Read Stories from Foundation House

More than Just Words: The 20th Anniversary of the Victorian Foundation for Survivors of Torture

“We started with one house and a pile of dreams. There was an incredible and sometimes naïve belief in what we were going to accomplish. We started off thinking that if we could get 8 to 10 staff, things would be great. When you look back over 20 years and trace how we have grown from 1, to 3, to 5, to 10, to 24, to 36, to 50 and now to about 100 staff, and think about the scope of our work, the Foundation is always changing – for the better."  (Paris Aristotle – Director, Foundation House)

The 20th Anniversary of the Victorian Foundation for Survivors of Torture (1987 – 2007) is a significant milestone. To commemorate this milestone the Foundation decided to create a publication that would document something of the history and the work of the organisation, through the stories of clients, staff, Board of Management Members, Patrons, supporters and friends.

The initial process involved a series of 12 interviews. People were asked to describe their impressions and memories of the organisation. Clients told stories of their arrival in Australia, the memories they carried with them and the sheer relief they experienced in finding much needed support through Foundation House. Board members, staff and supporters described their involvement in, and history with the organisation. Many spoke of the humbling impact that Foundation House had had on their lives. All of them described the sense of community and purpose it had engendered.

Click here to read “More than Just Words”