Emily Murphy - Women and Mentoring 3/8/23 Gallery

Emily Murphy - WAM Women and Mentoring - Ballarat Program Coordinator, spoke to us this week.  WAM is an early intervention program that supports women, trans women and gender diverse people in contact with the justice system by matching them individually with a supportive mentor. Most women are being criminilised due to social issues like family violence, mental health disorders that impact their daily life, homelessness and problematic substance misuse. The social and economic implications of women's imprisonment are far reaching. Criminalised women experience significant exclusion from their community, finding meaningful employment, navigating services effectively and are often disconnected from their families and their children. The not for profit organisation aims to reduce the risk of reoffending by building positive social connections and empowering those affected to create change and rebuild their lives away from the justice system for improved life outcomes. WAM relies on well screened and trained volunteer mentors to help their clients create this positive change, which can range from at court support all the way to long term support. Over the past 14 years, WAM has supported over 200 women in mentoring relationships.