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Introducing Our New Head of Fundraising & Partnerships

At the end of April, Cara Donald, our previous Head of Fundraising left to take on a new role at the national charity, Papyrus. We wish Cara all the best in her new role, we know she will be fabulous and thank her for everything she has achieved at RSVP through her role as Head and before that, through her role as Specialist Trainer.

Following the sad feelings about Cara leaving, the great news is that we have recruited quickly into this role and from 24^th June, we are delighted that Paula Dower will take on the Head of Fundraising and Partnerships at RSVP. We can’t wait to give Paula a big-hearted welcome to RSVP.

Paula has worked in the charity sector since 2000 and for DASH (Disability Arts in Shropshire) since 2004, first as General Manager and Operations Director from 2012, when she began fundraising, raising over £1million through Arts Council England and grant-making trusts. While fundraising was part of Paula’s role, her focus on finance also ensured liquidity. Her organisational development skills saw DASH morph and grow through many changes during her time.

She has worked with a variety of stakeholders on numerous projects including volunteers, artists, council staff, Higher Education research staff, voluntary organisations, arts centres, galleries, museums, Arts Council England, trusts and foundations. One of her favourite projects was PROCESSIONS in 2018. Selected as one of one hundred organisations in the country to create banners to celebrate the first votes for women. Led by Paula, the DASH banner was created by over one hundred women and girls, who proudly paraded their banner in Cardiff shouting “WE ARE HERE!” on 10th June 2018.

Paula says: “It was such a fantastic day, and I was so happy to have been able to provide the opportunity for their voices to be heard.

I am thrilled to be working for RSVP to support and develop services to ensure survivors’ voices are also heard and believed.

As a survivor myself I know the importance RSVP’s work, and I feel really proud to be one of the team.”

Project evaluation – call for proposals

We are looking for a researcher to conduct an independent evaluation of our sexual harassment in the workplace project with West Midlands Police. The project is delivered in partnership with Black Country Women’s Aid and CRASAC, and is funded by ROSA.

The research should be completed by 30^th November 2022. A written report and a separate summary document will be produced, and you will present your findings at an event, this event may take place beyond November 2022. Participation in some additional learning events may be expected.

Full brief here:

Please include the following in your proposal,

• Outline of your research interests and why you are interested in this project
• Your approach and methodology, particularly for involving WMP and the survivor panel
• Suggested timeline of work, working towards 30^th November 2022 end
• Proposed budget

Please email your proposal, and any queries, to Sarah Lafford, Head of Business Development. Proposals must be received by Sunday 28^th November, 5pm.  sarah@rsvporg.co.uk

Counselling evaluation

We have extended our external evaluation of the adult counselling service at RSVP, so that we will be evaluating the service up to 2024. In this phase, the evaluation has focused on the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the adult counselling service. It looks at how the service adapted in unprecedented circumstances and the impact of significant changes in delivery for survivors and the team; the impact of national lockdown on new referrals into the service and what has been learnt from the pandemic to inform the service in the future.

The full report can be read here:

Recommendations include:

• Maintain the blended approach to adult counselling where survivors can access face-to-face, online or telephone counselling, depending on their needs and preferences. Remote support via phone and online widens access to the counselling service.
• New internal communication tools and team wellbeing initiatives should not be lost with the return to in-person working. There
  is still a great deal of uncertainty about the continuing
  impacts of the pandemic therefore this way of working should continue
• A dedicated investment of time in the short term on paperless systems will improve administrative processes
• Some people would benefit from a post counselling session self-care guide. Sessions can at times feel tough and very emotional, and self-care immediately after is needed.
• Some people would benefit from seeing a photo of their counsellor before their first session. This would feel more relational and friendly than only having a name.

If you would like to read previous phases of the evaluation, go to:

https://rsvporg.co.uk/blog/counselling-evaluation-report-2/

https://rsvporg.co.uk/blog/counselling-evaluation-report/

Survivor Steering Group

A new steering group led by survivors of sexual violence and abuse in Birmingham and Solihull will inform RSVP’s work and support us to achieve our mission:

To support people who have been subjected to sexual violence and abuse to thrive and enjoy a future of hope and confidence.

We boldly stand with survivors and challenge victim-blaming attitudes.

We are looking for individual survivors to join this new group, to influence strategic and operational decisions about RSVP’s future direction, services and other areas of the organisation.

