Harm Reduction Victoria
Harm Reduction Victoria is a peer-led nonprofit health promotion charity providing harm reduction services to people who use drugs in Victoria, Australia, including drug checking, naloxone distribution, overdose education, pharmacotherapy advocacy, and festival-based care through DanceWize.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1994
- HeadquartersNorth Melbourne, Australia
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Harm Reduction Victoria does
Harm Reduction Victoria (HRVic) is a peer-led, nonprofit health promotion charity founded in 1994 and headquartered in Brunswick, Victoria, Australia. The organization serves people who use drugs (PWUD) across the state of Victoria, delivering a portfolio of programs including DanceWize (festival and event-based peer care), the Drug Checking service (fixed site, mobile unit, and the Substance Using Research Group), naloxone distribution via Needle and Syringe Program sites and pharmacy networks, the DOPE overdose education program, PAMS pharmacotherapy advocacy and support, and hepatitis C support. Its delivery model is built on the founding principle of "nothing about us without us," with lived and living experience of drug use positioned as a core competency rather than a peripheral input. Operationally, HRVic runs with approximately 25 paid staff and a network of more than 200 DanceWize volunteers, giving it a workforce-heavy, labor-intensive cost structure rather than a technology- or platform-led one.
The organization's technology footprint is non-digital: services are predominantly delivered in person at NSP sites, pharmacies, festivals, and community venues, with no published platform, software product, or AI components. Program design follows a peer-led model formalized through the Lived and Living Experience Advisory Group (LLEAG), established in 2020, and through the 2025-2030 Strategic Plan, which sets the roadmap for the next phase of program expansion. The Drug Checking service is the most technically specialized offering, combining on-site analytical instrumentation with a community-led research arm (SURG), but it remains a human-staffed service rather than a technology product.
HRVic's revenue model is grant-funded rather than commercial. The Victorian Department of Health is the primary funder, with secondary income from membership fees and cost-recovery sales of harm reduction resources, including via an international e-commerce channel. Revenue figures are not disclosed. The Geographic footprint is principally Victoria, with model replication into NSW via a partnership with NUAA (the NSW Users and AIDS Association), which adopted the DanceWize model in 2017. There is no indication of equity funding, earned commercial revenue at scale, or non-government enterprise customers.
Harm Reduction Victoria firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Harm Reduction Victoria
- Legal name
- Harm Reduction Victoria Inc.
- Website
- https://hrvic.org.au
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1994
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Harm Reduction Victoria is a peer-led nonprofit health promotion charity providing harm reduction services to people who use drugs in Victoria, Australia, including drug checking, naloxone distribution, overdose education, pharmacotherapy advocacy, and festival-based care through DanceWize.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Harm Reduction Victoria industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Harm Reduction Services
- NAICS
- Individual and Family Services (6241), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Social Assistance (624)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Substance Use Recovery & Harm Reduction Support Services (BPAGAEAO)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Substance Use Disorder Prevention & Recovery Services (BPAGACAE), Community Health, Prevention & Health Education (BPAGACAC)
Keywords
Where Harm Reduction Victoria is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- North Melbourne
- HQ country
- Australia
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices2 records
Markets served
Harm Reduction Victoria business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Government Funding: Victorian Department of Health funded health promotion charity. Core operational costs for DanceWize covered by DoH.
- Membership Fees: Organization offers membership options for community involvement and support.
- Resource Sales: Harm reduction resources available for order at cost of printing plus postage fees. Merchandise such as tea towels ($15) and t-shirts ($35) also sold.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | DIY Printable Resources |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Print Resources - Cost Recovery |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Merchandise |
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Naloxone |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels9 records
Harm Reduction Victoria product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Harm Reduction Victoria is a peer-led nonprofit health promotion charity that delivers harm reduction education, advocacy, outreach, advice, support, information, and training to people who use drugs in Victoria, Australia. Core offerings include DanceWize peer care at festivals, drug checking at fixed and mobile sites, naloxone distribution and overdose education, PAMS pharmacotherapy phone support, hepatitis C testing/treatment peer support, the Stigma Project, and printed/downloadable harm reduction resources.
