FAITH and community leaders

Taking action to keep multicultural communities safe: Faith and Community Leaders' Training

This e-learning course has been developed to help faith and community leaders feel more confident in recognising family, domestic and sexual violence, responding appropriately, and referring victim-survivors to relevant support services.

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Who is this course for?

This online course is specifically designed for faith and multicultural community leaders in Australia.

Cost

Free

Study time

20-30 minutes each lesson. The course is self-paced. Pause at any time and resume where you've left off.

What's included?

  • 9 interactive lessons
  • Videos featuring faith and community leaders
  • Reflection pieces
  • Downloadable resources
  • Certificate of completion

Multicultural community and faith leaders can play an important part in preventing and responding to family, domestic and sexual violence.

How to access the course:

  1. Click the 'Enrol Now' button.
  2. If you're a new learner, create an account with your name, email and a unique password.
  3. Complete the registration form.
  4. You will then be taken to the Course Introduction page. 


One lesson at a time
This course is designed to be completed in order, one lesson at a time, with each lesson building on the one before it.

Key Features

Easy to understand, written in clear and accessible language
Culturally responsive and
trauma-informed content for
multicultural communities
Includes practical tips
you can use right away

The many voices and experiences gathered through the national consultation process provided a rich foundation for the development of this e-learning course.

 About this e-learning

Why the e-learning?
Background
Consultation Process
Co-design
This e-learning course was developed by SSI with funding from the Australian Government Department of Social Services, as part of the First Action Plan Priorities Fund. It is delivered in partnership with Federation of Ethnic Communities' Councils of Australia (FECCA). 

The content has been shaped by national consultation and co-design with people with lived experience of family, domestic and sexual violence, service providers, faith and community leaders.
This e-learning course is an accessible and flexible training designed for faith and community leaders who want to build confidence in recognising, responding to, and referring cases of family, domestic and sexual violence (FDSV). The online format ensures participants can complete the training at their own pace, no matter where they are.

Tailored for busy leaders working in diverse communities, this resource supports continuous learning and practical action. It empowers participants to better understand the dynamics of FDSV, respond in safe and culturally respectful ways, and connect victim-survivors with appropriate support services, ultimately helping to build safer, more inclusive communities.
The consultation process involved 47 consultation sessions and interviews held with over 295 people — including 189 community leaders, 48 faith leaders, 50 service providers and 23 people with lived experience. The consultations also included 13 religions and 52 different nationalities and cultures.
We would like to acknowledge that there were participants who, while representing a faith or community group, also had direct experience of family, domestic and sexual violence.
The many voices and experiences gathered through the national consultation process provided a rich foundation for the development of this e-learning course.

It was co-designed with SSI, faith and community leaders, service providers, and victim-survivors to make sure the content reflected different perspectives and real-life experiences and create a useful and valuable resource for learners.

 Course contents

Lesson 1:
Definition of Terms and Statistics

  1. Definition of terms
  2. How common if FDSV in our society?
  3. Who uses violence?

Lesson 2: 
Dynamics of Abuse

  1. Dynamics of FDSV
  2. Types of abuse
  3. What is coercive control? 
  4. Abuse faced by migrant and refugee women

Lesson 3: 
FDSV faced by migrant and refugee women

  1. Types of abuse migrant and refugee women may experience
  2. Why it is important to regocnise abuse

Lesson 4: 
Impacts on the victim-survivor and children

  1. Impacts on the victim-survivor
  2. Common myths
  3. Children's experiences of FDSV
  4. Impacts on children
  5. Nurturing children


Lesson 5: 
High-risk indicators and Barriers to disclosure

  1. High-risk indicators
  2. Understanding the risks of disclosure
  3. Barriers to disclosure

Lesson 6: 
Roles and Ethical issues

  1. Roles of faith and community leaders
  2. Setting boundaries
  3. Facing ethical issues
  4. What is unconscious bias?

Lesson 7: 
Responding to FDSV

  1. Responding to disclosures
  2. What not to say or do when someone shares their story
  3. Making referrals
  4. Safety and risk when responding to FDSV disclosures
  5. Relationships and networks

Lesson 8: 
Wellbeing and Self-care

  1. How helping others can affect us
  2. Strategies for wellbeing and self-care

Lesson 9: 
Next steps

  1. Recognise, Respond, Refer, Share and Plan
  2. Download the Conversation Guide

 Downloadable resources 

This e-learning course has valuable resources available to download for free, including:
  • Conversation Guide
  • Reflection workbook
  • Tips for Wellbeing and Self-care
  • My Action Plan

 Study at your own pace

There is no time limit on this course, and you can return to your lesson at any time. This course is designed to be done in your own time and at your own pace.
Enrol Now

Get in touch with us

For more information about this project, or to understand if you should get involved, please contact us by email at or call our Community Engagement Coordinator on 0466 217 497.

FDSV: Train, Engage, Connect and Support (TECS) Project is funded by the Australian Government Department of Social Services and is a partnership initiative with the Federation of Ethnic Communities' Councils of Australia. This project is part of the Australian National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children 2022–2032.


Getting help

If you are experiencing family, domestic and sexual violence, know someone who is, or feel affected by the content of this e-learning and would like to access support, please contact the numbers below.
  • Full Stop Australia - 1800 385 578
  • 1800RESPECT - 1800 737 732
  • Lifeline - 13 11 14
  • If you or someone is in immediate danger, please call Triple Zero (000) for emergency services.