About Us
Our Mission
Birchtree Foundation exists to create pathways from healing to empowerment.
We support initiatives that help people heal from trauma, violence and adversity, build confidence and agency, and create safer, more connected communities. Through empowerment, education, research, advocacy and community partnership, we work to prevent violence, address its underlying drivers, and create lasting social change.
Key Objectives
- Promote Healing and Wellbeing:
The Foundation focuses on improving trauma care across Australia by providing inclusive, evidence-based programs and workshops for both trauma survivors and clinicians.
- Build Confidence, Agency and Empowerment:
Equip people with the knowledge, skills and confidence to enhance their safety, strengthen boundaries, make informed choices and participate fully in their communities.
- Create Safer Communities:
Advance initiatives that prevent violence, promote respectful relationships and contribute to communities where people can feel safe, connected and empowered.
- Address the Drivers of Violence and Inequality:
Support evidence-informed approaches that address the social, cultural and structural factors that contribute to gender-based violence, discrimination and social disadvantage.
- Advance Research, Education and Advocacy:
Invest in research, evaluation, education and advocacy that strengthens understanding, informs practice and contributes to lasting social change.
- Foster Collaboration and Community Impact:
Work in partnership with individuals, communities, researchers, educators, service providers and policymakers to create sustainable and meaningful impact.
Where We Work
Birchtree Foundation partners with communities across Australia to deliver evidence-based prevention and recovery programs where they are needed most.
We work in rural, regional, and metropolitan settings, recognising that access to trauma-informed support should not depend on postcode.
Over the past eight years, we have delivered programs in communities including Orange, Dubbo, Tamworth, Coffs Harbour, Port Macquarie, Canberra, and beyond. Through local partnerships, we bring Empowered Self Defence (ESD) and Resources for Recovery programs directly to individuals and communities who may otherwise have limited access to specialist support.
We also work alongside universities, student accommodation providers, schools, community organisations, and workplaces to help create safer, more connected communities. By equipping people with practical skills, knowledge, and confidence, our programs contribute to the prevention of gender-based violence, strengthen community wellbeing, and support pathways to healing and recovery.
This combination of prevention, education, and recovery support allows us to reach people at different stages of their journey while fostering cultures of safety, respect, and empowerment across the communities we serve.