WRISC strongly believes in the importance of understanding and respecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, and our shared history as Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians since Europeans arrived in Australia.
Dhurrung Wunggurrwil (phonetic pronunciation: Doo-roong Woon-goor-wool) means Heart Strong: This represents the heart that gives us life, pumping the blood through our bodies just like our Mother earth that nurtures, cares and provides for us. The living waters once used as walking tracks connecting country are representative of the blood that runs through our bodies. We are all connected to each other in some way. The strength is given from the river red gums we call biyal. Dhurrung Wunggurrwil is the strong heart our birth mother gives us.
Although the services provided in the Dhurrung Wunggurrwil Family Violence Program are similar to the Family Violence Outreach Program, they are delivered with cultural understanding and a holistic focus and in partnership with the Aboriginal community and Aboriginal run services. WRISC employs Aboriginal women to work in the program as a support to clients who identify themselves, or a family member, as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander.
The Dhurrung Wunggurrwil Family Violence Program at WRISC has at its heart a holistic approach which works with the whole family. The program is client centred, as well as home and community based. Building trust is an integral part of WRISC’s approach, and can often mean that a much slower pace is required to allow this trust to build. As well as working with women and their children who are victims of family and domestic violence, the WRISC Dhurrung Wunggurrwil Program works with young people using family violence.
WRISC engages with the Indigenous community by:
- Case management
- Court support
- Advocacy with services
- Attending and providing support at the Indigenous Family Camp
- Involvement in the Grampians Indigenous Family Violence Action Group
- Indigenous Girls Groups, high school age and primary school age
- Indigenous Boys Group, mixed age
Our Dhurrung Wunggurrwil Family Violence Program team at WRISC walk beside women and children as they access the help they need to be free from family violence.
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