About you:

• You are currently using or have used RSVP’s services in the past (even if for a short time).
• You share RSVP’s values of bold, big-hearted belief in all survivors
• You are age 18 or over (we are developing a separate under 18s steering group, email for info).
• You are willing to attend meetings, read notes and take an active part in the group. Meetings will be a blend of in-person at our Birmingham office, and virtual.

Please note that there is no requirement or expectation for you to discuss any details about the violence and abuse you have been subjected to. This is not a therapy or support group.

This is a paid opportunity. We are looking for people to commit to attending monthly meetings (approx 1.5 hours, plus meeting preparation).

If you are interested in taking part, please read the documents above in full, complete the brief application form and submit by email to lisa@rsvporg.co.uk. If you would like to arrange a discussion, please email Lisa Thompson lisa@rsvporg.co.uk

Have your voice heard – counselling during the pandemic

Have you had counselling at RSVP over the past year? Are you 18+? We are asking for feedback about our adult counselling service during the Covid-19 pandemic, to see how people used our service and what we can learn from this difficult time.

Your opinions and ideas can really help us to improve what we do.

We would like to invite you to take part in a focus group discussion with other counselling clients on:

Monday 7 June 2021 at 12.30pm-2.30pm

The focus group discussion will be run by Karen and Polly, independent researchers who will pull everyone’s comments together and report them back anonymously. There will be up to 10 people in the group and it will take place on Zoom. You will be sent a link to join by email or text.

We would really like to hear about your experience of counselling at RSVP during COVID19, to help us understand what worked well and what we could have done better.

Please contact Sarah Lafford at sarah@rsvporg.co.uk to book your place.

Meet Nikki

Meet Nikki, the newest member to our CYP ISVA team.

Hi, my name is Nikki and I am one of the newest members to the children and young people’s ISVA team here at RSVP.  I joined the team at the beginning of December 2020 and everybody has been extremely friendly, welcoming and supportive as well as incredibly passionate about the work we all do and the support given to survivors. 

Due to these unprecedented times, the RSVP team are committed and going above and beyond to ensure that support continues as best possible for all of their survivors. 

I bring to the team a wealth of experience working with young people, including 12 years working in a secondary school supporting 11 – 18 year olds and their families facing various challenges and complex needs.  Over the years my role has developed and I have gained lots of knowledge and experience in supporting teenage parents ensuring they access relevant support services whilst continuing with their education, safeguarding and supporting vulnerable children, young people and families with complex needs, and in sexual health ensuring young people know their rights and responsibilities and have an understanding of consent and the law and how to access confidential services.

I have attended a variety of training over the years that has developed my skills, providing me with a wealth of information, tools and confidence to offer the best support that I can.  For the past two years I have worked specifically in sexual health delivering Relationships & Sex Education (RSE) to young people in educational settings across Birmingham and Solihull, helping them to maintain good sexual health and positive relationships free from violence, coercion and exploitation.

I am passionate about supporting children, young people and families, and reaching out to those who have or who are experiencing difficult times.  My role as an ISVA is to provide emotional and practical support with compassion, professionalism, empathy and hope.

I am really excited to be part of RSVP and to help and be an advocate for survivors of sexual abuse and to be right there, with them through their journey.

Meet Oscar

We’re delighted to welcome Oscar to our ISVA team, we all hope you enjoy being part of the RSVP team.

Identity has always been important to me. But the question of ‘who am I?’ has not always been one I’ve found easy to answer. This question consumed me when I was growing up. Sleepless nights and endless days staring into space and asking myself the question over and over. Labels were forced upon me before I started to speak for myself. ‘Tomboy’, ‘gifted’, ‘naughty’, ‘different’, ‘girl’. These labels always felt wrong to me. I wasn’t naughty, I just couldn’t focus like everyone else. I wasn’t ‘different’, but I was unique. I didn’t think I was a girl, so who was I? Who will I be when I grow up? Will I be comfortable in my own skin? Will I find a community of people who understand me? Will I be proud?

Throughout my teenage years, I tried on a lot of identities. My styles and interests constantly evolved and changed. I played semi-professional football, toured around playing in jazz bands and worked in the House of Commons. I tried a Goth phase for a couple of weeks, but I had blonde hair and smiled too much, so that style didn’t last too long. I experienced homelessness, I formed strong friendships and threw myself into schoolwork; a source of stability in my life.

