What we have reviewed

Our review has considered:

• participant feedback and experiences
• attendance, engagement and return participation
• barriers that may affect women’s ability to participate regularly
• the structure and professional delivery of ROSE
• the importance of social connection within the program
• the ongoing costs of operating a regular weekly program
• current Australian and international research relating to physical activity, trauma and family, domestic and gender-based violence
• trauma-informed physical activity research and practice recommendations
• comparable programs currently operating throughout Australia
• different approaches to funding, participant contributions and program structure
• the longer-term development and sustainability of ROSE.

This has allowed us to look at ROSE not only as it operates today, but at what we want it to become.

Understanding the broader family and domestic violence context

Our review has also considered the broader Australian evidence and policy context relating to violence against women, including Our Watch’s Change the Story framework.

Change the Story is Australia’s evidence-based framework for the primary prevention of violence against women and provides a national approach to addressing the underlying gendered drivers of violence before it occurs (Our Watch, 2021).

ROSE operates at a different point. It supports women who have already experienced family and domestic violence and provides a trauma-informed opportunity for physical activity, connection and wellbeing.

Understanding this distinction is important. Preventing violence before it occurs must remain a national priority, while there is also an ongoing need for appropriate, evidence-informed opportunities for women living with the impacts of violence.

Our review has therefore considered both the broader Australian framework for preventing violence against women and the emerging evidence relating specifically to physical activity, trauma and recovery following family and domestic violence.

What current research is telling us

The research in this area is still developing, and we believe it is important not to make claims beyond what the evidence currently supports.

However, the direction of the evidence is encouraging.

A systematic review of 11 physical activity intervention studies involving women who had experienced gender-based violence found that trauma- and violence-informed physical activity interventions may be acceptable and feasible and may have positive associations with mental health and wellbeing (Baker et al., 2025).

Importantly for ROSE, the review also identified the significance of the social environment, including group cohesion, collective support, safety and motivation, and considered retention and participation as important aspects of intervention feasibility (Baker et al., 2025).

Recent Australian research from the University of Canberra’s WEST Project provides further insight. Kelly et al. (2026) evaluated a 10-week strength-training program for women who had experienced intimate partner violence and found improvements across a range of mental health and wellbeing measures.

Participants also described the structured nature of the program as providing motivation and routine. The researchers identified the regular training schedule as an important “anchor point” during difficult periods of life and highlighted the value of structure during trauma recovery (Kelly et al., 2026).

Social connection was also an important finding. WEST participants described meaningful relationships, mutual encouragement and the value of having somewhere regular to go. Structured group exercise also provided opportunities for connection without requiring women to discuss their trauma (Kelly et al., 2026).

Broader trauma-informed physical activity research supports these principles. Mind (2026) recommends consistency in staff, timing and structure because knowing what to expect can reduce uncertainty and help build trust. The research highlights predictable sessions, including familiar locations, session structures and facilitators, while retaining participant choice in how they engage.

The same report highlights the importance of informal social spaces and peer support, including opportunities for conversation before, during and after physical activity (Mind, 2026).

These findings have helped inform our thinking about the next phase of ROSE.

Consistency matters

The next part of our review identified that consistency has two parts.

The first is what the Foundation provides.

We want women to know that ROSE is a regular Friday program, delivered in a familiar environment with reliable, professional and consistent facilitation.

This consistency is important in trauma-informed practice. Mind (2026) found that regular session times, familiar places and familiar faces can help participants develop routine, while consistent and supportive relationships can help people feel safer and more at ease.

The second part of consistency is participation.

We encourage women to attend ROSE as regularly as their circumstances allow because routine, familiarity, progression and relationships take time to build.

At the same time, we recognise the very real factors that can affect attendance, including health, caring responsibilities, children, appointments, employment and the circumstances surrounding recovery from family and domestic violence.

Our approach is therefore one of encouragement rather than judgement.

Learning from programs across Australia

We have also carefully examined how other Australian programs in this area are structured and funded. There is no single model.

The University of Canberra’s WEST Project is a free, evidence-based strength-training program supported through university and philanthropic partnership and operates in structured 10-week blocks (University of Canberra, n.d.).

