About Zig Zag

Zig Zag Young Women’s Resource Centre Inc. incorporates a range of services for young women in the wider Brisbane region.

Zig Zag provides a place of healing, support, and social action and change for young women aged 12-25 years. As a feminist service, we are committed to working alongside young women and acknowledging their expertise in their own lives. We acknowledge that social, political, cultural and economic contexts limits young women’s power, creating vulnerability and disadvantage.

In particular, Zig Zag provides services to young women who are homeless or at risk of homelessness and young women who are survivors of sexual violence.

Zig Zag recognises the diversity amongst young women and we work in a way that promotes safety, and is collaborative, inclusive, supportive and respectful. Zig Zag is committed to ethical practice and a process of continuous reflection and development that is informed by young women, practice wisdom and shared knowledge.

Our Values

Young women's voices

We recognise young women’s knowledge, experiences and abilities/capacities. We seek to work in ways that maximise young women’s control and self-determination in all areas of their lives.

Relationships are essential

We recognise the importance of building respectful relationships with young women based on open communication, confidentiality, transparency, non-judgment, compassion and understanding.

Diversity

We value the difference owned and experienced by all women from all cultures, religions, sexualities, classes, ages, abilities and ethnicities. We will:

value and honour difference;
use an intersectional analysis to understand how gender, race, class, culture and other factors intersect; and
challenge dominant social and political systems that maintain positions of privilege and power whilst disadvantaging some groups.

Collaboration

We use decision making processes that encourage input from all involved to reach agreement before action is taken.

Process

We believe that how we do things is as important as the outcomes achieved. We are committed to working alongside young women in ways that are respectful, shared and inclusive, with the goal of reaching a desired outcome.

Creativity

We are innovative in all aspects and levels of work within Zig Zag.

Challenges

We acknowledge the social, political, cultural and economic contexts that limit young women’s power, creating vulnerability and disadvantage. We will work alongside young women to advocate for social change and to develop community responses to end homelessness and all forms of violence against women.

Our life journey is not linear

it runs a zigzag course

How it all began

Zig Zag was established in May 1988, as an initiative of the Youth Advocacy Centre to provide a service that responded to the unique needs of young women in the Brisbane region; these identified needs included responding to issues relating to sexual violence and harassment, accommodation and the need to create a safe place for young women to obtain advice, support and information without fear of ridicule or harassment.

Established as a community based organisation based on principles of feminism and community development, the office was located in Fortitude Valley before relocating to Camp Hill in 1991, where Zig Zag is still currently situated. Funding was initially allocated for two full-time positions in the role of Young Women’s Community Resource Workers. By 1989 funding was received for three roles these were a part time Housing Worker, Incest/Sexual Abuse Support Worker and a Health Worker.

Over the last thirty years, Zig Zag has facilitated many projects and workshops including the “Redressing Brisbane Project”, “I Decide Project” and “Speak Up Speak Out”. The organisation has published resources including, “Connecting The Threads – A Resource for Workers Working With Sexually Abused Young Women”, “Lighting The Path”, “Healing is Possible”, “Somewhere To Call Home” and hosted many Young Women’s Forums where young women have been able to make recommendations to workers, organisations and Government policy makers on how to best meet their needs.