Wave 9 of the Quality Standards for ISVA Services is now open!

LimeCulture is today opening a new application window for ISVA services wishing to join the Independent Accreditation Programme for the Quality Standards for ISVA Services.

The Quality Standards for ISVA Services aim to ensure every victim and survivor of sexual violence can access a high-quality, well managed ISVA service wherever they are in the country, and whether or not they have chosen to engage with the criminal justice system. The standards provide a benchmark for services to monitor their provision against, and describe the core elements required for the delivery of a safe and effective ISVA service.

To achieve the Quality Mark, ISVA services participating in the three-year programme must demonstrate how their service meets the expectations set out in the Quality Standards for ISVA Services.

Jade Revill-Ross, Advocacy and Service Development Manager at SAIL Derbyshire said:

We chose to complete the LimeCulture Accreditation Programme to help enhance our service provision, build and develop robust policies and procedures, to embed quality standards from the outset, and unify the work we do under the quality standards, ensuring consistency in provision.

 It has been a fantastic journey and LimeCulture were extremely supportive throughout. Whilst our ISVA service is small, we were able to enrol. It also allowed us to see what we did well, and explore critically where there were gaps, or improvements could be made. The Quality Mark helps funders, trustees, referrers, commissioners and most importantly our clients have trust and faith in the quality of our service provision. The process also allows us to continually think critically and progressively measure what we do against the benchmark of the quality standards.

Sam Whyte, LimeCulture’s Sexual Violence Director, said:

“We all know the difference a brilliant ISVA can make to a victim/survivor of sexual violence, and how critical independent, well-managed services are in enabling this. Time and time again, we see how the Quality Standards for ISVA Services build confidence in the ability of ISVA services to meet the needs of their clients through delivering safe and effective support –  I’m therefore delighted to open up Independent Accreditation Programme today to a new cohort of ISVA services supporting adults and children and young people.” 

 The Quality Standards for ISVA Services were developed by LimeCulture in collaboration with victims/survivors of sexual violence, ISVAs, service providers and commissioners in 2018.

New ISVA services enrolling in the programme will join the 51 services that already hold the Quality Mark or who are working towards it.

To apply

Contact accreditation@limeculture.co.uk to apply to join the Independent Accreditation Programme, or request a bespoke quotation for your service/s.

Places on the programme are limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. 

The application window closes on Tuesday 2nd May 2023.

 Services enrolling into the Programme will need to attend the virtual Accreditation Workshop on the morning of Wednesday 10 May.

You can find more information about the programme, costs, and our Terms and Conditions here.

Sport England commissions LimeCulture to deliver Safeguarding Workshops for Senior Leaders in Sport.

Following the delivery of several ‘pilot’ workshops delivered during 2021, Sport England has commissioned LimeCulture to deliver a series of strategic workshops for CEO’s, Senior Leaders and Board Members to support their knowledge and understanding of integrating safeguarding at a strategic level across sport.

‘Embedding Safeguarding into Strategy’ is a half day workshop, designed to complement the Lead Safeguarding Officer Development Programme, and equip Leaders with the knowledge and skills to ensure safeguarding underpins the services and programs delivered across their sport through:

  • Highlighting the key overarching legislative duties for safeguarding in sport, and the importance,
  • Exploring how safeguarding sits within a sporting organisation’s mission and values, and why,
  • Considering the prevalence of abuse in sport from recent research,
  • Describing the purpose of a strategic plan and the requirement for safeguarding to be a key factor,
  • Recognising the importance of budgeting for a safeguarding provision.

