Safety and Support (SAS) Assessment Workshops: You asked us…we did it!

The Safety and Support (SAS) Assessment for Independent Sexual Violence Advisers (ISVAs) was launched by LimeCulture back in 2017. Since then, the SAS is now widely used by the majority of ISVA services to identify, monitor and manage the individual risk and needs of clients. It is the foundation for the Support Plans that are put in place by ISVAs to ensure that individual clients are supported effectively. 

Back in 2017, LimeCulture held 12 training workshops, reaching over 100 ISVAs, on the safe use of the SAS Assessment which was developed for ISVAs by LimeCulture with funding from the Home Office. SAS Assessment training is now also included on the LimeCulture ISVA Development Programme for new ISVAs, reaching 75-100 more new ISVAs each year. However, LimeCulture has received numerous requests from ISVA service managers and experienced ISVAs to provide further training sessions on the use of the SAS Assessment to continue to support ISVAs to effectively manage their clients’ support.

In response to these requests, LimeCulture designed a series of dial-in workshops to improve confidence and competence in using the SAS Assessment. This series of dial-in workshops will means that ISVAs are not required to travel to attend training, they can dial-in to have direct access to the LimeCulture Trainers as part of small group of ISVAs, which will allow for meaningful discussion and the opportunity to ask questions about the practical use of the SAS Assessment and how it can be best used to support ISVA service provision.  The cost of the training is £56 + VAT per person. 

 

If you are interested in attending one of the dial-in workshops in this series, please express an interest by emailing  info@limeculture.co.uk where you will be given further details of the training and the available dates in this series of dial-in training.

5 new funded services join Independent Accreditation Programme for Quality Standards for Services Supporting Male Victims/Survivors of Sexual Violence

Thanks to funding from Lloyds Bank Foundation for England and Wales, the Male Survivors Partnership in conjunction with LimeCulture CIC, are pleased to announce that 5 new services are participating in the Independent Accreditation Programme for the Quality Standards for Services Supporting Male Victims/Survivors of Sexual Violence in 2019 free of charge.

We welcome two Higher Education establishments’ Sexual Violence Liaison Officer (SVLO) services to the Accreditation Programme for the first time, recognising the value and significance of the Quality Standards being applied across all sectors.

The 5 services who submitted successful applications to receive the funding for a place on the programme are:

1. Circles South East Counselling Service for Survivors
2. RASASC North Wales Counselling
3. Renaissance ISVA service
4. London South Bank University SVLO service
5. The University of Sheffield SVLO service

Background information

Since their launch in January 2018, the Quality Standards for Services Supporting Male Victims/Survivors of Sexual Violence have been downloaded hundreds of times, and we already have over forty services that are working towards accreditation.  This means many services are already working to improve consistency, practice and the overall quality of services supporting male victims/survivors.

The Quality Standards and the Implementation Guidance for Commissioners and Service Providers are available online, free of charge: http://www.malesurvivor.co.uk/implementation-guidance-online.pdf

 

For more information about joining LimeCulture’s Independent Accreditation Programme, please email accreditation@limeculture.co.uk

Free ‘Knowledge & Network Event’ for Sexual Violence Service Providers- now open for bookings!

LimeCulture is delighted to be hosting a free Knowledge & Network Event for providers of support services for victims/survivors of sexual violence on Wednesday 17 July 2019 in central London (12noon-6pm).

Places have been funded by the Home Office as part of our Spreading Excellence Project, which aims to improve the capacity of the sexual violence sector, particularly the voluntary sector, through improving knowledge and awareness of local commissioning arrangements.

Local commissioning arrangements are increasingly important for the sustainability of the specialist sexual violence sector and it is vital that service providers recognise – and can respond to – the opportunities that local commissioning arrangements can provide.

This major event will be chaired by Dame Vera Baird, the newly appointed Victims’ Commissioner for England and Wales, and provides a unique opportunity to focus on improving the provision of sexual violence support services through engagement with local commissioning processes.

Attendees will have the opportunity to:

  • Hear from policy leads about the direction of travel for commissioning sexual violence support services,
  • Share expertise with likeminded providers,
  • Learn about how local commissioners operate and the differing roles and responsibilities for the range of local commissioners,
  • Hear from service providers who have been commissioned to deliver vital support services for victim/survivors in their area,
  • Increase the opportunity to positively engage with local commissioners by ensuring the expertise of the specialist sexual violence sector is understood and valued,
  • Identify solutions to improve responses and raise service standards for victim/survivors,
  • Discuss how to improve service delivery through collaboration and partnership working.

This Knowledge & Network Event is suitable for Managers, Senior Leaders and Trustees of (commissioned and un-commissioned) services providing:

  • Counselling and therapy services
  • Independent Sexual Violence Adviser (ISVA) Services
  • Helplines & advisory services
  • Support Groups (such as peer support)
  • Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs)
  • Online support
  • Any other support service for victim/survivors of sexual violence.

This event will also be useful to local commissioners who can learn about how victims/survivors are supported in other areas through the commissioning process.

The Knowledge & Network Event will start at 12noon and finish at 6pm to allow for easier and more cost-effective travel to central London. There will be plenty of opportunity to meet and network with other service providers, commissioners and policy leads, as well as the opportunity to hear and contribute to panel discussions made up of speakers representing service providers, commissioners and policy leads. There will also be interactive group sessions to discuss key themes relevant to service providers wishing to engage with local commissioning processes.

Maximum numbers will apply due to the venue restrictions, so early booking is suggested.

To book your place at the Knowledge & Network Event please complete the booking form here

For further information, please email Spreading.Excellence@limeculture.co.uk