Image: South32 Vice President Operations Peter Baker, Illawarra Women’s Health Centre Chairwoman Judy Daunt and Illawarra Women’s Health Centre General Manager Sally Stevenson AM.
Illawarra Women’s Trauma Recovery Centre boost from South32 Illawarra Metallurgical Coal.
Weeks after the federal government announced the proposed centre would receive $25 million over five years, another supporter has come to the table.
South32 Illawarra Metallurgical Coal (IMC) and the Illawarra Women’s Health Centre today announced South32 IMC as the Illawarra Women’s Trauma Recovery Centre’s foundational corporate partner.
South32 has donated $250,000 to the Illawarra Women’s Health Centre to support the establishment of Australia’s first women’s trauma recovery centre.
The funds will enable the centre to employ its first staff and continue the work needed to kick off its services.
The Illawarra Women’s Trauma Recovery Centre, being established by the Illawarra Women’s Health Centre, is a community-led project, co-designed with women with lived experience of domestic, family and sexual violence, professional experts, and service providers.
The centre will offer direct face-to-face critical multisectoral support services in one safe place, using a case management approach for women who have experienced trauma through domestic, family and sexual violence.
It is the only community-based model of care for women recovering from domestic, family, and sexual violence that has been endorsed by the Royal Australian and NZ College of Psychiatrists.
The innovative combination of wrap-around services provided by the Illawarra Women’s Trauma Recovery Centre will ensure continuity of care and will also include early-stage crisis support designed to prevent further trauma.
South32 IMC Vice President Operations Peter Baker said he was proud to announce the partnership.
“The Illawarra Women’s Trauma Recovery Centre will carry out important work in our community, supporting women and girls as they recover from domestic violence, which sadly remains far too common in our communities,” he said.
Illawarra Women’s Health Centre General Manager Sally Stevenson AM said the extra funds showed the strong community support for the project.
“South32’s foundation partnership significantly increases our region’s investment in trauma recovery services for survivors of domestic, family, and sexual violence,” she said. “We thank South32 for recognising the crucial role the Women’s Trauma Recovery Centre will play in supporting women to heal from the trauma that is caused by men’s violence and look forward to working with South32 as a foundational corporate partner of this innovative new model of care.”