Annabel Timmins, Head of Safeguarding in Sport at LimeCulture said:

“We are delighted to be in a position to deliver these important Strategic Workshops to all National Governing Bodies. Safeguarding is a priority for all sports, but their approaches to safeguarding have varied – they are often reactive and managed at an operational level. We need to ensure that safeguarding is a key priority at the highest possible level of sport.  These workshops present the perfect opportunity to deliver consistent messages about the importance of safeguarding to Sport’s senior leaders, driving change from the top”

Brett Bader from Rounders England tweeted his positive feedback:

“Thank you LimeCulture for leading the Strategic Safeguarding Training for Rounders England Board. Very helpful, productive and thought provoking. Identifying strengths and areas to create a preventative culture. Creating the right experiences to enjoy the game.”

 Andy Salmon CEO at British Triathlon shared his feedback:

“At British Triathlon, we got a great deal from the LimeCulture Safeguarding Workshop. Whilst the session was very informative, the facilitator was also adept at challenging us to be the best we could be. We left the session feeling that it was a really good investment in such a critical area of our activity.”

 

 

LimeCulture’s Strategic Safeguarding Workshops are available free of charge to all National Governing Bodies in England who receive funding from Sport England. For further information about the Strategic Workshops please email Annabel.timmins@limeculture.co.uk

 

Wave 11 of the Male Quality Standards Accreditation is open for applications

LimeCulture is delighted to announce the Independent Accreditation Programme is now accepting applications for the 11th wave of services seeking accreditation against the Male Survivors Partnership (MSP)’s Quality Standards for Services Supporting Male Victims/Survivors of Sexual Violence.

The Wave 11 application window will close on Monday 27th March. 

The Quality Standards were developed in 2017 in collaboration with commissioners, service providers and male victims/survivors, who shared their personal experiences of support and what they want and need from the services they access.

The Independent Accreditation Programme allows organisations to benchmark the quality of their provision for male victims/survivors of sexual violence against these nationally recognised Quality Standards, giving themselves, their clients and commissioners confidence in the services they deliver.

Becky Jones, CEO of Axis Counselling said:

 “Having seen the benefits of having LimeCulture accredited ISVA and ChISVA services, and being an organisation who feel strongly about ensuring that male survivors have the right support, we decided that the natural next step would be to put both our ISVA and Counselling services through the Male Quality Standards.

 The process of becoming accredited helped us to improve what we were already doing to support male clients. For us, reviewing what we were already doing, measuring it against a set standard, and making improvements where needed, was reason enough to take part in the programme. To gain the accreditation, and be able to advertise that we have it, is a bonus, particularly when we are reaching out to male clients, to hopefully help instil confidence in them that we are an organisation that they can trust. In addition, when applying for funding, particularly male-specific funding, having the accreditation is a real bonus.”

Sam Whyte, Director of Sexual Violence Services at LimeCulture said:

 “We’re excited to support a new cohort of services through the Independent Accreditation Programme to join the 43 services already holding the Quality Mark, and see once again how their dedication and commitment to recognising gender-based needs makes a real and tangible difference to the lives of the male victims and survivors that they serve.”

To apply

You can find more information about the Accreditation Programme, costs, and our Terms and Conditions here.

To enrol, or to request a tailored quotation, e-mail us at accreditation@limeculture.co.uk. Places on Wave 11 will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

Please note, services enrolling will need to be available for an online, half-day Accreditation Workshop on Wednesday 11th April 2023.

 

ISVA Lunchtime Briefings – March 2023

 

The National ISVA Co-ordinator Service has been working with professionals at HM Prison and Probation Service, the Ministry of Defence, academics, ISVA services and charities to better understand the unique barriers facing victims/survivors of sexual violence in prisons, and victims/survivors serving in the Armed Forces, in accessing support from an ISVA.

 

 

LimeCulture is hosting two briefings in March to share the findings and learnings from these consultations to support ISVAs in their practice:

ISVAs supporting victims/survivors in Prison, Thursday 2 March at 12 noon

ISVA services working in prisons will talk about overcoming various access and engagement challenges to ensure the critical support of ISVAs is accessible to victims/survivors who are in Prison.

