Vision: Inspiring women, families and communities

Mission: To provide inclusive, holistic and culturally sensitive services for women and their families promoting healthy communities

Ishar was established in 1992 under the National Women’s Health strategy. It has always been focused on delivering health service to women from refugee and migrant backgrounds and is the only multicultural women’s health service in WA. Each year Ishar services approximately 5000 women from over 80 ethnicities making over 50,000 service contacts. Clients are mainly women in the age group of 20-70, with low English language skills and generally receiving Centrelink benefits.

How do we deliver our services

Ishar receives core funding from the state government and supplements this through grant funding from federal government, philanthropic funds and donations. Services are delivered by a multidisciplinary and multicultural team of professional women who have qualifications in community work, health specialities like health promotion, psychology, midwifery, nursing, dietetics, counselling, justice, mental health, physiology, medicine (especially women’s health), and social work. Services are delivered on the principle of accessibility – hence all programs use translators or bilingual workers, are low cost or free and when necessary crèche facilities are provided.

Service streams

• Health Services – Women’s Health Clinic, Well Women’s Check, Dietitian Services, Pregnancy & postnatal Support Services, Health Education/ Promotion, Counselling and Clinical Psychologist. Exercise and Fitness.
• Family Support Services – Domestic Violence Support Program, 40+ Women’s Lifestyle Program, Parenting and Relationships Program, Family Settlement Support Program and Settlement Grant Program Case Work.
• Carer Support Services – Individual Support and Advocacy, Weekly Carers Group, Carer Respite Activities and Home Visiting.

EMPOWER is supported by funding from the Western Australian Health Promotion Foundation (Healthway).