The conduct of research has been identified as a key strategic priority under the Strategic Plan 2009 - 2012 (3). Specifically, a number of performance indicators have been agreed to by the Board of Directors (2007 - 2009), to ensure the ongoing capacity building of the organisation in the areas of data collection and research.

The Strategic Plan 2009 - 2012 actions are to:

  • Establish an appropriate data collection system to collect and record data on service and staff performance
  • Build staff capacity to collect and record data
  • Provision for the Board of Directors to have regular and accurate analysis of data
  • Identify gaps in service/program delivery
  • Use the research collected to advocate for additional services/programs

These activities will be undertaken in partnership with the University of Melbourne (Angelina Tabuteau Moore) and the Deakin University (Lisa Thorpe) and builds on 'Shame to Pride'. An existing research project conducted in partnership between the Elizabeth Hoffman House and the Centre Against Sexual Assault.

The purpose of Shame to Pride (2004) was to identify key issues in relation to sexual assault in Indigenous communities and to identify and gaps to barriers that prevent Aboriginal people from accessing sexual assault services.
A copy of the report is available here (PDF 760Kb).

This project grew from examining issues of sexual assault within the Aboriginal community to a larger project that focused on the development of longer term sustainable solutions that are culturally appropriate and assist in addressing the issues on an individual, organisational and community level.

Two key research projects have been established to support implementation of the strategic priority and its actions. These being:

1. Social health of Aboriginal pregnancy and
2. Partnership with the University of Melbourne

Partnership with the University of Melbourne

Under the memorandum of understanding with the University of Melbourne (2009), (Onemda and the Centre for Molecular, Environmental, Genetic and Analytic Epidemiology), in supporting the Social Health of Aboriginal pregnancy, an agreement to build the capacity of Elizabeth Hoffman House was undertaken.

The first priority is to review the current data collection variables and to establish a new process with staff to ensure data collected is relevant to the organisation and will assist in highlights characteristics of women and their children accessing services from Elizabeth Hoffman House.

Provision of training will also be developed for Elizabeth Hoffman House and will support staff to record data accurately and to create an increased understanding of the purpose of data collection and research.

Data collection will occur to ensure the Board of Directors can be provided with regular data collection reports that are systematically describing the characteristics of Aboriginal women and their children accessing family violence services. All information gathered, analysed and developed will remain the property of Elizabeth Hoffman House.