ISVAs supporting victims/survivors in the Armed Forces, Thursday 30 March at 12 noon

ISVAs will hear from the Ministry of Defence RASSO lead to enhance their understanding of the Court Martial and Service Justice System, and ISVA services that have built strong relationships with the Forces and developed specialist ISVA roles to meet the unique needs of serving personnel.

To register for either or both of the lunchtime briefings please use our online booking form – click here  A calendar invite and Zoom meeting link will follow.

If you have any questions please e-mail holli.waterson@limeculture.co.uk.

Holli Waterson, the National ISVA Co-ordinator, said:

“It is clear that pathways of support for victims and survivors of sexual violence who are in Prison or serving in the Armed Forces are infrequently accessed.

For victims and survivors in prison, this is often due to a lack of awareness of ISVA support, or an assumption ISVA services will not work with victims/survivors in prison. Moreover, the ability of ISVAs to access a prison and meet with victims/survivors varies from estate to estate and maintaining engagement with clients can be challenged by confidentiality, security and/or privacy concerns.

In relation to the Armed Forces, we have been informed that many victims/survivors feel they have to make a choice between reporting the abuse they have experienced and their careers. Furthermore, the option of accessing support external to the Armed Forces, such as from a local ISVA service is often unknown or felt to be unsuitable for them. We’ve also heard from many ISVAs who report feeling inexperienced in supporting victims/survivors through the Service Justice System and unfamiliar with internal Force procedures which makes advocating for their clients’ needs exceptionally challenging.

We hope both of these Lunchtime Briefings will offer the opportunity for ISVAs to hear from other ISVAs about how they have overcome barriers and challenges to successfully support victims/survivors within these institutions that are so often felt to be impossible to access or navigate. The Lunchtime Briefings will also help ISVAs to consider how they can strengthen partnerships between local prison estates and military bases”.

About the National ISVA Co-ordinator (NISVAC) Service

The NISVAC Service pilot was commissioned by the NPCC Programme Hydrant in 2020 to support victims/survivors of sexual abuse from identified seldom heard groups with a pathway into support from an ISVA service and/or access to the criminal justice system, in recognition of the additional barriers they face. 

The National ISVA Advice Line is contactable at NISVAC@limeculture.co.uk

Thank you for all your support: LimeCulture highlights from 2022

As we head towards the end of the year, LimeCulture would like to thank all of our partners, clients, colleagues and friends for supporting us in our work this year.

2022 has been another busy and exciting year for LimeCulture. With the development and expansion of our training and consultancy services across new sectors, while maintaining our work with existing sectors, our team has once again grown to reflect the demand for our expertise.

None of our work would be possible without the incredible and efficient LimeCulture staff, who provide the dedication, talent and expertise required to meet and exceed our clients needs. LimeCulture is made up of a truly inspirational team of professionals who continue to drive innovation and provide world class training and consultancy services to support and inspire professionals and organisations to safeguard, prevent and respond effectively to sexual violence and abuse.

We have been privileged to be involved in a wide range of work again this year. It would be impossible to cover all our work in this blog, but some of our highlights are set out below:

As an organisation, we are very much looking forward to 2023. We’ve appointed some fantastic professionals to join our incredible team to help us deliver our new organisational strategy, and together, we’re looking forward to being involved in more new and important projects.

From all of us at LimeCulture, we wish each of you a peaceful festive break.

We look forward to seeing you in 2023!

 

LimeCulture completes PRCE (Pre–Recorded Cross Examination) training for ISVA workforce

Earlier this year, LimeCulture was funded by Ministry of Justice & HM Court and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) to develop and deliver Section 28 Pre-Recorded Cross Examination (PRCE) training for Independent Sexual Violence Advisers (ISVAs).

The Government has committed to the national roll out of an additional special measure –  Pre-Recorded Cross Examination (PRCE) – across all Crown Courts in England and Wales. Known as section 28, the special measure allows victims to have their cross-examination pre-recorded earlier in the process and outside the courtroom.