Product overview
Harm Reduction Victoria operates as a peer-led community organization offering a portfolio of harm reduction programs and services. The core offerings include DanceWize (festival and event peer care), PAMS (pharmacotherapy phone support), Drug Checking services, Naloxone distribution and training, Overdose Education (DOPE), and Hepatitis C peer support. The organization publishes WHACK Magazine and maintains an online store offering printable/downloadable harm reduction resources including substance-specific brochures, naloxone administration guides (5 to Life series), and safer using materials. All programs are peer-led by people with lived and living experience of substance use.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- DanceWize DanceWize is a peer-based alcohol and other drugs harm reduction program that delivers peer care and support services for music events and festivals across Victoria. It provides peer education, safer substance use resources, and referrals for mental and physical health issues in non-judgmental safe spaces at music events and festivals.
- PAMS (Pharmacotherapy Advocacy Mediation and Support) A phone-only service for people on pharmacotherapy (opioid dependency treatment) who need assistance or mediation to navigate and/or remain on the program within Victoria.
- DOPE (Overdose Education) Overdose education program that teaches recognition and response skills, including naloxone administration training offered free on the 1st of every month.
- Drug Checking Services Drug checking services including VPTS Fixed Site, Mobile sites-events, and Drug Checking SURG programs that provide substance testing and safety information to people who use drugs.
- Naloxone Program Free naloxone administration training and distribution of naloxone (including Prenoxad multi-dose syringe, Nyxoid nasal spray, and ampoules) to reverse opioid overdoses.
- Hep C - Testing/Treatment and Peer Support Hepatitis C testing, treatment information, and peer support services, including resources like the EC Ezy Card treatment resource and Bloody Serious Facts HCV training.
- The Stigma Project Initiative addressing stigma and discrimination experienced by people who use drugs through education and awareness programs.
- GoGo Project (Getting On and Getting Older) Program focused on supporting older people who use drugs with health and wellbeing resources tailored to their specific needs.
- Harm Reduction Resources (Online Store) Printable and downloadable harm reduction resources including substance-specific brochures, naloxone administration posters (5 to Life series), overdose recognition and response materials, Hepatitis C treatment posters, safer using tips, and educational materials available for order or free PDF download.
- WHACK Magazine A peer-written magazine publication covering issues related to people who use drugs, including personal stories, harm reduction information, and community news.
- DanceWize Key Peer Educator (KPE) Program Volunteer program training Key Peer Educators (KPEs) and Counsellors to provide peer support services at events, including First Aid (HLTAID003) and Mental Health First Aid training. Supported by 25 HRVic staff and 200+ volunteers.
Companies that use Harm Reduction Victoria
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Harm Reduction Victoria technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Harm Reduction Victoria partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- NUAA (NSW Users and AIDS Association)coreDanceWize program model was adopted in NSW in 2017 and is administered there by NUAA. HRVic is part of a national network which is able to support the emergence of similar programs in other parts of the country.
- Victorian Department of HealthcoreDanceWize is a Victorian Department of Health (DoH) funded health promotion charity. DoH covers core operational costs of DanceWize, allowing subsidised services at events.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Harm Reduction Victoria competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Penington Institute: Australian nonprofit focused on drug-related harm reduction, overdose prevention, and community education. Operates in overlapping advocacy and education space (including International Overdose Awareness Day) that complements HRVic's stigma reduction and naloxone work.
- NSW Users and AIDS Association (NUAA): The NSW peer-led drug user organization that adopted and administers the DanceWize model in NSW since 2017. Operates the same peer-led harm reduction, NSP, and advocacy portfolio in NSW that HRVic delivers in Victoria, making it the most direct operational and structural peer.
- CAHMA (Canberra Alliance for Harm Minimisation and Advocacy): ACT-based peer-led drug user organization providing peer advocacy, NSP services, naloxone distribution and pharmacotherapy support. Operates the same consumer-led harm reduction model in a different jurisdiction, making it a close functional peer to HRVic.
