Your Toolkit – Best Project for Under-served Communities Special Commendation | The MAIAs 2022

Domestic violence happens behind closed doors and can trap women physically, emotionally, and financially. But what can be done to help?

MAIAward co-founder Trudi Harris Dubon said, “Women facing domestic abuse can find it incredibly difficult to escape their situation and might feel isolated with nowhere to turn. In addition to violence, they may also be trapped financially, without access to finances, and unable to start afresh. Yourtoolkit.com solves these issues and strongly deserves a MAIAward Special Commendation.”

Elisa Fear, the Non-Executive Director of Your Toolkit, says, “It’s hard for women facing abuse to be safe, change their circumstances, or simply leave. Each situation is different – there might be fears that leaving could be worse than staying or concerns about safety for families when making the break.

“There is also the common issue that abused women don’t have independent finances and face the complexity of navigating the legal, financial, and social services system. Your Toolkit is helping to combat these issues by using technology to get behind closed doors and reach women who want to break the cycle.”

Your Toolkit is a resource that makes it easier for those facing abuse by providing comprehensive, relevant information about personal safety, getting support, and personal finances. It is free, and because it is web-based, it is accessible from any device at any time.

Elisa says, “Your Toolkit was developed by Financial Toolbox, a volunteer-run organisation with a mission to empower women through financial education. The resources available on Your Toolkit have been specifically designed for women facing domestic violence and financial abuse.

“Financial abuse is particularly malicious as it is deliberately intended to strip women of their independence, confidence, and ability to manage their personal finances or develop financial skills. Because of this, traditional financial literacy education is not appropriate for women facing or escaping domestic and family violence and financial abuse.

“Your Toolkit provides comprehensive support, including information about personal finances and money matters. It is curated specifically to empower women facing domestic violence to make sustainable changes to their lives.”

The information and resources provided by Your Toolkit act as a roadmap for women facing abuse to find the support they need and reshape their lives. It includes links to approximately 270 web pages, including ASIC’s Money Minded website (Australian Securities and Investment Commission), the Australian Taxation Office, and other government websites.

“We conducted several surveys about the benefits of Your Toolkit, and it being ‘helpful to have a lot of relevant information in one place’ was consistently the highest-ranking response. However, we take considerable care to ensure that we only provide information, or links to external websites, that are credible, reputable, and long-term,” Elisa says.

Your Toolkit was originally built as a Western Australian resource, but it answers a need. Over 70% of those accessing the information are from elsewhere in Australia, and 13% are international users – the largest being from the United States.

MAIAward’s Trudi Harris Dubon said, “Domestic abuse is alarmingly common around the world, as shown by the demand for the resources like Your Toolkit. Abuse takes many forms, including physical and financial, and these women need information and support to regain control of their lives.”

For more information about Your Toolkit, you can visit their website, or email us at michael@maiawards.org.