PCYC Queensland’s RUBY program provides a free physical fitness program for women who are, have been, or are likely to be experiencing domestic and family violence (PCYC Queensland, n.d.).

Left Write Hook operates an eight-week trauma-informed boxing and writing program. Its current model has a total program cost of $400, with a flexible pay-what-you-want option available where financial assistance is needed (Left Write Hook, n.d.).

Resilience Boxing in the Northern Territory operates as a 12-week trauma-informed clinical recovery program for women and gender-diverse people affected by gendered violence. Its current model includes fees of approximately $8–$10 per session, with free places available where cost is a barrier (Charles Darwin University, 2026).

These programs are different in their populations, activities, funding and organisational structures, so we are not seeking to simply replicate any one of them.

What the review has shown us is that trauma-informed physical activity programs can be delivered through different combinations of institutional support, grants, philanthropy, sponsorship and participant contributions.

It has also shown us that several established Australian programs use a defined program structure of approximately eight to twelve weeks.

ROSE is not moving to a fixed-block program at this stage, but this is an area we intend to continue examining as the program develops.

The next phase of ROSE

The introduction of a $10 participant contribution will begin on Friday 28th August 2026, and will applies to each Friday ROSE session.

Bookings are made in advance through Humanitix and must be completed prior to 12:00pm (midday) on the day before the session.

At this stage, participants will continue to book individual Friday sessions rather than enrolling in a fixed program block. We encourage participants to book ahead and participate regularly so they can experience the routine, progression and connection that ROSE is designed to provide.

The $10 contribution supports the professional delivery and ongoing operation of ROSE, including helping us maintain reliable and consistent facilitation from week to week.

Bookings are for the selected session and are non-refundable and non-transferable in the event of participant cancellation, change of mind or non-attendance.

Why introduce a participant contribution?

The Sarah Ford Foundation remains actively committed to sourcing grant funding, sponsorship and community partnerships for ROSE.

That will not change.

Our longer-term hope is that sufficient external funding may once again enable ROSE to be provided without a participant contribution, reducing financial barriers to attendance.

However, our experience has also shown us that relying entirely on external grant funding is not a sustainable way to operate a regular program throughout the year. Funding is often competitive, time-limited or tied to particular activities and may not cover all of the recurring costs associated with ongoing program delivery.

The $10 contribution is therefore one part of a broader sustainability model. It does not represent the full cost of delivering ROSE, and it does not replace our work to secure external funding.

Importantly, introducing a clearer booking and participation model will also help us continue evaluating ROSE. Over time, this will give us better information about engagement, retention, participant experience and outcomes and help us determine whether ROSE should eventually develop into a more defined session-based program.

Any future change of that nature would be considered separately and informed by participant feedback, evaluation and emerging research.

Accessibility remains important

We are very conscious that even a modest participant contribution can be significant when someone is experiencing financial pressure.

We do not want financial circumstances to become a barrier to participating in ROSE.

This is another reason why the Foundation will continue actively seeking external funding. Our aim is to build a sustainable program while also working towards reducing financial barriers wherever grants, sponsorship and community support allow us to do so.

We are still seeking funding

We will continue seeking grants, corporate sponsorship and community partnerships to support and strengthen ROSE.

Areas we particularly want to develop include:

• crèche and childcare support
• tea, coffee and refreshments
• participant resources and program materials
• support to reduce financial barriers
• program evaluation and development
• additional opportunities for connection and participation
• the future growth and sustainability of ROSE.

The introduction of a participant contribution does not mean that responsibility for the future of ROSE shifts entirely to the women who attend it.

It gives us one additional tool to help keep the program operating while we continue building broader support around it.

To women considering ROSE

If you are considering coming to ROSE for the first time, you do not need to already be fit or confident with exercise.

ROSE is about much more than completing a workout.

You may value the movement, the routine, the chance to become stronger, the conversation afterwards, meeting other women, or simply having somewhere familiar to come on a Friday.

We encourage regular participation because we believe consistency has value, but we also understand that life does not always run according to plan.

Our role is to continue building a program that is safe, professional, welcoming, evidence-informed and worth returning to.

The pilot phase has helped us understand what ROSE can be.

The next phase is about strengthening our program so you gain maximum benefit.