In response, MoJ and HMCTs are keen to ensure that the ISVA workforce are able to access consistent training on Section 28 that will assist them to effectively support their clients with information about Pre -Recorded Cross Examinations.

Between June and November 2022, LimeCulture delivered 24 bespoke training sessions with content tailored specifically to ISVAs on section 28.

Gemma Kirby- Head of Sexual Violence Training and Quality Assurance said:

“In the last 5 months, we have delivered this bespoke training to more than 550 ISVAs, which is a fantastic uptake. It shows how keen ISVAs are to continue to learn and develop through attending training that will assist them in their roles and ensure they provide victims and survivors with accurate information when engaging with the Criminal Justice process.

Those who have attended the training have come from 101 different ISVA services across England and Wales. So, it’s been brilliant to deliver a national training programme that has allowed us to provide consistent messaging to the entire workforce of ISVAs.

We’re delighted with the excellent feedback that has been given by the ISVAs about the quality of our training and how much they have appreciated attending training that enable them to support their clients in making informed decisions about the court process”

Moving forward, the section 28 training will be incorporated into LimeCulture’s accredited ISVA Development Programme to ensure the legacy of this bespoke training continues and so that any new ISVAs have access to the same materials and consistent messages on supporting clients around section 28.

LimeCulture would like to thank the 60+ ISVAs who contributed to the development of the training by attending focus groups to share with us their knowledge and experiences of supporting clients with section 28 pre-recorded cross examinations. We would also like to thank officials from the Crown Prosecution Services, Ministry of Justice and HMCTs for their involvement in the development of the training material.

LimeCulture would like to give a special thanks to Jan Fantom our unflappable Training Coordinator, who skilfully managed the bookings for each of the 24 sessions. Some of the sessions were so popular that they were fully booked within 3 hours so Jan has been busy!

We would also like to thank our team of trainers – Jo Palmeiro, Ruth Mann, Claire Hilton, Gemma Kirby, Harriet Smailes, Holli Waterson, Liz Lewis and Charlotte Bond- their professional backgrounds as prosecutors and ISVAs provided a useful combined perspective in which to share their knowledge and up-skill the delegates to support their clients.

LimeCulture launches new resources for working with victims and survivors of sexual violence who are homeless

LimeCulture is delighted to launch two new resources for ISVAs and other practitioners supporting victims and survivors of sexual violence who are homeless.

The National ISVA Co-ordinator Service has worked in partnership with homelessness organisations, support services, academics and ISVA services to develop these new resources, which seek to improve access to specialist sexual violence support for people who are homeless.

A resource for ISVAs: Working with victims and survivors of sexual violence who are homeless offers insight into the barriers to accessing support faced by people who are homeless. It includes key practice considerations for ISVAs and ISVA services to improve their engagement with victims/survivors who are homeless.

Download Homeless | ISVAs working with victims and survivors of sexual violence who are homeless

 

 

 

Supporting victims and survivors of sexual violence: Guidance for professionals working with people who are homeless considers how wider professionals can appropriately respond to, and support, victims/survivors of sexual violence.

It aims to strengthen partnerships and referral pathways between homelessness organisations and sexual violence support services.

 Download: Homeless | Guidance for professionals working with people who are homeless

 

 

Holli Waterson, the National ISVA Co-ordinator, said:

“From our consultation with homelessness organisations, professionals, academics and ISVA services, it is abundantly clear that the link between sexual violence and homelessness is not readily recognised and as such, the barriers to accessing support are not being systematically addressed.

We heard again and again how the absence of specialist support and safe accommodation options can result in unresolved trauma, unmet needs and an increased risk of further sexual violence and exploitation for already vulnerable individuals – sadly, this is an unacceptable reality for many victims/survivors, but one that can be changed.

We hope these two resources will support professionals to improve access to and engagement with their services and enable partnerships between homelessness and sexual violence services to be strengthened to ensure that people who are homeless are receiving specialist, trauma-focused support following experiences of sexual violence.”

