Four Year National Lottery Funding for the Lighthouse Project
In the year ending March 2019, an estimated 2.4 million adults aged 16 to 74 years experienced domestic abuse in the last year (1.6 million women and 786,000 men). (Source)
130,000 children live in homes where there is high-risk domestic abuse (Source) and 62% of children living with domestic abuse are directly harmed by the perpetrator of the abuse, in addition to the harm caused by witnessing the abuse of others. (Source)
The Lighthouse Project
The Lighthouse Project funded by The National Lottery Community Fund over the next four years, will comprise of two separate specialist programmes meeting the uniquely complex needs of different target groups within the community which has been based upon expert analysis, research, sector expertise and a coproduction model informed by service users.
Both projects deal with different and complex areas of the sector:
The Compass Programme
The Compass Programme – was created by Dr.Sarah Wallace at the University of South Wales for Calan DVS in 2018. Dr.Wallace wrote a Phd called “Investigating the needs of men experiencing domestic abuse and current service provision” during which she carried out extensive research into the issue.
The Compass Programme is a specialist resource designed to help male survivors recover from their experience following self-acknowledgement of having been the victim in an abusive relationship. It provides a unique opportunity for men affected by domestic abuse to share their experiences with other victims in a safe and supportive environment.
The Compass programme is delivered over an 8-week period (2-hours per week) and is led by an experienced facilitator in a group setting with other survivors.
The Inspiring Families Programme
The Inspiring Families Programme – is an innovative and structured ten- week assessment programme that can help strengthen and stabilise families where domestic violence and abuse is a known component but the family are choosing to stay together.
The Inspiring Families Programme was created by Rockpool Life following Domestic Homicide Reviews revealing that many specialist agencies are poor at identifying and assessing levels of risk and relationship dynamics. With research clearly demonstrating the devastating impact that living with domestic violence and abuse has on family members, a clear need for addressing this issue in a holistic and family centred way exists.
The Inspiring Families Programme was developed to meet a significant gap in addressing DVA in a holistic family centred way. The victim and perpetrator element of the programme was devised by Rockpool Life and Calan DVS developed the CYP element to ensure the voice the child is heard, this supports the family to access an all family trauma informed programme.
Calan DVS
Michelle Whelan, Interim CEO of Calan DVS, said: “We are delighted and extremely grateful to The National Lottery Community Fund for funding this innovative project over the next 4 years. We have seen some fantastic results from the pilot delivery stages and are keen to see what further impact the programme will have on our communities. This funding will enable us to not only provide support for male victims and families where domestic abuse is a component, it will ensure that the voice of the child is heard through the delivery of the Inspiring Families Programme. Children do not just witness domestic abuse, they experience it, and they too, must have a platform and a safe space to be heard, listened too and believed”.
For further information please visit: www.calandvs.org.uk
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