The Change for Sam initiative was formed by a group of community members and family violence service providers in the wake of the tragic death of local Phillip Island resident Samantha (Sam) Fraser.

The Change for Sam initiative includes representatives from a broad range of local community service organisations, local businesses, and, most importantly, it partners with community members and Sam’s family and friends. It is driven by the community, with the aim of preventing such deaths in the future.

As part of our vision to have a community free from gendered violence, the initiative has identified two primary goals; to implement a comprehensive plan to prevent family violence against women and children, and to create an integrated service system to respond to incidents of family violence when they do occur.

We are continuing to develop an innovative network for family violence services, including prevention, counselling and response, to better engage with and support the community and each other, to identify service gaps and better align delivery of services.