The NISVAC project would like to extend a very special thank you to all who generously gave up their time to share their knowledge and experiences and contribute to the development of these resources.

Briefing for ISVAs

LimeCulture will be hosting a free lunchtime briefing for ISVAs on the impacts of homelessness on Thursday 8 December 2022 at 12 noon. ISVAs will hear directly from homelessness professionals and academics on the challenges to engagement, and will have the opportunity to share ideas about adapting approaches to ensure ISVA services are accessible to victims/survivors who are homeless. To register for the lunchtime briefing, please email holli.waterson@limeculture.co.uk.

 

About the National ISVA Co-ordinator (NISVAC) Service

The NISVAC Service pilot was commissioned by Operation Hydrant in 2020 to support victims/survivors of sexual abuse from identified hard-to-reach, or seldom heard, groups with a pathway into support from an ISVA service and/or access to the criminal justice system, in recognition of the additional barriers they face. 

The National ISVA Advice Line is contactable at NISVAC@limeculture.co.uk

Come and join our team! LimeCulture is recruiting for additional Training Managers

We are looking for exceptional individuals to join our busy team at LimeCulture.

Our Training Managers work together to plan and deliver an extensive programme of training services to build the capacity and capability of frontline professionals and organisations to respond effectively to victims and survivors of sexual violence. They routinely deliver inspiring, engaging and high-quality content – both online and in-person – to delegates from the victim support, criminal justice, higher education, education and private sectors, among others.

The Training Manager roles are fast-paced, full-time roles (40 hours per week, Monday to Friday) that is primarily home-based with some planned travel.

We are currently looking for two additional Training Managers; one will join our Sexual Violence Services Team and the other will join our Safeguarding Team.

Please click the link for the Job Description and Person Spec for the Training Manager (Sexual Violence Services)

Please click the link for the Job Description and Person Spec for the Training Manager (Safeguarding in Education)

To apply for either (or both) of these roles, please send a covering letter and CV to info@limeculture.co.uk, with the subject line “Training Manager”, by 23.59 on Thursday 17 November. Interviews will be scheduled to take place in the weeks commencing 24 & 31 November.

If you would like an informal chat with us before applying, please get in touch!

For the Training Manager role within our Sexual Violence Services team, contact our Head of Training & Quality Assurance, Gemma Kirby to arrange this by emailing Gemma.Kirby@limeculture.co.uk

For the Training Manager role within our Safeguarding Team, contact our Head of Safeguarding in Education, Maria Putz to arrange this by emailing Maria.Putz@limeculture.co.uk

 

 

 

 

 

LimeCulture invites Expressions of Interest for ‘Embedding a whole school approach to sexual misconduct: Prevention & response model’ for Schools & Colleges

Over the last 12 month, LimeCulture has been working with a range of schools and colleges across the country to help design and deliver a whole school approach to preventing and responding to sexual misconduct, including child-on-child abuse.

LimeCulture’s ‘Preventing Sexual Misconduct Education’ (PSME) programmes have been developed to provide teachers – and those delivering Relationship and Sex Education (RSE) – with the confidence and competence to engage with young people in Key Stage 3, 4 & 5 (ages 11-18) about consent, healthy relationships, sexual misconduct, body confidence, equality, and the legal framework as part of the RSE curriculum. These prevention programmes have been developed to allow flexibility in delivery through bite size sessions, with step-by-step guides, resources, and tools to support those delivering.

LimeCulture’s Sexual Misconduct Liaison Officer (SMLO) Model has been developed for schools and colleges to support the response to sexual misconduct for both the reporting and reported student/pupil. The SMLO Model was successfully piloted with The Perse, an independent school, where LimeCulture worked closely with the leadership team, teaching staff and students to develop and embed the SMLO Model into the school. The SMLO Model has subsequently been implemented in a range of independent and state schools, with specialist accredited training delivered to a cadre of staff to enable them to appropriately support students/pupils who either report sexual misconduct or are reported against.

