Our Impact

A collective approach

Working together for a safer, fairer Victoria.

Our sector increases the impact and effectiveness of our work by utilising a socio-ecological approach to addressing inequality.

What do we mean by a socio-ecological approach?

Gender inequality is a complex social problem. It disrupts every aspect of Australian society and impacts every community across the country. To create a fairer, safer world requires widespread change – everywhere people live, work, learn and play. We need to shift harmful attitudes and behaviours that allow inequality to thrive. We also need to ensure the policies, laws and systems that shape our lives lead to good health and equality for all Victorians.

This approach is called a ‘socio-ecological model’ because it works across all levels of the social ecology to understand and address issues such as gender inequality.  A socio-ecological model recognises our society is shaped by the complex interplay of:

1.      Our individual attitudes, beliefs and behaviours, and how these influence our relationships with one another

2.      Our organisational and community-level practices and cultures

3.      Institutional and systems-level laws, policies and practices

4.      Dominant societal attitudes and norms.

This approach relies on many different players taking mutually-reinforcing action aimed at different levels of the social ecology. The Women’s Health Service Network adopts this approach across each of our priority areas, working together towards a safer, fairer world for all Victorians.

What does a socio-ecological approach look like?

Here is an example of how we take a socio-ecological approach to preventing gendered violence.

We work across every level of the social ecology, from the grassroots through to state and federal government. Some of our work is delivered as individual women’s health services, some in collaboration with specialist services and partners, and other activities via the statewide Women’s Health Services Network.

Here are some of the activities we are currently delivering:

Individual / Relationship

  • Training and resources so that more people understand what violence against women is and the supports available.

  • Active bystander training so more people feel prepared to challenge sexism in their personal and professional lives.

  • In-language health education so that more people from migrant and refugee backgrounds have the information they need to make informed choices about their health and relationships.

  • Programs for new parents promoting equal and respectful relationships during the transition to parenthood.

  • Projects empowering young people to lead action to prevent violence and promote gender equality in their schools.

  • Local and statewide social marketing campaigns that promote gender equality and the prevention of violence against women.

Organisational / Community

  • Community development projects empowering communities across the state to deliver tailored prevention and gender equality activities. This includes activities increasing women’s mental health, sexual and reproductive health, and reducing the gendered impacts of the pandemic, climate change and disasters such as bushfires and floods.

  • Workplace prevention programs that foster safe, equal and respectful workplaces whose work contributes positively to gender equality. Current sectors include mining, agriculture, hospitality, advertising, aged care, sports, education, health and community services.

  • Supporting public sector entities to meet their obligations under the Gender Equality Act 2020, including universities and state and local government.

  • Capacity-building activities that increase the size and skill of Victoria’s growing prevention workforce so that prevention work is coordinated, intersectional and more likely to succeed.

Institutional / Systems

  • Collecting and disseminating data and evidence on issues and potential solutions to inequities experienced across Victoria.

  • Providing advice, advocacy, research and submissions to shape government laws and policies to address inequity and improve outcomes for all Victorians.

  • Applying an expert intersectional lens to health issues and systems to improve outcomes for women and gender-diverse people.

  • Supporting the state’s new Local Public Health Units to embed gender equality and violence prevention in their plans.

  • Supporting the delivery of the Department of Education’s Respectful Relationship Education in schools across the state.

  • Strengthening sexual and reproductive healthcare provision by increasing health service provision, reach and accessibility, including increasing understanding of reproductive coercion.

  • Strengthening the mental health system by advocating for women’s mental health needs, including safe, appropriate services.

Collectively, these actions help influence societal attitudes and norms about gendered violence and gender equality, moving us closer to a world where violence is never tolerated and all Victorians are safe, equal and respected.

Find out more about the impact of our work in our collective impact evaluation report.