Immigrant Women’s SpeakOut Association NSW, Inc.
This year, the Mercy Foundation Board is proud to recognise the work of Immigrant Women’s SpeakOut Association NSW, Inc. for their tireless efforts, leadership, and decades-long commitment to upholding human rights and human dignity, especially for women victim-survivors of domestic and family violence.
Immigrant Women’s Speak Out (SpeakOut) is a key organisation for migrant and refugee women within NSW, supporting women experiencing domestic and family violence or who are at risk of homelessness due to violence or abuse. SpeakOut empowers women by providing information, guidance, and other direct services, while also helping women access the resources they need to live independently; free from violence, exploitation and discrimination.
In the last year, SpeakOut has supported 364 women and children, as well as an additional 600 community members through community strengthening activities including primary prevention workshops promoting healthy relationships. SpeakOut provides crisis accommodation but also works to advocate for systemic change to address the barriers that create long-term homelessness.
The Mercy Foundation has previously funded SpeakOut through our Grants to End Homelessness, including projects that have focussed on establishing an employment hub for migrant women with limited English and additional support specifically for migrant and refugee women living in SpeakOut accommodation, who have experienced DFV and homelessness, to access tailored support to become financially independent.
The Mercy Foundation Board recognises that SpeakOut strongly meets the Cath Leary Social Justice Award criteria through its long-standing work to address the systemic causes of poverty, homelessness and exclusion affecting migrant and refugee women, while combining advocacy for structural change with culturally responsive, respectful support that expands women’s safety, independence and opportunity.
Our congratulations to the team at SpeakOut for their decades of service working to end homelessness and for continuing the vital work of advocating for the rights of migrant and refugee women at-risk of or experiencing domestic and family violence and homelessness.