Support for Carers
A carer is someone who provides unpaid care for another person who is aged or has dementia, a disability, a mental illness or an ongoing medical condition.
Enhancing Abilities ● Supporting Families ● Strengthening Communities
Support for carers
Do you care for someone? Do you need some help?
You may be a spouse or partner, relative, friend or neighbour. You may be older or younger than the person you care for. You may live with that person or live separately. You may become a carer by choice or by necessity.
Caring can be a rewarding experience, but it can also be demanding, challenging and sometimes overwhelming.
Mpower Supporting Carers Program
The Mpower Supporting Carers program is funded by the Victorian Government to provide a range of one-off or short-term supports to supplement other services or fill service gaps.
How we can help
Support in your caring role
The Mpower Supporting Carers Program can assist you in your caring role by providing:
Funding short-term, flexible respite
Providing additional one-off or short-term supports, including goods and equipment to supplement other services or fill service gaps
Providing opportunities and activities to connect with other carers, share knowledge, support, experiences and to have some time out from your caring role
We recognise that all carers are different and that each care relationship is unique and as a result, Mpower aims to provide flexible support that works for you and the person you care for. All funding requests are assessed individually and funding is allocated on an as needs basis.
Get in touch
To get in touch with Carer Connect please call (03) 5561 8111
More information
Helpful programs
Victorian Support for Carers ProgramFind out more at vic.gov.au Carer Card Program
Find out more at carercard.vic.gov.au
Elder Abuse Prevention
The South West Elder Abuse Prevention Network
Preventing Elder Abuse in South West Victoria is Everybody’s Business – Creating Communities Where Older People Are Valued, Respected and Safe
The South West Elder Abuse Prevention Network (SWEAPN) unites community organisations, local government, health services, aged care providers and community members to prevent elder abuse and promote positive attitudes towards ageing across South West Victoria.
Mpower Inc. auspices the Network, providing leadership, coordination and support for regional collaboration. Through shared learning, partnerships and community initiatives, the Network builds communities where people are respected, included and valued.
Together, we can challenge ageism and strengthen community connections so older people live with dignity, safety and respect.
Preventing elder abuse is everybody’s business. Our vision is a community where people of every age are valued, respected and safe, and where older people can participate fully in community life free from ageism, discrimination and abuse.
South West Elder Abuse Prevention Network · auspiced by Mpower Inc.
About the Network
The South West Elder Abuse Prevention Network brings together organisations and community members across the region to address the underlying drivers of elder abuse and help to create communities where older people can thrive.
Members represent health and wellbeing services, aged care providers, local government, community organisations, and legal and advocacy services.
Together, members build awareness, knowledge, community capacity and positive attitudes towards ageing across the South West.
Understanding Elder Abuse
Elder abuse is any act that harms an older person, and it most often occurs within relationships where an older person should be able to expect trust, care and respect.
Elder abuse can include:
Recognising elder abuse helps create communities where older people are safe and supported.
Why Prevention Matters
Responding to harm is vital, but preventing abuse creates safer, stronger and more inclusive communities.
Research shows ageism, social isolation and discrimination can create conditions where abuse is more likely. The Elder Abuse Prevention Networks across the state address these drivers through community education, awareness, and collective action.
Elder abuse does not occur in isolation. Communities where older people feel connected, valued and included are communities where abuse is less likely to occur. By addressing ageism, strengthening social connections and promoting respect across generations, prevention helps create safer communities for everyone.
Our work
What We Do
Build Community Awareness
Supporting conversations and initiatives about elder abuse, its impacts and prevention.
Challenge Ageism
Promoting positive, realistic views of ageing and challenging stereotypes that undervalue older people or limit their participation.
Strengthen Professional Capacity
Helping organisations and professionals recognise elder abuse, strengthen prevention and improve the awareness of referral pathways.
Foster Community Connection
Encouraging belonging, participation and intergenerational relationships to build stronger, more inclusive communities.
Facilitate Collective Action
Bringing organisations together to coordinate action, share knowledge and address the drivers of elder abuse across the South West.
Preventing elder abuse requires collective action.
The Network welcomes organisations, professionals and community members.
Get involvedIn the community
Our Community Initiatives
Through local projects, events and partnerships, the Network turns awareness into action and creates opportunities for community conversations, learning and positive ageing.
World Elder Abuse Awareness Day
Each year, we mark World Elder Abuse Awareness Day with local organisations and communities, encouraging conversations about older people’s dignity, respect and rights.
International Women’s Day
Through initiatives such as International Women’s Day events, the Network highlights gendered ageism and how age and gender stereotypes intersect. These initiatives amplify women’s voices, celebrate their contributions and challenge attitudes that undervalue them, promoting respect, inclusion and participation at every stage of life.
Community Education
The Network supports and delivers presentations, workshops, information sessions and resources to build understanding of elder abuse prevention.
Positive Ageing Projects
Through storytelling, community engagement and awareness campaigns, we promote positive ageing and challenge stereotypes.
Community Partnerships
The Network partners with organisations across the South West to strengthen prevention and create lasting community change.
Timeless Voices
Positive Ageing Stories
Sharing experiences, strengths and contributions is a powerful way to challenge ageism.
