The City of Melbourne is committed to ensuring community facilities and services are safe, welcoming and inclusive for all.
What makes a safe, welcoming and inclusive facility, particularly for those at risk of family violence?
The building:
- is near transport and well-lit at night
- is easy to find, get to and get into
- has clear signage – you know what happens there and you can see people coming in and out
- has baby change and breastfeeding facilities, an area to heat up a baby’s bottle and comfy chairs.
The people who work there:
- greet you, listen to you and offer to help you
- have completed training in family violence awareness and response, mental health first aid and how to respond to critical incidents
- celebrate and respect diversity and equality
- know the organisational policies on diversity, gender equality and expected staff behaviour.
The facility offers information on:
- services and programs for women and children
- available support services, displayed in both public areas (such as reception) and more private areas (such as public toilets)
- how the facility celebrates its diverse community (for example, posters that represent diverse people and multicultural activities)
- what is happening in the local community, such as volunteering opportunities and activities at other services or facilities.
Assessment tool
Use this tool to assess ways you may be able to improve your facility or service, and create an action plan.
You can download the tool as a document that you can fill in, or access the checklist items below.