Footballers, netballers unite to help women who have experienced family violence

Located in the Ballarat region, the 'MI (Mothers and Infants) Village' residential program will be run by Berry Street and will provide medium to long-term accommodation for mothers and their infants to begin to heal after experiencing family violence.

Marg Murphy, program manager of MI Village, said the units would be an emotionally and physically safe and nurturing environment for women to live in as they begin to recover from their trauma.

Ms Murphy said the program was "really unique" as it would allow women to independently lease the units with Berry Street's support.

While living in the units, the women - some of whom may never have lived independently - will be supported to develop skills such as housekeeping or budgeting.

Berry Street is also partnering with Ballarat Community Health and Uniting to provide individualised counselling, therapeutic and social support to help the women build and develop healthy relationships and rebuild their lives.

Providing security, the women will be able to rent a unit for up to 12 months - so will create a good rental history, which will help them to move back into the community.

With a tight budget, Marg Quinn, Team Leader of MI Village, said Berry Street really appreciated the community assisting so the women could move into homes for a fresh start.

"It will mean so much for women who have come out of abusive relationships to have somewhere they can call their own, be proud of and feel safe in," Ms Quinn said.

Noting these projects could "take a village" to achieve, she said not having to pay for trades to give the units a facelift meant available funds could be spent elsewhere.

It will mean so much for women who have come out of abusive relationships to have somewhere they can call their own, be proud of and feel safe in

Marg Quinn

Operations Manager at Ballarat North Sports Club, Margo Pettit, said the club put a call out asking for volunteers to help with the project early last week.

As a result, a group of footballers gave the units a fresh layer of paint on Saturday morning while parents weeded the gardens, with netballers turning up to assist in the afternoon.

"We haven't played football or netball this year so we have been disconnected but we can come together and do something that's really good for the community," Ms Pettit said.

"This is what clubs are all about - not just about playing football or netball but coming together as a community and helping."

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