Ovens Murray Goulburn Integrated Family Violence Committee
STRUCTURE
Hume Region Integrated Family Violence
In December 2012, following a change in State Government, the Department of Human Services
which had incorporated Health, segregated and became two separate Departments. The
Departments became area based, thus challenging the current structure of the Hume Region. The
Department of Human Services divided its organisation into two areas of the upper Eastern Division,
Ovens Murray and Goulburn. Each with their own Director, and with newly created teams.
The Hume Region Integrated Family Violence Manger’s Steering Committee (HRIFVMSC), consisted
of 18 organisations across the 12 Local Government Areas (as shown above). The 2013-2015
strategic plan was developed in late 2012 and commenced in early 2013. The vision of this plan was
“Women and children live free from violence in Ovens Murray and Goulburn areas.” Guiding
principles supported the vision, aim and priority areas. The priorities for this time were: Strategic
Partnerships; Capacity Building and Advocacy for Change. During 2013, the committee continued to
meet in this format and worked towards the goals of the strategic plan as such. In January 2014, the
changes explained below commenced, however the plan remained the same. (Outlines below in
section: Changes to the structure).
The positive nature of these changes are that each area is able to focus in more detail on the issues
that affect their communities. Both areas are content to continue the delivery of most training
sessions across the region to ensure consistent practice and messages.
Ovens Murray Goulburn Integrated Family Violence
Ovens Murray Integrated Family Violence Executive Committee
The purpose of this committee is to oversee the strategic committees and represent the family
violence sector within the Ovens Murray and Goulburn Areas at a State-wide level to ensure that the
Regional Integration Coordinator’s work plan is in line with strategic planning to achieve the
priorities and objectives in each area. The Executive ensure that State wide direction, legislative
changes and guidelines are feed-down and implemented. Memberships of this committee includes:
Department of Health & Human Services – Agency Connections Managers – Ovens Murray and
Goulburn, Chairperson of Ovens Murray Strategic Committee, Chairperson of Goulburn Strategic
Committee Auspice of Regional Integration Coordination position; and the Regional Integration
Coordinator (RIC). Agency Connections Managers chair the meetings and are responsible for
providing the coordination of, communications, agenda and minutes for each meeting; facilitate
local system integration; support strategic planning. The strategic committee Chairpersons are
responsible for ensuring information between the executive and strategic committees and play a
role in directing the RIC position work plan. The auspice agency are responsible for the funding
providing to support the RIC and committee and provide support and supervision to the RIC. The
RIC attends and shares information flow is occurring between all local committees and state wide
and discusses their work plan.
Strategic Committees
Develop a strategic plan and ensure that the operational groups have the means by which to
implement this plan. Ensure that funding is appropriately spent; monitor and support
implementation of strategic priorities. Conduit of information between the operational groups and
the executive committee. Look at Government policy and establish meaning. Roles in the committee
are as follows:
Chairperson – provide leadership; facilitate strategic planning; ensure accountabilities - governance
and committee operations; provide and ensure communication and representation; and attendance.
Vice Chairperson (Chairperson of Operational Group) – Chair meetings in the absence of
chairperson; and ensure information flow to and from operational groups
DHHS – advisory role; ensuring committee are meeting DHHS requirements; facilitating local system
integration; supporting strategic planning; and communication
RIC – facilitate the development of relationships that support key agreements and protocols
between regional FV services and other key sectors/services; and forge and maintain effective
formal links with other regional service system coordinators, forums and networks
Core Members – provide leadership within their organisation; contribute knowledge and expertise;
provide relevant organisational data in support of the committee’s goals; inform approaches to
improving service system response; advise on practice and operational issues impacting on services;
identify opportunities for addressing emerging issues and trends; and implement relevant actions in
the strategic plan.
Operational Groups
Identify the means with which to meet to strategic goals developed by the strategic committee and
implement these goals via an action plan. Engage all relevant stakeholders for each goal and task set,
resolve emerging issues and escalate decision-making to Strategic Committee as required. Identify
local issues and forward to the strategic committee. Roles in the committee are as follows:
Chairperson – Leadership; facilitate the implementation of the strategic plan; ensure operations
group accountability; communication and representation at this group and the strategic committee;
and attendance
DHHS – advisory role; facilitating local system integration; and supporting implementation of the
strategic plan
RIC – facilitate the development of relationships that support key agreements and protocols
between regional family violence services and other key sectors and services; and forge and
maintain effective formal links with other regional service system coordinators, forums and
networks
Core Members – provide a level of leadership within their organisation; contribute knowledge and
expertise; provide relevant organisational data in support of the committee’s strategic planning
process; advise on practice and operational issues impacting on services; and implement relevant
actions in the strategic plan.
Organisations represented in the above committees are as follows:
Specialist women’s family violence services
Specialist men’s family violence services
Specialist women and children’s family violence services
Sexual assault services
Child protection
Child and family services (including Child FIRST alliance)
Housing and homelessness agencies
Indigenous women’s family violence specialist services
Indigenous justice services
Indigenous family violence committee
Justice, Legal, Magistrates and Police
Specialist women’s services
Specialist youth services
Victim’s assistance service
Government (DHHS)
Community Health
Functioning of the Committees
The committees meet on different timeframes to compliment the work each does. The executive
meet quarterly to discuss governance, budget, roles (including RIC) and new and emerging themes
and direction. The strategic committees meet quarterly and the Operational groups on a bi-monthly
basis. Most meetings are attended by the quorum required for decision making and where this
hasn’t been possible, other avenues of decision making have been utilised (email voting).
During the 2012-2015 reporting period, Shelley Watson has maintained her position of chairperson,
from the Manager’s Steering Committee to the Goulburn Strategic Committee. Kerry Burns has
taken on the role of chairperson for Ovens Murray in January 2014. Voting for these positions was
done in a confidential manner in late 2013. The chairperson positions are current to January 2016, at
which time a voting process will occur for chair and vice chair of each committee/group, unless
otherwise agreed.
The executive committee are governed by a Terms of Reference; and the strategic and operational
are governed by their own area Terms of Reference and Memorandum of Understanding.
Sub-committee working groups are developed as required to further develop concepts outside of
the committee meetings. Examples of this include the conference sub-committee, integrated Court
response group, the children’s forum working
EXECUTIVE FAMILY VIOLENCE COMMITTEE
DHS (Local Connections Manager)
FV Chairpersons
RIC
RIC Auspice agency
GOULBURN
OVENS MURRAY
STRATEGIC FV COMMITTEE
STRATEGIC FV COMMITTEE
Chairperson
Vice Chairperson
DHS (Agency Connections/Child Protection)
FV & CASA Funded Agencies (CEO or Manager)
C&FS Alliance (Chair or Manager)
Housing (CEO or Manager)
Victoria Police (FVA)
IFVRAG (Vice Chairperson or ARC)
Aboriginal Service (CEO or Manager)
DoJ (Magistrates Court Registrar and DoJ Manager)
Services with a specific FV focus (e.g. WHGNE)
Regional Integration Coordinator
GOULBURN
OPERATIONS FV GROUP
OVENS MURRAY
OPERATIONS FV GROUP
Chairperson
DHS (LEO & CP)
FV & CASA Funded Agencies (TM or TL)
C&FS Alliance (Manager or coordinator)
Housing (Manager or TL)
Victoria Police (FVA or FVU or FVLO)
IFVRAG – (Vice Chair or ARC)
Aboriginal Service (Manager or TL)
DoJ (Manager or TL)
Regional Integration Coordinator
Children’s Resource Coordinator
Homelessness Networker