Who we are
FVREE is the lead specialist family violence service in Melbourne’s Eastern Metropolitan Region. We work across the continuum of family violence including primary prevention, early intervention, response and recovery.
FVREE is a not-for-profit organisation, primarily funded by the State Government of Victoria. FVREE also receives grants and donations from other sources.
The area we service
FVREE is the lead specialist family violence service in the eastern metropolitan region of Melbourne and our response support services, education, training and primary prevention programs are available to more than 1.1 million people across the municipalities of:
- Boroondara
- Manningham
- Whitehorse
- Knox
- Monash
- Maroondah
- Yarra Ranges
Our History
FVREE, formerly EDVOS, has been serving the community and supporting women and children responding to family violence for over 28 years.
EDVOS was established in 1994, as an amalgamation of family violence services provided by Outer East Domestic Violence Service and Inner East Women’s Service, operating from a small residential home in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne.
EDVOS programs and services have expanded over the years to better support women, children, pets and animals responding to family violence in the eastern metropolitan region of Melbourne. We work along the family violence continuum and include primary prevention, early-intervention, response and recovery, which is underpinned by the current reforms led by Family Safety Victoria on behalf of the Victorian Government.
We continue our productive partnership and strong relationship with Victoria Police.
We’re proud of our organisation’s legacy and continue to maintain a strong focus on the safety of women and children and the accountability of perpetrators of family violence.
Our Vision
For our community to be free from family violence, where everyone is safe.
Our Values and Guiding Principles
The following guiding principles underpin the way we work as an organisation and with others to realise our vision.
- Intersectional Feminism – We understand that family violence and the abuse of power is multidimensional and that the impact of family violence is compounded by intersecting forms of oppression and inequality (e.g. gender, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation etc), creating overlapping forms of discrimination. This results in higher rates or more severe forms of violence, as well as greater barriers to accessing support and safety for some communities more so than others. We recognise the gendered nature of the drivers of family violence and how women and children are disproportionately affected by it, which is why we prioritise them in the work that we do.
- Courage and Leadership – We are courageous in our pursuit of preventing family violence, leading and influencing change within the family violence and mainstream sectors and broader community that is focused on delivering positive outcomes for victim survivors. We do not shy away from challenging the status quo and doing things differently.
- Person-Driven – We place victim survivors at the centre of all decisions. We listen and respond to their input and feedback on the planning, design, delivery and evaluation of our services and programs to ensure they remain client-centred.
- Evidence informed and continuous learning – Our work and approach is informed by evidence (noting that this evidence can come in the form of formal research or practice wisdom). We actively seek opportunities to continuously improve and innovate, including by piloting (and measuring the impact of) innovative models of service and program delivery.
- Transparency and Accountability – We are transparent in our conduct and hold ourselves to account for delivering high quality services and programs. We seek to;
- challenge perpetrators to take responsibility for their actions and to change their behaviour and;
- engage organisations and communities to ensure that everyone is playing a role in preventing and responding to family violence (including addressing the drivers of family violence) and supporting the ongoing recovery of victim survivors.
- Respect and Collaboration – We value and respect the expertise of victim survivors and our stakeholders, working with others to maximise the impact of our collective work through genuine and meaningful collaboration. We endeavour to strengthen our collaboration and integration with both existing and new partners.
Our Theory of Change
Picture a community that is free from family violence and where everyone is safe. FVREE believes this is achievable and that our work will contribute to this change. This is the reason that we exist, and our Theory of Change has been developed to guide our work over the next 7 to 10 years and to track our progress towards the change we wish to see. The Theory of Change identifies and links who we will work with and the pathways we will follow to achieve our long-term desired outcomes and vision.
Strategic Plan 2021 – 2024
As a leading specialist family violence organisation, our three year strategic ambition is to drive bold and innovative change to break the cycle of family violence and ensure that victim survivors are safe and able to thrive. We do this by working in partnership with victim survivors, the community and broader service system. The following 4 Strategic Priorities are a focus over the next three years:
- Experience and Outcomes – To enhance and expand the outcomes achieved for victim survivors and the broader community (through delivering services and programs across the continuum of family violence prevention, early intervention, response and recovery) across the Eastern region of Melbourne and beyond.
- Integration and Collaboration – To collaborate with other organisations and service providers in a meaningful and sustainable way.
- Inclusion and Intersectionality – To be an inclusive organisation that actively considers and applies an intersectional framework in the work that we do.
- Influence and Advocacy – To strengthen our influence, share our knowledge and learn from others to drive positive change in the broader community and across the sectors that we operate in.
FVREE acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of this land and recognise their continuing connection to land, water and community. FVREE pays respect to Elders past, present and emerging.
FVREE acknowledges people from the lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex (LGBTI) communities, their children, pets and other animals, who are responding to family violence in the community.
FVREE respects all people who are responding to family violence, regardless of ethnicity, race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, age and ability.
FVREE is a child-focused and child safe organisation.