Safe and Equal delivers the multi-year Statewide Prevention Workforce Development Program (Statewide Program) for Victoria’s primary prevention of family and gender-based violence workforce. The Statewide Program is a wrap-around package of learning and support activities that commenced in 2021 and is due for completion in 2026.

The Statewide Program offers professional and skills development opportunities, along with opportunities that support connection and collaboration, to practitioners involved in primary prevention across the state. Safe and Equal receives funding from the Victorian Department of Families Fairness and Housing (2022–2026) and Department of Education (2021–2026) to deliver the Statewide Program. Funding from the Department of Education has been extended to 2028.

This report contains a snapshot of activities and outputs for the 12-month period, June 2024 to May 2025. It presents selected evaluation findings arising from evaluation activity conducted during this time.

Evaluation highlights that participant engagement remains strong, activities remain adaptive to meet workforce needs, with continued positive shifts in knowledge and confidence reported.

Safe and Equal delivers the multi-year Statewide Prevention Workforce Development Program (Statewide Program) for Victoria’s primary prevention of family and gender-based violence workforce. The Statewide Program is a wrap-around package of learning and support activities that commenced in 2021 and is due for completion in 2026. The Statewide Program offers professional and skills development opportunities, along with opportunities that support connection and collaboration, to practitioners involved in primary prevention across the state. Safe and Equal receives funding from the Victorian Department of Families Fairness and Housing (2022–2026) and Department of Education (2021–2025) to deliver the Statewide Program. Funding from the Department of Education has now been extended to 2028.

This summary evaluation report has shown that the Statewide Program continues to have a positive impact on practitioner knowledge, confidence, sense of professional identity and wellbeing – thereby equipping a vast segment of Victoria’s prevention workforce with what it needs to know and supporting it to succeed.

Safe and Equal primary prevention Communities of Practice (CoPs) are a proven and effective mechanism for facilitating collaboration among those engaged in violence prevention work, providing a platform to explore challenges and enhance skills through peer learning and expert facilitation. They are also critical infrastructure for supporting workforce wellbeing.

Learning Together has been written for current and prospective participants in Safe and Equal primary prevention activities, and for sector leaders and policymakers interested in understanding the transformative potential of CoPs for workforce development and sustainability at scale.

This document shows the long-term vision for the Statewide Prevention Workforce Development Program through to 2026 and beyond. The Theory of Change, including organisational and sectoral assumptions, evidence and enablers for this work. The document is shared for sector visibility of this key Safe and Equal program, and useful for understanding annual program evaluations. 

The program is delivered by Safe and Equal with funding from the Victorian Department of Families Fairness and Housing (2022-26) and Department of Education (2021-25).