A Team of Professionals
Warrina has a team about approximately 30 employees from all walks of life, backgrounds and professional qualifications. Our team prides themselves of their committment to a strong feminist philosophy and work each and every day to eliminate violence in our community,
Vision
and Mission
Our mission is to empower and support women and children to live free of violence and abuse. We support women and children to understand and recover from the effects of violence and abuse.
We work with our communities to promote respectful relationships and to recognise and reject all forms of violence.
Board of Management
Cooperative
Warrina Domestic and Family Violence Specialist Services Co-operative Ltd (NSWC00820) is registered with the NSW Fair Trading: Registrar of Co-operatives.
Community members who are able to contribute to the services of the Co-operative can request and application for membership by contacting the Secretary.
Our Board of Directors consists of seven members, each elected from our Co-operative Members for a three-year term at our Annual General Meeting. Co-operative Members are notified of any vacant Board positions prior to the AGM.
Executive positions on the Board include Chairperson and Treasurer. Our Chief Executive Officer and Secretary are non-director employees.
Annual Report
Timeline
Warrina Refuge Centre opened its doors on 14th June, 1978
On 21st June, 1982, the organisation registered as a co-operative under the name Warrina Women’s Refuge Co-operative Society Ltd.
The Refuge moved into a new property, purchased and renovated by the then, Department of Housing.
On 21st March,1989, the organisation’s name was changed to Warrina Women’s & Children’s Refuge Co-operative Society Ltd
In partnership with the then, Department of Housing, Warrina secured its first ‘Halfway House’
On International Women’s Day, the organisation opened the Women’s Resource and Information Centre in the Mud-bricks’, In March, the Women’s Domestic Violence Court Support service commenced operations
The Women’s Resource and Information Centre moved to our current location.
The court support program underwent a review and expansion, becoming the North Coast Women’s Domestic Violence Court Advocacy Service (WDVCAS)
Warrina began the process to become a registered Community Housing Provider and in December 2010, received registration by the NSW Registrar of Community Housing.
Warrina was successful in the tender for the Coffs Harbour, Bellingen, and Nambucca Homelessness Support Service for Women.
Housing NSW purchased seven properties under the Transitional Housing Plus program. These properties were managed by Warrina in partnership with Address Housing, to provide medium-term accommodation for women with children who are entering the workforce and the private rental market.
In April, the co-operative’s name was changed again to Warrina Domestic and Family Violence Specialist Services Co-operative Ltd to reflect the full range of services provided by the organisation. Warrina formed a consortium Kempsey Family Support Services (lead agency) and Port Macquarie Hastings Domestic and Family Violence Specialist Service to provide the Engage 2 Change men’s behaviour change pilot project.
Family and Community Services funded a two-year Domestic and Family Violence Response Enhancement package, providing additional after-hours support for women and their children escaping domestic and family violence. Family and Community Services funded the Staying Home Leaving Violence (SHLV) service. This service provides support to women ending a violent relationship, allowing them to remain safely in their own home. Also in 2016 the next stage of the Safer Pathways reform sees the introduction of the Local Co-ordination Point and Safety Action Meetings, which aim to improve safety outcomes for women at significant threat from domestic violence.
Early in the year the Fixed Address program a service offered by Warrina. Fixed Address is a targeted individual case management program for men who have used domestic or family violence in their present or past relationships. Later in 2019 the Breaking Free program began and its aim is to support women who have experienced, or continue to experience, domestic violence and are also impacted by gambling.
The beginning of lock-downs and restrictions bought about by the world pandemic COVID, brought huge change for all of Warrina's programs and increased levels of Domestic violence all over the country. Our teams continued to serve the community and work successfully with increasing numbers of clients.
Warrina continues to expand with the introduction of Safer Futures a Men's behaviour change project, it will incorporate Fixed Address that continues to offer support to men who have used domestic violence.