Zonta House
Providing refuge and transitional accommodation, holistic support services and education to women who have experienced family and domestic violence, mental health, homelessness and other life crises.
Zonta House's Positive Pathways program is an innovative education program, based on therapeutic models and adult learning principles, that supports these women as they transition out of the refuge and back into the community.
2015 Pitch
Funds raised: $13,175
Zonta pitched its Positive Pathways program at The Funding Network in Perth on 3 September 2015 and raised enough funding for 11 women to access support and coaching around finances, returning to work, self-esteem, communication and post-traumatic stress - the equivalent of nearly 2 workshops.
The impact...
A few years ago, the board of Zonta House noticed an alarming trend - first the children, then the grandchildren, of the refuge's early clients had begun knocking on the door of its sheltered accomodation. It had become clear that more rooms in more shelters was not going to be enough to break this inter-generational cycle of domestic and family violence. Zonta decided to 'workshop' the problem - quite literally - through a program of 'Positive Pathways' offering education and coaching around key recovery strategies for victims of family violence such as self-confidence, communication and financial freedom.
Over the past 12 months, Zonta has run 44 workshops for a total of 284 attendees - 21 more workshops and 92 more attendees than the previous year. One of those attendees was Natasha* who was referred to Positive Pathways while residing in Zonta House supported accomodation. With a personal history marked by homelessness, a violent relationship, addiction and anxiety, she attended various workshops to learn and practise self esteem & self confidence, assertive communication and finance skills. Four months later, with the ongoing support and encouragement of Zonta staff, Natasha was substance-free with a job, a place of her own to rent and a positive attitude for the future. Through Positive Pathways, she was able to overcome her social anxiety, learn new skills and re-discover herself: 'They gave me a feeling of hope that I'd never experienced before. I was baffled by it but so grateful. I am clean, I am sober. I am learning to live a life free of addiction. I am learning to love myself."
Zonta House education workshops are creating turning points like this, helping women emerge from crisis to find their own positive pathway...
Read their Impact Report
Learn more about Zonta House.
Supporting Sustainable Development Goals:
