This presentation summarises the initial findings from a three-year evaluation of the Women's Outreach Trauma Health Service (WORTH) program, commissioned by Northern Rivers Women and Children’s Service (NORWACS) and led by Gender and Disaster Australia.

The WORTH program was initiated and is implemented by NORWACS. It aims to support women and children affected by family violence in the Northern Rivers region following the 2022 floods. This presentation provides insights into the program's evaluation, which examined its effectiveness in meeting its objectives, identifying program gaps, user satisfaction, and social impact.

The evaluation employed a mixed-methods approach to assess the program's effectiveness, which included surveys, interviews, focus groups, and logic model development. Despite the challenges posed by the 2022 floods, the preliminary findings suggest that the WORTH program successfully met the immediate needs of its participants, particularly in terms of psychosocial well-being, diverse support services, and affordability. The evaluation also revealed challenges related to post-disaster barriers, such as transportation and participant readiness. Addressing these will facilitate the program's sustained positive impact.

The presentation emphasises the importance of a robust evaluation framework that positions the program for adaptation and sustained success through continued growth and learning. GADAus, as the external evaluator, further strengthened the evaluation framework, working closely with NORWACS in both the design and implementation. Overall, it highlights the WORTH program's significant potential to support women and children affected by family violence, particularly in the aftermath of a disaster as catastrophic as the Lismore and Northern Rivers region floods. The findings from the evaluation underscore the importance of addressing program gaps, improving accessibility and participant readiness, and providing diverse support services to ensure the program's continued success.