General

This week LimeCulture turns 10 years old!

As a national sexual violence and safeguarding organisation the last decade has been a wonderful whirlwind of experiences. We started out in 2011 with high hopes and big ideas but we certainly never thought that we could possibly achieve all the things that we have done as an organisation.

In the last 10 years, we have worked hard. Very hard. Thankfully there has not been any blood, but there has been sweat and tears. There has also been lots of late nights, thousands of journeys that have taken us the length and breadth of the country and even internationally. Hundreds of meetings, workshops and conferences – and more recently there has been hours of zoom meetings! But there has also been a whole lot of fun and an awful lot of laughter. We absolutely love what we do at LimeCulture.

During the last 10 years, we have met and worked with some incredible professionals, services and organisations. We have also had the honour of meeting some of the most inspirational people there are. Some of these people have been victims/survivors of the most abhorrent crimes imaginable and others have been the professionals who work tirelessly to support them, often in very challenging circumstances. It is them who inspire us to work hard to raise the standards and support a professional response to sexual violence and safeguarding. Our work is important – and it means a lot to us at LimeCulture to work towards making things better.

Our hard work has meant that we have had the privilege of being involved in a wide variety of work- exciting and innovative projects that we are proud to say have made a difference. We have done so much in the last 10 years that its difficult to know where to start, but we’ve selected a few of the highlights in the photo montage below.

We would like to thank all of our talented, dedicated and passionate staff- past and present. Individually, they are brilliant. Together, they are phenomenal. They make everything we do at LimeCulture possible, even when it seems impossible.

We would also like to thank our clients, colleagues and friends – we are so very grateful for your support.

10 years means a lot to us and as we step into our 2nd decade, we will continue to work hard. We have so much to look forward to and can only say thank you to the unfathomable amount of people that have made LimeCulture possible.

Cheers to the next 10 years!

 

 

 

This week, Sam Whyte joins the LimeCulture team as our new Director of Sexual Violence Consultancy Services, bringing with her 20 years of experience in policy, research and participation. She has worked in a range of roles across the charity sector and within government – including as head of policy at UNICEF UK, leading on children’s human rights and child trafficking and migration; and latterly, as sexual violence victims lead at the Ministry of Justice. Sam has worked extensively with the UN, UK and devolved governments, children and survivors, Parliamentarians, practitioners and influencers to bring about change.

Sam Whyte said:  

“I’m really pleased to be joining LimeCulture at a time when society is seeking to reshape how we understand and respond to sexual violence and abuse. I’m looking forward to working with the team and the wider LimeCulture family to help our clients better support victims of rape and sexual abuse, and to building partnerships across sectors to drive innovation and understanding.”

 

A further 11 ISVA and (CH)ISVA services have today joined LimeCulture’s Independent Accreditation Programme for ISVA Services. These services are provided by Yellow Door, Victims First Northumbria, East Kent Rape Crisis, First Light, SAIL and Mountain Healthcare.

Stephanie Reardon, LimeCulture CEO said

We’re absolutely delighted that these ISVA and (CH)ISVA services have today joined the Independent Accreditation Programme for the Quality Standards for ISVA Services.

As the only Quality Standards that are specifically focused on ISVA services, it’s fantastic that so many commissioners and providers of ISVA services have recognised the value of our independent accreditation as a way of demonstrating the quality of their ISVA and (CH)ISVA service provision.  More than 40 ISVA and (CH)ISVA services have now been awarded our Quality Mark, which is an incredible achievement for so many services. With more ISVA and (CH)ISVA services working towards achieving the Standards, we expect the consistency of these vital support services for victims/survivors of sexual violence to continue to develop and improve”.

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Background information

Over the last 18 months, an important research study looking at the work of Independent Sexual Violence Advisers (ISVAs) has been conducted by Middlesex University and Canterbury Christ Church University with support from LimeCulture.

The study focuses on the impacts, effects, coping mechanisms and effective support systems for people working as ISVAs and ISVA Managers in supporting victims/survivors of sexual violence across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. 121 ISVAs and ISVA Managers participated in the study and provided invaluable contributions.

The study’s findings are now ready and the report is due to be published on Wednesday 12 May 2021. The report contains a number of important key recommendations based on the findings that ISVA Service providers, Commissioners and Policy Leads will want to consider.

We will be hosting a launch event on Wednesday 12th May from 1 – 3pm. The event is free of charge and will be held online (using the Zoom Platform).

LimeCulture would like to invite all ISVAs, ISVA Managers, Commissioners and Policy Leads to attend.

If you would like to attend and hear more about the research and the accompanying key recommendations, please book a place using the online booking system by following the link below

https://limeculture.co.uk/events/isva-research-event/

 

 

LimeCulture is delighted to share that we are hosting the National Sexual Violence Liaison Officer (SVLO) Conference on the 8^th July 2021. The event will be held online.

