Castle Hill RSL Group (CHRG) has backed the launch of a national-first, community-designed strategy to prevent domestic and family violence (DFV) across The Hills in Sydney’s north-west.
CHRG contributed approximately $140,000 through ClubGRANTS to support the development of the Hills Zero DFV Navbook, making it the largest single grant the group has ever awarded to a community initiative.
The Hills Zero DFV Navbook, developed by social enterprise Click Collab, was officially launched on 21 May. The guide is the result of a six-month co-design process involving survivors, police, educators, faith leaders, business groups, and local residents.
It’s been designed to address a long-standing barrier in DFV prevention efforts: the lack of coordination and facilitation that often leads to fragmentation and demobilisation within communities.
The comprehensive roadmap includes local facts and stats, a shared vision, three priority goals, and a unified action framework. The Navbook is built to align with the NSW government’s Pathways to Prevention strategy.
Speaking recently at the Clubs for Community gala launch, CHRG operations manager Andy Abbey said she had observed fragmentation in how the club delivered support for community initiatives through ClubGRANTS, and wanted to change that.
“That’s when I knew that CHRG had to take a leadership role, not just as a funder, but as a connector, as a unifier for our community,” she said.
“This funding that we provided to start Click Collab is the largest single funding through ClubGRANTS that we’ve ever given in one piece. It’s enabling the pilot program to take launch. It’s led to the creation of this notebook, and it’s the first of its kind in Australia.
“This is not just a report, it’s not just a book, it’s a framework for what happens when community comes together. It’s our community saying we can do better. We will do better.
“The Navbook is practical. It’s clear. It’s been built by this community, for this very community, it captures what we’re already working on. We’re already doing it, but it shows how we can scale it, how we can strengthen it, how we can measure it, and thanks to CHRG’s ongoing support, it won’t sit on a shelf or in the top drawer.”
Alongside funding Click Collab and the development of the Navbook, CHRG is embedding the strategy across its operations and partnerships. This includes training all CHRG staff as first responders and expanding safe room access across venue; implementing of the “Recognise. Respond. Refer.” Initiative; and continuing ClubGRANTS investment in respectful relationships education and counselling/support services.
With the priority goals now set, the focus over the next five years will be to scale up the strategy across The Hills. Click Collab will lead coordination and impact reporting, while CHRG is funding a dedicated community facilitator to ensure year-round momentum and collaboration across sectors.
“We all know that if we want a different outcome, we need to do things differently,” Click Collab co-founder Kerrie Edwards said.
“This solution draws on decades of cross-sector knowledge. It’s a pivot point for the prevention sector, and we believe it will significantly accelerate our path to Zero DFV.”
The initiative has also been endorsed by Hills Police Area Command and the Hills Domestic Violence Prevention Network.
“DFV is not only a crime but also a serious community issue that demands a collaborative and coordinated response, leveraging expertise and resources to foster positive change for individuals and the broader community. As the Commander, I am constantly seeking opportunities to harness our strong community relationships to create a safer Hills district,” The Hills PAC superintendent Naomi Moore said.