FAITH and community leaders

Taking action to keep multicultural communities safe: Faith and community leaders' training

This free e-learning 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). 

Note: If you're a new learner, you will be asked to create an account with your name, email and a unique password.

About the e-learning

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Who is this e-learning for?

This e-learning 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

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

How to access the free course:

  1. Click the 'Enrol Now' button.
  2. If you're a new learner, you will be asked to 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.

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 recognise 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. Learning circles
  3. Download the Conversation Guide
  4. References and resources

Downloadable resources 

This e-learning course has valuable resources available to download for free, including:
  • Conversation Guide translated into 10 community languages
  • Reflection workbook
  • Tips for Wellbeing and Self-care
  • My Action Plan

What faith and community leaders are saying...

"As people of faith, we are called to uphold the dignity, safety, and wellbeing of every person. TECS is an important resource that equips faith and community leaders to respond to family, domestic and sexual violence with wisdom, compassion, and cultural understanding. In a diverse society, resources like this help us build communities marked by care, respect, justice, and hope."
Rev Charissa Suli, President of the Uniting Church in Australia
"The Sikh faith teaches us to respect women and stand up for the vulnerable. As community leaders who follow this principle it is our responsibility to be equipped with the tools we need to support relationships and families in our community, and when we learn of people being harmed to respond in the best possible way. This online training is for anyone who wants to prevent family, domestic and sexual violence. As a father, brother or son, one would want the best for the women in our society. Guru Nanak said, Why call her bad, from whom kings are born."
Amar Singh, President and Founder, Turbans 4 Australia & 2023 Australian of the Year Local Hero
"Domestic violence transforms the home from a place of safety and joy to one of fear and pain. SSI’s training draws on the Buddha’s teachings to prevent the arising of violent impulses; to deal with violence when it does occur; and to heal in the practical and psychological aftermath of abuse."
Bhante Sujato, Buddhist monk
"As a community rabbi, I strongly support the TECS Project because domestic and family violence is an issue that affects every community, including my own. Rabbis and Jewish community leaders are often among the first people individuals turn to for help, and this training provides clear guidance on safeguarding responsibilities, maintaining appropriate boundaries, recognising risk, and responding in ways that prioritise safety.

TECS ensures that leaders understand when and how to refer individuals to professional services, emergency supports, and specialist organisations, rather than attempting to manage complex or potentially dangerous situations alone. I know this resource will be of great benefit to other faith and community leaders. TECS strengthens our collective capacity to prevent harm, respond responsibly, and support those experiencing domestic and family violence with care, clarity, and accountability."
Rabbi Gabi Kaltmann
"As faith leaders, we carry a sacred trust to guide, protect and support our communities, especially the most vulnerable among us. The TECS training initiative is an important and practical step in equipping Imams, religious leaders and community leaders with the knowledge and tools to recognise, prevent and respond to family, domestic and sexual violence in a way that is informed, responsible and grounded in our Islamic principles of mercy, justice and accountability.
I encourage Imams and Muslim leaders across Australia to undertake this training, engage with the faith-based content developed for our context, and strengthen our collective capacity to safeguard families and uphold the dignity and wellbeing that Islam so clearly commands."
Imam Shadi Alsuleiman, President, Australian National Imams Council
"This course is well structured, easy to navigate, and simple to follow, with valuable input from a range of faith leaders and experts. I would strongly encourage all community service leaders and their teams to undertake this course, as it helps deepen understanding our own perspectives while also learning about others.
Congratulations to the TECS and SSI teams for bringing this important course to the multicultural community."
Sai Ji, National President, Hindu Council of Australia

Faith leader endorsements

Rev Charissa Suli, President of the Uniting Church in Australia
"As people of faith, we are called to uphold the dignity, safety, and wellbeing of every person. TECS is an important resource that equips faith and community leaders to respond to family, domestic and sexual violence with wisdom, compassion, and cultural understanding. In a diverse society, resources like this help us build communities marked by care, respect, justice, and hope."
Amar Singh, President and Founder, Turbans 4 Australia & 2023 Australian of the Year Local Hero
"The Sikh faith teaches us to respect women and stand up for the vulnerable. As community leaders who follow this principle it is our responsibility to be equipped with the tools we need to support relationships and families in our community, and when we learn of people being harmed to respond in the best possible way. This online training is for anyone who wants to prevent family, domestic and sexual violence. As a father, brother or son, one would want the best for the women in our society. Guru Nanak said, Why call her bad, from whom kings are born."
Rabbi Gabi Kaltmann
"As a community rabbi, I strongly support the TECS Project because domestic and family violence is an issue that affects every community, including my own. Rabbis and Jewish community leaders are often among the first people individuals turn to for help, and this training provides clear guidance on safeguarding responsibilities, maintaining appropriate boundaries, recognising risk, and responding in ways that prioritise safety.

TECS ensures that leaders understand when and how to refer individuals to professional services, emergency supports, and specialist organisations, rather than attempting to manage complex or potentially dangerous situations alone. I know this resource will be of great benefit to other faith and community leaders. TECS strengthens our collective capacity to prevent harm, respond responsibly, and support those experiencing domestic and family violence with care, clarity, and accountability."
Bhante Sujato, Buddhist monk
"Domestic violence transforms the home from a place of safety and joy to one of fear and pain. SSI’s training draws on the Buddha’s teachings to prevent the arising of violent impulses; to deal with violence when it does occur; and to heal in the practical and psychological aftermath of abuse."

Imam Shadi Alsuleiman, President, Australian National Imams Council
"As faith leaders, we carry a sacred trust to guide, protect and support our communities, especially the most vulnerable among us. The TECS training initiative is an important and practical step in equipping Imams, religious leaders and community leaders with the knowledge and tools to recognise, prevent and respond to family, domestic and sexual violence in a way that is informed, responsible and grounded in our Islamic principles of mercy, justice and accountability. 

I encourage Imams and Muslim leaders across Australia to undertake this training, engage with the faith-based content developed for our context, and strengthen our collective capacity to safeguard families and uphold the dignity and wellbeing that Islam so clearly commands."
Sai Ji, National President, Hindu Council of Australia
"This course is well structured, easy to navigate, and simple to follow, with valuable input from a range of faith leaders and experts. I would strongly encourage all community service leaders and their teams to undertake this course, as it helps deepen understanding our own perspectives while also learning about others.
Congratulations to the TECS and SSI teams for bringing this important course to the multicultural community."

Background of the project

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

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 fdsv.tecs@ssi.org.au or call our Community Engagement Coordinator on 0466 217 497.

Join our mailing list

If you would like to be notified about future opportunities and networks for multicultural community and faith leaders involved in preventing and responding to family, domestic and sexual violence.

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.