ABOUT
Molonglo Support Services
Molonglo Support Services assists people experiencing homelessness or domestic and family abuse
Everyone living in a secure and safe environment
To support people experiencing difficulties due to homelessness and domestic and family violence by providing responsive interventions and crisis support
RESPECT
We act with kindness and respect, providing a friendly, safe and confidential environment
EMPOWERMENT
We treat people equally, with dignity and compassion, understanding an individual’s right to make their own life choices
EXCELLENCE
We are dedicated to providing an accountable, reliable and high-quality service.
COLLABORATION
We partner with our clients in their care and work collaboratively with other services to support them
INTEGRITY
We are honest, trustworthy and accountable in our work and relationships
Aim 1: To increase safety and reduce harm arising from domestic and family violence by providing holistic early intervention, outreach, crisis and court advocacy support services.
Aim 2: To support people experiencing difficulties due to homelessness or at risk of homelessness by providing early intervention and crisis support services.
Aim 3: To build a strong organisation by remaining relevant, responsible and viable in a changing and challenging environment.
Aim 4: To be an employer of choice by attracting high calibre, motivated, diverse and resilient staff and providing a healthy, safe and stimulating work environment.
OUR STORY
Who We Are
Molonglo Support Services is a not for profit charity and community organisation that supports people in crisis experiencing domestic and family violence and/or homelessness.
We are governed by a voluntary board of management. Our key services include Specialist Homelessness Services (SHS) specialising in Domestic and Family Violence with a women’s and children’s crisis accommodation, a SHS Homelessness Service for people over 24 years and families experiencing homelessness for whatever reason, we auspice a Women’s Domestic Violence Court Advocacy Service and we are a registered Community Housing Provider.
OUR HISTORY
A little more about Molonglo
Molonglo Support Services (Molonglo) started as a safe place for women and children to escape abuse in the home.
Although many changes have occurred to meet the needs of our community, providing services to those who have
experienced abuse, homelessness and poverty is just as relevant and challenging today as it was at the beginning.
1979
Queanbeyan Women’s Refuge was founded by a group of local women inspired by the ideas of feminism and women’s rights that began to take hold in the late 1960s.
- The new women’s refuge and service, Louisa Domestic Violence Service was named after Louisa Lawson, Australia’s first female journalist and mother to poet and writer Henry Lawson
- Leslie Norris (Snow), Helen Bridges and three other women negotiated two semi-detached cottages with Queanbeyan City Council (now QPRC) for a peppercorn rent of $1, later being demolished for the entrance of Rutledge Street carpark
1984
QPRC and NSW Housing provided a house supporting women, children and teenagers.
- Originally self-funded, with help from various charities, it began to attract piecemeal government
funding. - An initial $10,000 grant was funded by the Department of Youth and Community Affairs, being part of the International Year of the Child
- Later funded under Supported Accommodation Assistance Program (SAAP)
1987
Provided transitional accommodation establishing Gunyah Women’s Housing
1998
Our new refuge was officially opened by Louisa Lawson’s granddaughter
2002
Molonglo registered as a Community Housing Provider
2009
Expanded to provide court support to develop a closer working relationship with police, courts and legal systems establishing South Eastern Women’s Domestic Violence Court Advocacy Service (SEWDVCAS) funded by Legal Aid
- supporting Courts in Cooma, Queanbeyan and Goulburn
2014
NSW Government’s Going Home Staying Home reforms included funding to replace SAAP by Family and Community Services (now NSW Department of Communites and Justice).
- Molonglo included services to support men escaping domestic and family violence assisting with
accommodation options for families or anyone over 24 years. - Molonglo Women’s and Children’s Services changed its name to Molonglo Support Services to reflect
support for both men and women - Louisa Women’s Refuge changed its name to Louisa Domestic Violence Service to incorporate an
outreach program and court support for men experiencing domestic violence - Gunyah Women’s Housing ceased and Molonglo refocused support into a new tenancy program for
Louisa and the newly established Your Place Housing Support Service (Your Place) - Your Place partnered in a joint working agreement with Barnardos Australia to support families who
are homeless and single people over 24 years who are homeless
2017
SEWDVCAS included Safety Action Meetings in Queanbeyan (Monaro) and Goulburn (Hume).
2018
Molonglo’s office co-located with Your Place and SEWDVCAS upstairs at Riverside Plaza, Queanbeyan
2020
Molonglo celebrates 40 years of operation.
- Introduces Working From Home with first COVID-19 lockdown.
- South Eastern WDVCAS changes name to Monaro-Hume WDVCAS
2022
Staying Home Leaving Violence (SHLV) program commenced in the Queanbeyan and Palerang region
- SHLV is funded through the Department of Communities and Justice
- Supporting women and children victim/survivors of domestic and family violence (DFV) to remain safely in their own home after perpetrator is removed