- Australian Injecting & Illicit Drug Users League (AIVL): The national peak body for state and territory peer-based drug user organizations, of which HRVic is a member. AIVL advocates federally on the same harm reduction, peer-led, lived-experience agenda and provides the national policy layer over organizations like HRVic.
- QuIHN (Queensland Injectors Health Network): Queensland peer-based organization offering NSP, peer education, and advocacy for people who use drugs. Mirrors HRVic's combination of service delivery, peer-led philosophy, and advocacy across a different state.
Regional players
- SHARC (Self Help Addiction Resource Centre): Victorian peer-support and advocacy organization for people affected by addiction, including families. Closely aligned with HRVic's peer and family support orientation in the same state, focusing on mutual aid and self-help groups rather than the direct service delivery that HRVic specializes in.
- Drug and Alcohol Services South Australia (DASSA): Government-run provider of drug and alcohol treatment and harm reduction services in South Australia. Covers overlapping service categories (NSP, pharmacotherapy, overdose prevention) but from a state-government, clinical posture rather than HRVic's peer-led, lived-experience model.
Broad incumbents
- Turning Point: Large clinical and research organization providing alcohol and other drug treatment, research and workforce development in Victoria. Operates in the same Victorian geography but from a clinical/research posture, representing a broad-incumbent complement to HRVic's peer-led services.
Emerging players
- The Loop Australia: Drug checking organization that has piloted substance testing services in Australia. Overlaps directly with HRVic's drug checking program in the specialized drug-checking niche rather than across the full harm reduction portfolio.
- Family Drug Support (FDS): Australia-wide peer-support organization for families affected by alcohol and drug use, with which HRVic partners around International Family Drug Support Day. Overlaps with HRVic's secondary segment of families affected by drug use but focused on the family side of the relationship.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Harm Reduction Victoria social profiles
Digital presenceHarm Reduction Victoria financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Harm Reduction Victoria leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Harm Reduction Victoria funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Harm Reduction Victoria M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Harm Reduction Victoria
What does Harm Reduction Victoria do?
Harm Reduction Victoria is a peer-led nonprofit health promotion charity that delivers harm reduction education, advocacy, outreach, advice, support, information, and training to people who use drugs in Victoria, Australia. Core offerings include DanceWize peer care at festivals, drug checking at fixed and mobile sites, naloxone distribution and overdose education, PAMS pharmacotherapy phone support, hepatitis C testing/treatment peer support, the Stigma Project, and printed/downloadable harm reduction resources.
Is Harm Reduction Victoria a public or private company?
Harm Reduction Victoria is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Harm Reduction Victoria founded?
Harm Reduction Victoria was founded in 1994. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Harm Reduction Victoria based?
Harm Reduction Victoria is headquartered in North Melbourne, Australia, in the Oceania region.
How does Harm Reduction Victoria make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Government Funding is the primary driver. The others are membership Fees and resource Sales.
Who are Harm Reduction Victoria's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Penington Institute, NSW Users and AIDS Association (NUAA), CAHMA (Canberra Alliance for Harm Minimisation and Advocacy), Australian Injecting & Illicit Drug Users League (AIVL) and QuIHN (Queensland Injectors Health Network). Regional players are SHARC (Self Help Addiction Resource Centre) and Drug and Alcohol Services South Australia (DASSA). Turning Point is listed as a broad incumbent. Emerging players are The Loop Australia and Family Drug Support (FDS).
Does Harm Reduction Victoria have an API?
No public API is recorded for Harm Reduction Victoria.
What industry is Harm Reduction Victoria in?
Harm Reduction Victoria's product category is Harm Reduction Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAEAO, Substance Use Recovery & Harm Reduction Support Services, with a secondary code of BPAGACAE, Substance Use Disorder Prevention & Recovery Services. Its NAICS code is 6241 and its SIC code is 8300.