As with the first SVLO Conference in December 2019, we will be highlighting some key learning and developments from across the sector and further afield, as well as acknowledging the outstanding contributions and achievements of SVLOs through our LimeLight Awards.

LimeCulture’s view is that SVLOs/SVMLOs and their services deserve to be properly recognised for the important, challenging and professional work they do to support those in the University community who have been subjected to sexual violence.  The LimeLight Awards are intended to be a first step in the direction of professional recognition of SVLOs and SVMLOs and their services.

 

Although the content of the day will be tailored towards supporting and informing SVLOs and other University sexual violence support workers, the sessions may also be valuable for a broader range of professionals working in the University and/ or sexual violence sector.

Please do book on if you feel as though it could be useful for you, and feel free to make contact with us if you have any questions or concerns at this time.

Details of the agenda will be added over the next few months; however, the day will start with a welcoming address, followed by plenary sessions specifically focused on disclosure and reporting processes in the role of the SVLO.

Moving into the afternoon, there will be an opportunity for attendees to attend smaller Elective Workshops, focused on more specific areas of working in the context of sexual misconduct in Higher Education. These workshops will give attendees an opportunity to ask questions and discuss with specialists in the field, as well as share best practice with colleagues, in a smaller group setting.

After the Elective Workshops, there will be further plenary sessions and opportunities to ask questions and share best practice with colleagues.

The Conference will conclude with our LimeLight Awards. More information on the LimeLight Awards to follow soon!

Places cost £85 +VAT , click here to see our booking page

If you require further information please contact us info@limeculture.co.uk

 

 

 

We thought it was time for another update about our Independent Accreditation Programme. Whilst the country has continued to be in the grip of the Covid pandemic with all the disruption and home school that entails, the Accreditation team have been hugely impressed with the number of services that have continued their journey through the programme, achieving accreditation whilst continuously adapting their ways of working ensuring that clients and the safety of all are at the heart of everything they do.

Since the Autumn of last year, the Accreditation team have independently accredited 21 organisations consisting of 28 individual services across both the Quality Standards for Independent Sexual Violence Adviser (ISVA) Services and the Male Survivor Partnership Quality Standards for Services Supporting Male Victims of Sexual Violence. That is now a total of 46 organisations and 62 individual services. A further 19 organisations with a breakdown of 25 services continue to work towards accreditation. Considering the ongoing challenges services are facing with the pandemic, those figures alone demonstrate the willingness and commitment to demonstrate they deliver a quality service.

Within those figures, two Sexual Violence Liaison Services (SVLO) based within the University setting have successfully achieved their accreditation. We are so pleased to have worked with the SVLO’s at London South Bank University & The University of Sheffield who have shown a great commitment to ensuring their students receive the best possible support.

Not only are services continuously progressing through the programme, but we also seem to have blinked and our first cohort of services who were part of the pilot project, have reached the expiry date of accreditation. We are so pleased to be welcoming six services onto the first re-accreditation programme which will see services look to retain the Quality Mark for a further two years.

And if that wasn’t enough……. We are now accepting applications to join the new cohort of services on both the

• Quality Standards for Services Supporting Male Victims of Sexual Violence (closing date Friday 23rd April 2021)
• Quality Standards for Independent Sexual Violence Adviser Services (closing date Friday 21st May 2020).
• The Accreditation workshop will be held virtually using video conferencing on the following dates:

• Wednesday 12th May 2021 for the Quality Standards for Services Supporting Male Victims of Sexual Violence and,
• Wednesday 09th June 2021 for the Quality Standards for Independent Sexual Violence Adviser (ISVA) Services.

Further details can be found at www.limeculture.co.uk/accreditation.

To discuss your service in more detail and apply to join the programme please contact accreditation@limeculture.co.uk.

We are looking forward to hearing from you.

‘Spreading Excellence’ is a Home Office funded project that was established by LimeCulture with the aim of improving the capacity and capability of the sexual violence sector to ensure high-quality and effective services are available for all. The project seeks to achieve this through the influence and engagement of service users, service providers, commissioners and policy leads working together collaboratively.

The project is overseen by a National Working Group.  The first project had a specific focus on improving knowledge around the commissioning process relating to sexual violence support services.  Our guidance document developed from the 2018/19 project is available free HERE.

This year we were asked by the Home Office to focus will be on support services for children and young people who have experienced child sexual abuse (CSA), to align with the Home Office Tackling CSA Strategy.

National Working Group

The project was overseen by a National Working Group. Membership is drawn from a range of professionals working in child sexual abuse (CSA) including includes policy leads, academics, service providers and commissioners.

Workshops

The project included a series of workshops that examined commissioning and providing services and multi-agency working, to meet the needs of children and young people who have experienced child sexual abuse (CSA).