Maria Putz, Head of Safeguarding in Education said:

“Moving forward, and in light of recent updates to KCSIE 2022, LimeCulture will be combining these initiatives to provide a comprehensive prevention and response model for schools and colleges, which includes support to individual schools and colleges about strategic and operational implementation”.

‘Embedding a Whole School Approach to Sexual Misconduct – Prevention and Response Model for Schools and Colleges’ was launched today (Thursday 13 October 2022) at the Safeguarding Event held by Farrer & Co in London.   Maria said:

“We’re delighted to invite further schools and colleges to embed the prevention and response model within their schools.  We’ll be limiting the number of schools and colleges we work with to enable us to provide tailored support and training. Wave 1 will include support and training taking place in the Spring Term (January -Easter 2023) and interested schools and colleges are invited to express an interest by 23 November 2022”.

More information about Embedding a Whole School Approach to Sexual Misconduct – Prevention and Response Model for Schools and Colleges’ can be found on our website or by downloading our information guide, which includes fees.

To manage the demand from interested schools and colleges, LimeCulture will be taking a ‘wave-approach’ to supporting schools and colleges. Working with schools and colleges in ‘waves’ will mean limiting the number of schools we work with initially but allows for better planning and tailored support to schools with different needs.

Waves will be scheduled to coincide with school terms. Schools and colleges are welcome to indicate which term is most suitable to them. We will do our best to meet preferences, however, places will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.

LimeCulture is now inviting interested schools and colleges to submit an Expression of Interest by Friday 23 November 2022 to join Wave 1 which will take place between January 2023 – Easter (Spring Term).

Further information

If you would like further information or would like to discuss this further with us, please contact us by emailing schoolsandcolleges@limeculture.co.uk

 

 

 

Wave 10 of the Male Quality Standards Accreditation is open for application

LimeCulture is delighted to announce the Independent Accreditation Programme is now accepting applications for the 10th wave of services seeking accreditation against the Male Survivors Partnership’s Quality Standards for Services Supporting Male Victims/Survivors of Sexual Violence

 

 

 

 

 

 

The application window will close on Thursday 10th November. 

The Quality Standards for Services Supporting Male Victims and Survivors of Sexual Violence were developed in collaboration with commissioners, service providers and male victims/survivors who shared their personal experiences of accessing support and told us what they want and need from services.

Since it was launched in April 2018, the Independent Accreditation Programme has been opened to 9 waves of services supporting male victims/survivors of sexual violence from across England and Wales. To date, 45 services have successfully achieved the Quality Mark, and 6 more services are working towards it.

Services enrolled in the Independent Accreditation Programme benefit from:

  • A workshop explaining the independent accreditation process and the opportunity to network with other services on the programme.
  • Tailored feedback, guidance and support from a dedicated Accreditation Manager
  • The opportunity to improve the quality of service provision through effective performance monitoring and benchmarking against the Quality Standards
  • Through achieving the Quality Mark, being able to demonstrate to clients and commissioners that their service delivers high-quality support that meets the needs of male victims/survivors.

Sam Whyte, Director of Sexual Violence Services at LimeCulture, said:

“We’re continually inspired by the dedication and commitment of the organisations working towards the Quality Standards to provide the best possible support to their male clients and are excited to work with a whole new cohort of services as we today open applications to LimeCulture’s Independent Accreditation Programme.

Achieving the Quality Mark gives services confidence that they are doing everything they can to encourage male victims and survivors of sexual violence to seek support, and in turn, gives male clients confidence that their needs will be met through services designed for them.”

To apply

You can find more information about the Accreditation programme, costs, and our Terms and Conditions here

To join the programme, e-mail us at accreditation@limeculture.co.uk. Places on the programme will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

Please note, services enrolling will need to be available for an online, half-day Accreditation Workshop on Thursday 1st December 2022.