Slides from the Promoting Respectful Relationships conference in Cardiff 12th November 2010 - See http://www.respectwales.org.uk

1. Homelessness, Domestic Violence & Abuse
Preventative Work for Young People

2. Natalie Williams – Youth Prevention and Education Worker
Rhys Benjamin - Education Link Worker
Cardiff Women’s Aid – 029 20460 566 Barnardo’s – 02920 497531
cwa@cardiffwomensaid.org.uk rhys.benjamin@barnardos.org.uk
Introductions

3. Staff Support
• Training key staff members – PSE coordinators, school counsellors,
school nurses etc
• Awareness-raising sessions – Targeting all school staff to raise
awareness of project, referral process and support available
• Partnership Development – Design of workshops to suit the needs of the
group, incorporating Key Stage information
• On-going support – Continuing support with a designated worker
On average a woman is assaulted thirty-five times before seeking help
(Welsh Women’s Aid, 2007)
Prevention Work –
What We Do

4. Group Workshops
• PSE days and weekly/ fortnightly lessons
• One-off or part of an on-going programme
• Linked to Key Stage Curriculum and Welsh Baccalaureate
• Tailor-made to suit the group – ie. Reduced literacy groups etc.
• Interactive, informational and interesting
Domestic Violence is the one of the leading causes of homelessness for
women (Rights for Women, 2008)
Prevention Work –
What We Do

5. 1-to-1 Support
• One-off information and advice sessions
• Continuing support with designated support worker
• Easy referral process
• Signpost to services – An holistic approach
• Targeting EWOs – Session may take place within the community
One of the most basic human rights is for somewhere safe and stable to
live, yet homelessness continues to be one of the worst social problems in
Britain today. (Barnardo’s Website)
Prevention Work –
What We Do

6. Barnardo’s and Cardiff Women’s Aid
• Sharing paperwork structures
• Time monitoring
• Group supervisions
• Regular meetings
• Reciprocal Training
Barnardo’s believes in children, no matter who they are.
Partnership Work

7. • Targeting Yr10 – Partnership
• Target other Yrs as appropriate
• Targeting Hard to Reach schools highlighted by PSE Coordinator
• Targeting under 25’s to Freedom Programme (development of YP specific
sessions)
• Targeting Statutory Youth Service
• Targeting Hostels and other young person projects
• Web development
75% of mothers reported that that their children had directly witnessed
domestic violence, 33% had seen their mothers beaten up and 10% had
witnessed sexual violence (NCH, 1994)
Where are we going?

8. • Quantitative and Qualitative Data
• Young Person Evaluated
• School/ Organisation Evaluated
• Self Evaluated
• Time Monitored
• Monthly Statistic Dissemination
Between April 2006 and March 2007, 1180 women and 1001 children
passed through refuges ran by the 34 Women's Aid groups in Wales
(Welsh Women’s Aid, 2007)
Monitoring

9. •Delivered workshops and information sessions in 14 comprehensive
schools across Cardiff
•Working in partnership with Careers Wales to deliver workshops to groups
of young people who are not in education, training or employment
•Working in partnership with CAMHS to target those young people who are
the most vulnerable.
•Given support and advice to individual young people who have been
affected by the issues that we raise.
•Delivered training sessions to staff, including EWO’s.
The average time between the triggers that lead to homelessness and
when homelessness finally occurs is nine years (Centre for the Analysis of
Social Exclusion, Routes into Homelessness, 2000)
What we have done so far…

10. The numbers…
(As of the end of August 2010)
• We have delivered sessions to over 5200 young people aged
between 11-25
• We have seen over 560 staff members whilst delivering our
workshops.
• Since September we have delivered over 250 workshops to
schools and youth groups across the whole of Cardiff.
MARACs improve victims’ safety because both police and victim data
revealed that 6 in 10 victims had not been re-victimized (Robinson, 2006)
What we have done so
far…

11. • Funding until March 2011 – with hope to secure more
• We will target those schools that we have not delivered sessions
to so far.
• Continue building on the relationships that we have established
with the schools that we have already been to.
• Continue raising awareness of our project and preventing young
people from becoming homeless or victims of Domestic Abuse.
38% of children who rang Childline to talk about domestic violence,
talked of being physically abused themselves. (Epstein and Keep 1995)
What next?

12. “We were delighted with the sessions that both of you provided for us. All of the Year 10
teachers commented that they the lessons were appropriate and well delivered. The
resources were challenging and appropriate for the target audience and that you
engaged them really well.” Cathays High School
“Barnardo’s and Women’s Aid have been working in Bishop Of Llandaff for almost two
years and I cannot begin to explain the positive impact that they have had in PSE and in
the school in general. I can honestly say that the Barnardo’s and Women’s Aid
sessions have had the most positive feedback from both staff and pupils and if
those sessions were not included in my scheme of work then pupils would be
missing out.. – Bishop of Llandaff
“The delivery of the sessions was interactive, engaging and enjoyable for our pupils. They
responded extremely well to both the content of the sessions and speakers. They are
coming back next term and we are hoping to continue working closely with them on
future projects.” Glyn Derw High School
What they say about us
Thank you for a great year, we look forward to the next one!