The question of who I am continued to weigh on my mind, crushing me. All my friends began forming relationships, but questions about my sexuality made me feel isolated, alone. I started talking to people I could trust about how I was feeling and learnt that a big part of my identity was openness. My chosen family became a significant part of who I was, and who I still am. University was a very important and exciting time for me. It allowed me space to grow, meet a diverse range of people and try new experiences. I studied History and Politics and got heavily involved in student politics and social groups. In 2014, I was elected as LGBT+ Liberation Officer of my university and had the chance to support others in a way I was supported when I needed it the most. I also became involved in activism and advocacy support, particularly surrounding LGBT+ Liberation, Sex Worker Rights, and preventing homelessness.

For a long time, I became consumed with the label ‘victim’. I was a victim of sexual assaults, a victim of hate crimes, a victim of abuse. This became my identity and dictated how I acted. I felt embarrassed, ashamed, alone. I felt like no-one understood me or saw my struggles. It took time, patience and support for me to decide that I wanted to reject this identity of ‘victim’. A big part of my identity now is that I am a survivor, and what I have been through has made me stronger, more compassionate and surer of who I am and who I am not.

After I completed my Undergraduate Degree, I began a PhD in Political Science, looking at the overlap of disability and trans studies, entitled: The Other Body: A Trans and Disability Studies Critique of Privacy, Privilege and Power. I’ve worked as a Lecturer and as a Programme Facilitator at a charity which saw me travelling around the country and spending many nights in hotel rooms, eating takeaways. I would go into schools and help young people discover what social issues they were passionate about (such as climate change or supporting elderly communities) and helped them form plans of how they would make a difference in the world. These experiences helped shape my identity and learn more about who I am. I became a strong public speaker and I learnt about coping mechanisms for my anxiety and depression. I learnt about my disabilities and ways I could speak out about them and ask for support and I learnt how to better support people. I also learnt that you can get sick of takeaways and delicious greasy food if you eat too much of it (who knew??).

I love learning and reading. As I began forming a picture of my identity, I wanted to find stories like mine. I wanted to see an existence like mine, to feel validated and affirmed. But I struggled to find any. I couldn’t find stories about disabled young people or films about LGBT+ people (especially not stories of people who are proud and happy). No TV shows of survivors thriving. No diversity or celebration of difference. I realised I had to become the representation I wanted to see. I didn’t know entirely what story I wanted to tell, but I knew that I wanted to speak. I wanted to support people and make them feel seen; to help people understand that their stories, their experiences, their feelings are always important. This is why I continue to speak out. To fight for the rights of myself and others. To continue understanding, unlearning, remembering, forgetting, processing, thinking, feeling and listening. To be someone people can talk to. And I want to continue listening to myself. I speak out about my experiences in solidarity. To process. In the hope others can relate and feel less alone. These are some of the core values I want my identity to be about, and what I have strived to do in the past, and what I hope I continue to do in the future at RSVP.

I joined RSVP in October 2020 as an Adult Independent Sexual Violence Advocate. My role involves assisting anyone who has experienced sexual abuse or violence, helping them to understand their options, ensuring they can access the services and support they need, including reporting if this is something they wish to do, and offering emotional and practical support. Since joining RSVP, I feel like my chosen family has grown. Everyone is so supportive, welcoming and accepting, and it has felt powerful and affirming to openly be my authentic self and stay true to my identity.

So, who am I? The answer to this question is forever evolving and growing. I am my experiences, my journey and my story. I am Oscar. I am a trans, non-binary man. I am disabled, queer, and flamboyant. I love otters and bird-watching. My most listened to music genre on Spotify is ‘Show Tunes’. I tell terrible jokes. I am serious when I need to be, but don’t take life too seriously. I’m positive and energetic. I am flawed. I am kind. I am privileged. I am accepting of everyone. I’m passionate about my beliefs, my hobbies and about helping people. I’m also passionate about dogs. Dogs are great. I’m an activist. I am a survivor and I am strong. I am who I was in my past and who I will be in my future.  Most of all, I am proud.

Are you interested in working as a survivor co-researcher?

We want to make you aware of an opportunity to work as a co-researcher. A research team at University of Birmingham are inviting applications from individuals who identify as survivors of sexual violence to work on a national research study examining the role of the voluntary sector in supporting survivors.

