Nicole Harvey
CHAIRPERSON
Nicole commenced her career in the Community Services Sector in 2006 by volunteering in her local community with marginalized young people and those who were disadvantaged, particularly young mums ensuring they were connected and engaged with relevant services. Nicole worked with the then Wyong Shire Council in a number of Community Development initiatives and sustainability projects, some of which continue today. This was a significant change in career pathway for Nicole who has a science and
microbiology background.
Nicole then went on to study Youth Work with a keen sense of social justice for young people, commencing voluntary work with the Children’s Court Assistance Scheme. Nicole engaged with young people who were the most vulnerable and who at times used or who were at risk of using family and domestic violence as well as working with the service sector that supports them to divert from the criminal justice system to achieve positive outcomes. Nicole commenced further study was then successful in securing employment with the youth refuges on the Central Coast with Coast Shelter. This role expanded to include work with families in a support program and evolved into managing women and children’s supported accommodation facilities in conjunction to undertaking her Bachelor of Social Science Degree. During this time Nicole remained dedicated to increasing community awareness on domestic and family violence/abuse including rates, impacts and solutions through presentations and forum participations including convening the Industry Partnership’s State DFV Communities of Practice. Nicole managed the Domestic Violence Response Enhancement Project for three years where she led a hard-working team in the crisis intervention and housing for women and children escaping serious domestic abuse. Nicole ensured all responses were underpinned by respect and dignity, within a trauma and culturally informed understanding, with the recognition that women experiencing violence and abuse are the experts in their lives with the sector to follow their lead. Nicole has been a strong advocate for the need for trauma and therapeutic interventions for children within accommodation services and crisis refuges with this inbuilt into service delivery as part of funding arrangements to assist achieve long term, positive outcomes. Knowing that domestic and family violence/abuse is a complex, serious and a growing issue, Nicole implemented a coordinated and contextualized response to addressing the
impact of violence.
As domestic and family violence continues to be the biggest factor in women and children’s homelessness, Nicole developed a deep understanding of the housing and homelessness sector and in 2020 commenced employment with Pacific Link Housing on the Central Coast as the Together Home Program Manager. This role has the scope to continue her work in the domestic violence sector through participation in consultation groups coordinated by the Community Housing Industry Association in advocating for increased, appropriate social and affordable housing for victims of violence. Housing that includes provisions for security, community connection, older children, support networks, cherished pets who are also family and above all, dignity with the opportunity for women and their children to reach their full potential. Nicole is currently the Manager of Community Partnerships and Support Coordination, enhancing tenant outcomes across Pacific Link’s broad portfolio and footprint, including Lake Macquarie, Newcastle, The Hunter and Port Stephens areas.
Nicole has a long standing and respected relationship with DVNSW and domestic violence programs and support services across the state and plans on continuing her studies in a Masters of Legal and Ethics. Nicole is driven by the principles of collaboration and collective impact understanding that creating the change in attitudes and beliefs needed to end domestic and family violence/abuse requires commitment to a whole of community response, viewed through the feminist lense.
