Virginie Woolidge and Brooke O'Doherty met while studying community services and have decided to transform their idea for a class project to a real life charity.

The dedicated pair have set up Wings for Hope and are working to raise funds to host weekend well-being and empowerment retreats for women who have experienced family violence.

"The more we were working on it in class, the more we realised it was something that had to happen for real," Ms Woolidge said.

Ms Woolidge and Ms O'Doherty completed their project for their studies in August 2021 and set up Wings for Hope as an official charity in September.

She said they designed Wings for Hope as a mid-intervention service to help women rebuild their confidence and identity after escaping their violent and abusive partners.

The identification of this need was guided by their own experiences of family violence and 'horrific' statistics.

On average, police attend a family violence incident every six minutes in Victoria, according to an analysis of Crime Statistics Agency data.

"We found there was a hole in the support that was available for women and children," Ms Woolidge said.

"There is a lot of emergency response and shelters, financial support and counselling. There is a lot of support for once women have been put in their own accommodation but there is really nothing in between.

"We have always found the worst statistic and the statistic that needs to be eliminated is really that step where women are going back to their perpetrators because they don't have self confidence or the tools to do it by themselves."

Ms O'Doherty said the plan was for Wings for Hope to host its first weekend retreat for women and children within 12 months, with a focus on empowerment, wellness and confidence building.

"There will be some group activities and on the final day our plan is to have these women go through a makeover day where they will have hair and makeup done and be presented to volunteer staff and their own children as confident women," she said.

"They can have new family photos taken because a lot would have fled and left those behind. They can come out with their self esteem, self worth and self love reinforced and in tact.

"The kids will get to be kids again. They can step away and not worry about if their mother is okay or safe, doing activities with kids who have been through similar things."

A fundraising event is planned for October to help get the project off the ground.

"For me personally, this (retreat) would have helped me," Ms O'Doherty said.

"You walk out, you feel like an empty shell, you have no self worth or self love.

"If you can build somebody back up so they feel they are worth it, realise they do deserve to be loved and respected, they are less likely to go back to (an abusive relationship)."

Ms Woolidge said many women felt trapped in violent and abusive relationships.

"I think there is always that element of feeling its your fault, it is deserved and no one else is going to want you or love you, so you are better off staying or coming back," she said.

"The threats, there are so many threats and blackmail. Your self confidence that is taken away little by little day after day years after years, you end up giving up all control because someone else is doing the controlling for you."

Wings for Hope will collaborate with Ballarat organisations providing family violence support to identify clients at the right stage in their journey to embark on the weekend retreat.

Wings for Hope is a registered charity with DGR status which means donations are tax deductible.

Contact info@wingsforhopeaustralia.org for more information or to make a donation.

If you or someone you know needs support contact 1800 RESPECT.

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