Mpower’s Timeless Voices film series shares local stories that encourage reflection on ageing, challenge stereotypes and celebrate diverse contributions to community life.
Meet Shirley
Meet Janet
Meet Jill
Positive representations of ageing help challenge ageism, one of the key drivers of elder abuse.
Need Support?
Support is available if you or someone you know may be experiencing elder abuse.
Seniors Rights Victoria
1300 368 8211800 ELDERHelp
1800 353 374Victoria Police – Call 000 in an emergency
000If you’re concerned about an older person, a trusted professional or support service can help.
Join the Network
Get Involved
Preventing elder abuse requires collective action.
The Network welcomes organisations, professionals and community members committed to communities where older people are respected, included and valued.
Get involved to connect with local organisations and professionals, support awareness activities, access resources and learning opportunities, and contribute to positive ageing initiatives—creating meaningful change across South West Victoria.
Contact Us
To learn more or get involved, contact:
Frazer Ormondroyd
Phone
03 5561 8111
Email
formondroyd@mpower.org.au
Together, we can build a community where ALL people are valued, respected and thrive at every stage of life.
Community
Spirited, Wise and Wonderful Photographic Exhibition
The Mpower Spirited, Wise and Wonderful Photographic Exhibition acknowledges and celebrates the achievements, contribution and spirit of older adults of the South West region in order to challenge negative stereotypes and perceptions of ageing.
All photographs must include an older adult living in the South West Region.
For the purposes of this promotion the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) definition of an older adult being aged 65 years and over is used.
Portraits can be entered however please note this is not a portrait prize, photographs should be a current photo of an older adult capturing their meaningful life.
Categories include:
- Junior photographer 9 – 15 years old.
- Adult photographer 16 years and older.
A selection of entries will be exhibited throughout June to recognise World Elder Abuse Awareness Day 15th June.
Entries close 5pm, Sunday 17 May 2026
Exhibitions and launches will be held in Warrnambool, Portland and Hamilton.
- Entries close at 5pm on Sunday 17 May 2026.
- Successful entrants will be notified by Friday 22 May 2026.
- Exhibition held from 9 June 2026.
- Venue : TBC
To submit your entry please use the Entry Form below.
Download Entry FormAwards
- Judges choice for best junior entry - photographer receives $100 giftcard and $50 giftcard for portrait subject.
- Judges choice for best adult entry - photographer receives $100 giftcard and $50 giftcard for portrait subject.
- Peoples choice for best junior - $50 giftcard for photographer
- Peoples choice for best adult - $50 for photographer
- Photographers of other 9 entries selected for exhibition will receive a $50 giftcard.
If you have any questions please contact Tracy McKendry on 5561 8111 or email tmckendry@mpower.org.au.
Good luck!
Important information
2026 Spirited, Wise and Wonderful Photographic Exhibition
Conditions Of Entry
- All entries are to be the original work of the entrant.
- The entrant and the subject (person in the photo) must reside in either Warrnambool, Glenelg, Moyne, Corangamite or Southern Grampians local government areas.
- A limit of (1) image per entrant will be accepted. Each entry will be judged individually.
- Photographs can be taken in any style or format (black and white, or colour). Photographs can be taken with either a Smartphone image or a Digital Camera.
- The entrant is deemed to have accepted sole responsibility for ensuring that the subject has provided their consent to be photographed for this campaign and for the photograph to be exhibited.
- The entrant is deemed to have accepted sole responsibility for ensuring that their entry does not infringe on any relevant copyright.
- All entries are to be available for reproduction and/or publication by Mpower Inc. for the purposes of the exhibition, with copyright being retained by the photographer.
- Successful images printed for the purposes of the competition and exhibition will not be for sale. All printed and mounted images remain the property of Mpower.
- The competition is open to the general public. Mpower staff and family connected to the selection process are not permitted to enter.
- An older adult, for the purpose of this campaign, is defined as a person over the age of 65 years.
Selection
- Mpower Inc. reserves the right to select the final images for inclusion in the exhibition.
- Selectors will consider the following criteria of each image:
- visual and aesthetic appeal
- content (mood; emotion; relevance; subject; impact)
- general characteristics (originality; style; context; photographic vision)
- The selectors decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.
How To Submit Entries
- Entries in the Mpower Spirited, Wise and Wonderful Photographic Exhibition will be accepted ONLINE ONLY please email tmckendry@mpower.org.au.
- If this is not possible please contact Tracy McKendry at Mpower on 5561 8111 to discuss options.
- Smartphone images must be supplied at ‘Actual Size’.
- Digital Camera images must be of high resolution and fit required format 3:2 ratio (portrait or landscape) for printing purposes. Images not in the required 3:2 ratio may not be accepted or may be cropped during printing. Minimum file size 1MB maximum file size 12MB.
- Entrants must follow the following file name protocol when uploading images: ENTRANT’S FIRST INITIAL_ENTRANT’S SURNAME_TITLE
The title must include the photographed persons first name
Example: A_SMITH_FARMER SHIRLEY
You will receive a confirmation email upon completion of your entry. If no email is received, please contact the exhibition organiser at tmckendry@mpower.org.au