activities
Project Sitara is a pilot that leverages the contacts and framework of the FV-MaTSS program to build the capacity of informal networks in the community so that Indian woman have a trusted point of contact within the community with the skills and capacity to provide effective referral support.
Key elements include:
Expected Outcomes
Evaluation and Sustainability
The project will be monitored using both quantitative and qualitative measures, including training participation rates and community feedback. It will ensure that leadership roles are sustained, with future expansion informed by lessons learned. Additionally, partnerships with local services and integration of this model into BRMC’s broader family violence programs will provide long-term impact.
Effectiveness in Reducing Violence Against Women
This initiative provides a scalable, culturally specific model for preventing and responding to family violence, enhancing community capacity, and improving access to support services for the Indian community in Ballarat. Its focus on leadership development, culturally appropriate resources, and community engagement ensures that the benefits will extend beyond the pilot phase, promoting sustained change.