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Multicultural Centre for Women’s Health (MCWH) and Mercy Health have received funding from the Victorian Government to extend the Equality@Work project, the first gender equality and primary prevention of violence program in Australian workplaces to specifically address the needs of migrant women aged care workers.
Over the past 11 months, MCWH has partnered with the not-for-profit aged care provider Mercy Health, to engage migrant women aged care workers in workplace-based solutions to gender inequality and violence against women. Mercy Health Group Executive Director People, Learning & Culture Kate McCormack says staff were engaged through forums, Gender Equality Advocates’ training, and a photo shoot depicting their responses to the question: “What will promote equality and respect for aged care workers?”.
Dr. Adele Murdolo, Executive Director of MCWH, is delighted that the leadership of migrant and refugee women has been acknowledged and fostered through the Equality@Work project. “Feedback from the participants has been overwhelmingly positive: they told us they feel valued as employees and are inspired to lead positive change in the workplace.”
Today’s funding boost announcement allows MCWH and Mercy Health to build on the momentum and energy generated amongst staff to improve workplace wellbeing, career progression and equality outcomes for migrant women workers.
The Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence, the Honourable Natalie Hutchins MP, says the prevention of family violence and violence against women in Victoria is of the utmost importance, with the government supporting programs in workplaces, educational institutions and the community. Aged care workplaces are a key setting for engaging migrant women. The Minister said:
“We won’t end family violence in Victoria without confronting the gender inequality that drives it. This funding further supports achieving this is the workplace, which we know is a critical setting”