With expert speakers addressing each workshop, participants worked together to identify the main challenges within these key areas, and sought to identify solutions and/or best practice.

Symposium

The report of findings from the project, alongside a series of related recommendations to policy makers, commissioners and providers will be presented at a free online symposium on the 30^th March, starting at 10am.

Panel Membership

The symposium will include a panel discussion with experts from:

• Lincolnshire Office of Police and Crime Commissioner
• The LightHouse, London
• Imara, Nottingham
• The Green House, Bristol
• Centre of expertise on child sexual abuse (CSA Centre)

Questions for the panel can be submitted at the time of booking.

Who should attend?

Strategic Leads in CSA support services (CHISVA, Children and Young People Counselling Services and Social Care Safeguarding Leads), Commissioners of CSA services and Researchers in Practice.

A flyer for the event can be downloaded  – Spreading Excellence Symposium Flyer

Please book online for this free event at  https://limeculture.co.uk/events/spreading-excellence-symposium/

 

 

 

 

 

LimeCulture is delighted to share that we are hosting the National Sexual Violence Liaison Officer (SVLO) Conference on the 8^th July 2021.

As with the first SVLO Conference in December 2019, we will be highlighting some key learning and developments from across the sector and further afield, as well as acknowledging the outstanding contributions and achievements of SVLOs through our LimeLight Awards.

LimeCulture’s view is that SVLOs/SVMLOs and their services deserve to be properly recognised for the important, challenging and professional work they do to support those in the University community who have been subjected to sexual violence.  The LimeLight Awards are intended to be a first step in the direction of professional recognition of SVLOs and SVMLOs and their services.

LimeCulture acknowledges that the past year has been like no other and this will have impacted heavily on SVLO colleagues across the UK. For this reason, we want you to tell us how we can best support knowledge sharing and development at the conference in July. We also want to give you an opportunity for a platform to share what you know and do best.

Please complete the following survey to share your thoughts around what and who you would like to hear about and from.

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/SVLOConference2021

The survey deadline has been extended until the 1st of April 2021.

(Please note, completing the survey does not equate to registering your attendance at the conference. Registration details will be shared shortly.)

 

 

• Tuesday 23 March at 10.30am – 12noon
• Thursday 25 March at 10.30am – 12noon

• Key learning from online ISVA training (due to covid restrictions)
• Views/suggestions about how ISVA training should be delivered post-covid
• Views/suggestions about ISVA training needs/requirements (including training portfolio for ISVAs including continued professional development, gaps in knowledge/skills, any other specific training needs/requirements).

About LimeCulture

LimeCulture is an international sexual violence and safeguarding training and consultancy organisation based in the UK. Our vision is to improve the professional response to sexual violence and safeguarding. We achieve our vision by working with professionals and services by embracing our core values in everything we do:

• Learning: we develop and deliver high quality training and resources for professionals
• Innovation: we are at the forefront of identifying emerging themes and are instrumental in creating change
• Management: we support leaders to design, provide and evaluate world-class services
• Excellence: we strive to enhance quality in everything we do

Working for us

We have an exciting opportunity to recruit an exceptional and dynamic professional to join our passionate, talented and committed team as our new Director of Consultancy Services.

Our Consultancy Services Division has a vibrant and varied portfolio of work and the Director of Consultancy Services is responsible for:

• Overseeing the Consultancy Services Division as a whole
• Developing a programme of consultancy work in line with LimeCulture’s Strategy
• Seeking business development opportunities and increasing the income generated by the Consultancy Services Division
• Overseeing, promoting and growing the Independent Accreditation Programme
• Recruiting/line managing staff and consultants to deliver the Consultancy Services Division’s programme of work to the highest standard

About this role

To find out more about what this exciting role as a LimeCulture Director entails, please see the attached Director of Consultancy Services Job Description & Person Spec

This Director role is a full time (40 hours per week) post. You will be based at home with frequent national travel (subject to covid restrictions). The successful candidate will initially be given a 12 month fixed-term contract, which will then be made permanent on renewal.

The salary for this role is circa £60,000 per annual and you will be entitled to 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays (which may be taken at any time).

If you would like to discuss this role with us, then please email info@limeculture.co.uk and we’ll arrange for you to have an informal discussion with us at a suitable time.

How to apply

If you believe you have the skills and competencies required to be our next Director of Consultancy Services, then we’d love to hear from you!

To apply for this role, please submit your CV and a covering letter that explains to us why you would be right for this role and how you meet the person specification.

CV and covering letters should be emailed to info@limeculture.co.uk with the subject heading ‘Application for Director of Consultancy Services’ by 6pm Friday 26th March 2021. First stage interviews will take place during the week commencing 12th April 2021.