The Myriad Programme
Specifically developed for lesbian, gay, bi, trans and other gender, relationship & sexuality diverse Individuals; this 8 week recovery and resilience programme has been developed in partnership with LGBTQ+ survivors of domestic abuse and the University of South Wales. We offer a safe space to chat, learn and support each other.
During the programme, you will be supported to think about your background and upbringing in this cis/het dominant society and the impacts this has had on you. We will explore different types of abuse in relationships, the impacts, how to recognise warning signs and what actions you can take to keep yourself safe.
We aim to help you develop better ways to communicate and be clear about what you want and don’t want in life. This programme will aim to improve your self-esteem, confidence, ways to look after yourself and create better connections and relationships with others.
We also hope that some people that attend the programme will want to be trained to become peer-support volunteers in the longer-term and maybe help to facilitate future programmes.
To register on the programme, you will need to identify as LGBTQ+ and have left an abusive relationship.
For a chat about the support on offer, or to register your interest, please get in touch.
Email: myriad@calandvs.org.uk
Phone: 07527 134059
Are you a Professional wishing to refer to the Myriad programme?
Through consultations with survivors, Calan DVS has identified a gap in domestic abuse services for LGBTQ+ survivors. As a result of the findings, Calan has co-produced an 8-session programme through semi-structured interviews with LGBTQ+ survivors with lived experience of domestic abuse. We have engaged with professionals and academics and have used Calan DVS’s survivor programme, Compass, to inform the content and structure.
Programme Objectives
• Provide a safe, LGBTQ+ affirmative space, for participants to talk about Domestic Abuse.
• Learn how to recognise its signs and behaviours.
• Provide an opportunity for participants to get a sense of value, purpose and achievement.
• Provide a safe space where participants can learn how to build positive, trusting relationships that are reciprocated.
• Provide a safe space where participants can learn how and where to seek help and to recognise when they need it.
• Provide a safe space where participants can learn how to build their self-esteem, personal resilience and well-being.
Our LGBTQ+ affirmative approach
• We ensure that our programme is constantly learning and pro-actively appreciative of lesbian, gay, bi, trans, queer, poly, kink and other gender, sexuality and relationship diverse identities.
• We ensure that facilitator’s own beliefs and values appreciate LGBTQ+ as valid and rich identities in their own right.
• We view anti-LGBTQ+ beliefs and behaviour as the problem, not LGBTQ+ people.
• We pro-actively bring relevant issues into the programme such as coming out, cis/hetro-normitivity, polyamory or internalised phobia.
Safe LGBTQ+ space
• Confidentiality - A space where we can express ourselves openly in a confidential and safe space.
• Respect – being interested in others’ identities and experience; being considerate of their feelings, wishes and needs.
• A place to build trust, with confidentiality we can start to build trust in one another.
• A closed group, meaning that membership remains the same throughout.
• Everyone has equal right to be there, to contribute or not.
• Co-creation of the group agreement.
Referral criteria:
• Participants must have experienced Domestic Abuse.
• Participants must (in some way) identify as being LGBTQ+.
• Participants are no longer in the relationship with the perpetrator(s) and are no longer living together.
• Participants can attend the programme for all 8 sessions (plus an initial pre-programme meeting).
• Participants understand the aims of the programme and the commitment required to attend all sessions.
Programme delivery
• All of the sessions in this programme are able to be delivered in person or online depending on Government restrictions as a result of COVID19 and the group participants’ needs and situations.
• Sessions are intended to be about 2 hours
Get in touch
For a chat about the support on offer, or to register your interest, please get in touch. Alternatively, please feel free to download a referral form and return to the email below.
Email: myriad@calandvs.org.uk
Phone: 07527 134059
