Informing and supporting individual women Strategic Direction 1
WIRE’s Support Services for Women Women of all ages and from all backgrounds across Victoria can access free and confidential information, referrals and support from WIRE in various ways: • Telephone Support Service 1300 134 130 (cost of a local call) Mondays to Fridays 9am to 5pm • Women’s Information Centre Ground level, 210 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne 3000 Mondays to Fridays 10.30am to 5pm • Email support service inforequests@wire.org.au Response within two working days. • Livechat Support Service www.wire.org.au Mondays to Fridays 9am to 5pm WIRE listened and responded to the stories of more than 12,000 women last year on all sorts of issues. Many women rang WIRE’s Telephone Support Service or visited our Women’s Information Centre; others emailed their concerns or chatted online to WIRE ‘live’ via the new Livechat service on WIRE’s website. Whichever way they chose to contact WIRE, each individual woman’s story was heard and validated, with relevant support, information and referrals provided. “I just want someone to listen to my story, and give me the right info and support, so I can decide for myself what to do next.” At WIRE, we always take the time to listen before responding. In the phone room, an average call lasts half an hour. In the Women’s Information Centre, face-to-face supports with our WIC officers can last beyond an hour. With our Livechat online support service, the average online interaction is 21 minutes with one in ten Livechats exceeding an hour. All email requests are carefully considered and responded to with relevant information within two working days—it is not uncommon for Gemma, Jay or Shannon to spend an hour or more responding to emails dealing with more difficult issues.
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“What can I talk to WIRE about?”
“Do I need an appointment?”
WIRE’s state-wide information, support and referral service for women is not only a general service, it is also free and confidential. That means women feel safe and comfortable talking to WIRE about anything—no subject or concern is too big or small for us. As we do not keep any personal records of clients at WIRE, your anonymity and privacy are assured.
At WIRE, no appointments are needed—just call, visit, email or chat online with WIRE during business hours. To ensure that WIRE remains current and accessible to all generations of women in Victoria, WIRE provides you with different ways of accessing information and support, whichever way and whenever it suits you. You can contact WIRE by calling our Telephone Support Service while the kids are at school or when you have a moment alone, drop by the Women’s Information Centre in the Melbourne CBD, send us a quick email via inforequests@wire.org.au or even chat online with a support worker ‘live’ during your lunch break at work!
In the last year, the top five issues women contacted WIRE about were: • Family violence (24.24%) • Family relationships (23.67%) • Employment/education/training (15.59%) • Housing (11.81%) • Mental health (7.84%) Other reasons for contact included financial crisis or debt issues, migrant issues, help with personal administration and often, just for a chat and to feel socially included.
WIRE Women’s Information Annual Report 2012