Breaking The Cycle Newsletter – June 2022

Lucy’s Update

We hope you had a lovely long bank holiday weekend as part of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Celebrations. Welcome to our June Newsletter!

Community Advocate Scheme

This month, we are delighted to launch our Community Advocate Scheme which you can find out more about on our website www.alphavesta.com/community-advocate Our Community Advocate Scheme is a free scheme across the country and is simply a commitment that you:-

• acknowledge the impact that domestic abuse has across the community and within the workplace.
• support prevention and early intervention around domestic abuse across your community and workforce.

Your logo will be displayed on our Partners and Sponsors page as a Community Advocate in your area and shared across our social media platforms.

You will also be provided with a Community Advocate Certificate and signed Commitment to display across your business or organisation which provides enormous connection with your community and a strong association with a safe, supportive and understanding brand.

We look forward to welcoming individuals, employers, businesses and organisations engage with our Community Advocate Scheme.

New CPD Accreditation – Impact of Domestic Abuse on Children and Young People – 4hrs CPD

This month, we are also delighted to announced that we have a brand new CPD Accreditation – ‘Impact on of Domestic Abuse on Children and Young People – 4hrs CPD’.

This new accreditation is for those that have had full attendance at both our ‘Impact of Domestic Abuse on Children’ and ‘Impact of Domestic Abuse on Children and Young People’ – Extra Familial Harm’ sessions and who then contact us to complete an online assessment to be awarded the Accreditation. You can book on the sessions through our website www.alphavesta.com/our-training. Please contact us at enquiries@alphavesta.com if you have completed both sessions within the last 3 months and would like to take the online assessment to be awarded our brand new CPD Accreditation.

The Accreditation is geared towards anyone that works with children or young people or those that have contact with children and young people through their community. It also builds understanding for employers and workforces to understand further the impact that domestic abuse has across the family and how a colleague or employee, may be managing a number of complex issues at home.

Long-Term Impact – Feedback Survey

Whilst we encourage all attendees at our training sessions to complete an online feedback survey after each session, we would also invite anyone that has completed any of our training sessions to share with us any long-term feedback they have further down the line.

You may have completed training 3 to 6 months ago, even longer, but can share how the training may have shaped your understanding of domestic abuse which is still ongoing. You may have some examples of how your learning has gone on or been shared amongst colleagues, family or friends. We would love your insight and thoughts around this and have launched a very short feedback survey for you to complete. We would be so grateful if you had the time just to take part in it to ensure our training is providing long-term impact across your community or workforce https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/2PLKNF3

I have chosen some interesting articles which caught my eye in the news this month (see Domestic Abuse in the News section). One is around the issues we have with domestic abuse in connection with housing, and the difficulty in evidencing domestic abuse to achieve a high priority status in terms of being rehoused. Also, an article by IBB Law on some of the changes being proposed and piloted within family court. I have also included the new open consultation guidance on the DVDS (Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme aka Clare’s Law) which is seeking views up until 2nd July. Clare’s Law allows members of the public to ask police for information on their partner’s criminal history and therefore know if their partner poses a risk to them.

Look forward to seeing you soon.
Lucy Whittaker

Founding Director and Lead Trainer of Alpha Vesta CIC

The 9th and 10th of May were a very exciting couple of days for Alpha Vesta.  I spent 2 days in Norwich, presenting all about the work we do here at Alpha Vesta to the Leaders of Norwich City Council and the Mayor of Norwich.  Monday was spent in the Council Chambers, delivering our presentation to the Leaders and Managers.  Employees of the council were also able to join us and it was so rewarding to see how open and receptive all attendees were to our Domestic Abuse training programme focused on breaking the cycle.  

I also had the honour of presenting the first Alpha Vesta Community Advocate certificate, to Debbie Rowden, an advocate for raising an awareness around domestic abuse at Norwich City Council.  Norwich City Council are the first to engage and commit to our Alpha Vesta Charter and we are honoured that this has been signed by the Council Leader and Mayor.  We thank them for leading the way with this initiative and are so excited to be working along side them in their journey towards “Breaking the Cycle” of domestic abuse.

On another note……… Walkabout Wednesday came to a rather abrupt halt, after breaking my foot hurrying for a train at Fenchurch Street station!  Not how I planned the end of the evening, but at least I didn’t fall down the GAP!!!!!!  Oh well, 6 weeks in with my delightful surgical boot, only one more X-ray and hopefully if all good, then I will be to be back out and about again around the County.

Walk about Wednesday – on hold!

Dates for the Diary

Domestic Abuse: in the news

• Inside Housing – News – High Court quashes G15 landlord’s decision not to prioritise domestic abuse survivor for rehousing
• Support for Domestic Violence Victims & the Voices of Children – IBB Law
• https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/domestic-violence-disclosure-scheme-guidance

National Support & Help

National 24hr Domestic Abuse Helpline 0808 2000 247 For women and children experiencing domestic abuse

Men’s Advice Line 0808 801 0327 For men experiencing domestic abuse

RESPECT 0808 802 4040 For those concerned that they may be using abusive behaviours

NSPCC Helpline 0808 800 5000 If you are concerned about a child

Samaritans 116 123 For those struggling in terms of their mental health and feeling in crisis

NCDV 0800 970 2070 free, fast emergency injunction service for survivors of domestic abuse

Essex Regional Support & Help

Alpha Vesta 01245 791281 For employers and employees concerned about a staff member

Compass 0330 333 7 444 Compass is being delivered by a consortium of established domestic abuse support agencies including; Safe Steps, Changing Pathways and The Next Chapter. The aim is to provide a single point of access for callers to speak with a trained member of staff who will complete an assessment and ensure contact is made with the most appropriate support service.

The Change Project 01245 258 680 Committed to preventing conflict in relationships and working with both perpetrators, victims and their children.