Victorian mentoring program keeping women out of prison at risk of closing due to lack of funds

In a park in Melbourne’s western suburbs, Temel is chatting with Victoria about her kids.

They are talking about video games, Temel’s pet rabbit, and how she would love to go horseriding.

It all looks pretty ordinary, but Temel says catch-ups like this have changed her life.

Temel, who does not want her surname used because of a history of family violence, has been meeting with volunteer mentor Victoria Leach about once a week.

It all began after Temel appeared in court, charged with a family violence offence after years of being in abusive relationships.

“My whole life was just crazy, to be honest,” she said.

She was referred to the Women and Mentoring (WAM) program, which pairs women facing the criminal justice system with a volunteer mentor.

But the program is in danger of closing, with no guarantee of funding beyond next month.

Program keeps women out of prison

The Women and Mentoring program has been running since 2009, with mostly philanthropic support.

Its chief executive, Tricia Ciampa, said it was an early intervention program, pairing women who came into contact with the justice system with a volunteer mentor.

There are about 45 women enrolled a year, often with complex situations involving family violence, substance misuse, mental illness and trauma.

“We use mentoring to help women engage with services, create some goals, and really it’s about trying to keep women out of the justice system,” she said.

To that end, she said it worked.

“Only 13 per cent of women have re-engaged with the justice system,” she said. “There’s currently a 43-44 per cent recidivism rate in Victoria.”

Bid for state budget funding

Ms Ciampa said the organisation had sought $750,000 a year over the next three years in the Victorian budget.

Without the funding, the organisation will have to wind up in the middle of the year.

“We’re looking down that barrel, basically, of staff looking for other work,” she said.

She said the funding would represent good value for the government.

“We know it costs about $120,000 to keep a woman in prison for a year,” she said.

“It costs us about $7,500 to keep her out of prison in terms of mentoring and helping her engage in the community.”

A ‘beneficial relationship’ for mentors

Ms Leach signed up as a volunteer mentor because she has an interest in helping women in the justice system.

“I feel like it’s such a stigmatised, taboo topic,” she said.

The psychology masters student said she enjoyed catching up with Temel.

“We call it a friendship with boundaries,” she said.

“Generally we just get some donuts and a coffee and see what’s going on for her, if there’s anything I can help her with,” she said.

Ms Leach might help Temel with things like researching activities to do with her children, or help accessing legal support.

She said Temel’s story was very empowering.

“She’s gone through so much that I don’t think most of us could imagine going through,” she said.

Ms Ciampa said mentoring was important because it was about modelling good relationships.

“It’s about building a relationship with someone who perhaps hasn’t got that, they haven’t got that role modelling, they haven’t got someone they can talk to in their life, they can confide in,” she said.

“It’s someone who can walk the journey with them as well, and that’s what’s really important.

“It’s that connection to your community.”

It is a sentiment Temel echoes.

“The only way I feel I can vent and talk is with Victoria,” she said.

“I have no-one, I don’t have anyone. Especially with my disability, I am isolated.”

Government supporting other programs

In a statement, a spokesperson for the Victorian government said it had provided nearly $800,000 to WAM since 2017.

“Every woman should be given the best chance at a life outside of the justice system,” the spokesperson said.

“Which is why we’ve invested in different programs and organisations to deliver more support services for women who are in, or at risk of entering, the criminal justice system.”

The 2022-23 Victorian budget is due to be handed down on May 21.

Last year’s state budget included $19.9 million for various crime-prevention measures.