CARE stands for Collective Action for Respect and Equality. CARE was established in 2020 by Women's Health Loddon Mallee to build workforce capacity and support organisations in the region to engage in activities and initiatives that collectively contribute to the primary prevention of violence against women. There are over 20 CARE partner organisations and new partners are welcome at any time.

WHLM is the regional women’s health service for communities across north-west Victoria. We hold the backbone role in the CARE Partnership, which means we coordinate, administrate, and support collaborative spaces for primary prevention action, connection and learning in the Loddon Mallee.

Our vision is to achieve gender equality by addressing gender inequities and the determinants of women’s health through leadership, advocacy, working in partnership, and supporting multi sectoral cultural and systemic change.

The CARE Partnership purpose is to grow and sustain a coordinated multi-sectoral approach for primary prevention of violence against women across the Loddon Mallee region. Our goal is a region free from gendered violence where communities actively champion gender equality. CARE ensures that organisations keep gender equality on the agenda and provides support to do so.

• When you become champions of gender equality in your local communities it contributes to the prevention of violence against women in the wider region, state, and nationally.
• Through regular access to specialist knowledge, training, newsletters, resources, and support you can build staff capacity and confidence to make the changes required for more equal, safe, and inclusive workplaces or community settings.
• You will have a platform to share your skills, knowledge, and resources with others in the region, at CARE Conversation events and through Communities of Practice.
• You will contribute to regional primary prevention progress and build your place-based progress data for primary prevention.

• WHLM training workshops to build knowledge, skills, and confidence to make change
• CARE Conversation events
• Region wide PVAW Community of Practice
• 16 Days of Activism region wide campaign

No. While family violence prevention networks may join the CARE Partnership as a community group, individual organisations within those networks must join separately for the organisation to be part of the CARE Partnership. To join the CARE Partnership please fill out the EOI form.

Organisations can join the CARE Partnership by completing an EOI form.

EOI forms can be completed online or downloaded from the WHLM website and emailed to us at reception@whlm.org.au.

For any queries, please contact WHLM at reception@whlm.org.au or phone: 5443 0233

• A leadership meeting will be scheduled to orient organisation leaders and key contacts to the CARE Partnership and connect with WHLM CEO and PVAW staff.
• CARE Partner leaders sign onto the CARE Statement of Commitment and nominate at least two CARE contacts who will work in partnership with WHLM
• CARE Partners receive a CARE orientation kit
• WHLM support and work with CARE Partner Organisations (CPOs) to engage in, plan, or implement primary PVAW initiatives.