The Women & Girls Emergency Centre (WAGEC) is an emergency centre with a central support office based in Redfern, Sydney. Its focus is to create safer futures for women and children by ending gender-based violence in a generation.
When people first come to WAGEC, the staff talk to them about their situation, then refer them to the best services and programs for their needs. When women and families come to them in crisis, WAGEC helps them find housing and other immediate support.
The centre can provide short-term accommodation for women and families across the inner city and inner west of Sydney, totalling 90 beds on any given night. They also provide more than 45 transitional properties for families and a large 10-bed transitional property for single women.
The Rotary Club of Sydney Darling Harbour has been assisting the centre by providing scholarships of between $500 and $2,000 to assist clients achieve their study and training goals. The money can be used for any costs associated with training, including course fees and expenses such as textbooks, trades materials, uniforms, stationery and study material. It can also be used to pay childcare fees directly associated with study, IT costs associated with study including purchasing a laptop or Internet access, and for travel costs relating to and from the place of study.
“The Rotary grant wasn’t just about money, it was about feeling supported.”
Clients apply for the scholarships through WAGEC’s Access Program, and many success stories have been reported back to the club.
One client received a Rotary scholarship of $1,300 to purchase a laptop to enable her to complete her studies. She is now in her final year of studying Early Childhood Education at TAFE and has been working part time and caring for her children whilst studying. Although her course is free, she needed a laptop to complete her studies as so much of the course is now being completed online. Her goal is to qualify and become a full-time Early Childhood Educator.
Another scholarship of $1,350 was awarded to fund a Diploma of Management and Leadership. The recipient has since received an opportunity to be part of a program called Habitat Women, a paid training program that teaches construction skills, while providing workshops and support. She has also received her White Card and will be applying for stable work once she’s finished her program. She commented that, “The Rotary grant wasn’t just about money, it was about feeling supported.”
A third client received $2,000 to fund Traffic Control Combo course fees, a White Card course, and Licence to Operate a Personnel and Materials Hoist course fees. The client achieved her goal, gained employment, and secured a private rental for herself and her son, enabling them to move out of WAGEC accommodation. Thanks to the Rotary scholarship, the client and her son now have their own space and
a fresh start.