Karinya House
Women's Independence Fund / Staff training and development
Canberra Mothercraft Society is a proud supporter of Karinya House for mothers and babies. Established in 1997, Karinya House provides safety, shelter and a positive support network for women in need who are pregnant or parenting young babies in the ACT and surrounding regions. In addition, Karinya House provides casework, practical support and information for women on matters relating to childbirth, parenting, and health and welfare services, including housing needs. Support is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.
In 2025, CMS provided $7,000 in funding to Karinya House for its Women’s Independence Fund and $8,000 for its staff training and development program.
The Women’s Independence Fund aims to provide women with access to financial support to contribute towards their individual independence goals in a dignified, flexible and women-led way. This includes costs associated with establishing a home and pre-employment requirements.
An optimised workforce is one of Karinya House’s five strategic priorities. Within its strategic plan, this is defined as having the workforce capability and culture to deliver specialist support to women with diverse and complex needs.
For a small, for-purpose community organisation focused on delivering front-line services, guaranteeing funds for training and development remains a constant challenge. CMS is pleased to provide funding support for the training and development of Karinya House staff.