This is a paid position, 2-3 days a month, with training provided, til August 2022.

The study is funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and led by a team at the University of Birmingham, working in partnership with survivors, voluntary sector services, health services and commissioners.

The role will include:
 Offering knowledge and experience of the issues being researched
 Co-facilitating interviews with survivors of sexual violence
 Helping to recruit survivors to the study
 Assisting in the development of research materials and tools
 Assisting with data analysis
 Attending some research meetings (these may be virtual)
 Helping to develop publicity around the research
 Helping to support/attend activities to promote the study findings

This is a great opportunity to influence policy and service provision and to develop your research skills and experience.
If you would like to know more about the research project, please contact the study’s lead: Professor Caroline Bradbury-Jones c.bradbury-jones@bham.ac.uk

The PROSPER study: www.birmingham.ac.uk/research/applied-health/research/PROSPER-study.aspx

Counselling evaluation report

Over the past two years we’ve been working with the team at Merida to independently evaluate our counselling services for adults who have been subjected to sexual violence and abuse. In November 2019 we published the interim report, and now the final report is ready to share.

Counselling services are our busiest services. Though we offer more than 200 counselling sessions a week to adults, 7 days a week, survivors of abuse are having to wait months for their counselling to begin. This is part of a national crisis in the sector, but we want to reflect on what we can do locally as an organisation to reduce waiting times while still offering trauma-informed, survivor-centred support. You can read the report by clicking the link below.

Some of the findings:

Survivors face a confusing landscape when seeking support, as sexual assault referral centres, health services, mental health services and charities all offer different types of support with varying levels of accessibility.

In January 2019 the demand pressures on RSVP’s services had grown to such an extent that the waiting list for adult counselling was increasing rather than decreasing. This led to consultation on and implementation of service changes, including reducing the number of weeks of counselling from 24 to 16 (from April 2019).

In the research period, adult counselling at the city centre and outreach locations combined grew from 179 sessions per week to 227 per week ( this has since grown and with children’s counselling too we offer more than 300 sessions a week).

The expansion of outreach counselling has been successful in
extending the reach of the adult counselling service to people who were unable to access the city centre site.

Average waiting times reduced from 7 months to 5 months in January 2020, (though waiting times vary significantly depending on where the services is accessed).

The future of the service

Though huge progress has been made in reducing waiting times, the impact of Covid-19 will be felt for some time. Many people who were accessing the service in March put their sessions on hold because they were unable to, and did not want to, continue their sessions by phone during lockdown. When face to face services resume, social distancing will limit the numbers of clients who can be at the premises at one time and some outreach locations will open later than others.

We’re pleased that we’ll continue to work with Merida to evaluate the service, including the impact of Covid-19, counselling in a social distanced environment and new ways of accessing counselling (i.e. online platforms).

If you have any comments on the report, please contact Sarah Lafford sarah@rsvporg.co.uk

Survey for online sex workers – how can we better meet your needs?

The Red Project is a specialist service run by RSVP, providing practical and emotional support to female sex workers. Through the Red Project we largely support women working in venues and in ‘red light districts’. We know that a growing number of sex workers are working mainly or entirely online and we want to understand better how our service can meet the needs of online sex workers. If this is relevant to you, please see details below from Jane Pitcher and Rosie Campbell, who are independent researchers.

“We are independent researchers carrying out research on behalf of the Red Project to find out how they can better promote and improve their services to women working in the online sector. This research is funded by the Feminist Review Trust, which has approved the ethical statement for the study. The Trust has previously funded other projects related to sex work, including the Sex Worker’s Opera.

If you are a sex worker who advertises online (including working in escorting, webcamming, BDSM or fetish work, adult film or sexual massage), and if you work or have worked in Birmingham or Solihull, or live in the West Midlands and think you may have need of the services of the Red Project at any time, please help us and complete a short survey, which is anonymous and confidential here https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/0FJDDS/. The survey should take you no more than 5 minutes to complete. The data from the survey will only be used to inform future services delivered by the Red Project, in order to ensure you are getting the services you need and want.

As a way of saying ‘thank you’ for participating in the survey, we are giving the option to take part in a prize draw, with a first prize of a Love2Shop online voucher worth £100 and 5 runner up prizes of vouchers worth £50 each. If you would like to take part in the prize draw, please leave your email address at the end of the survey. We will not link this to the data from the survey and will not keep it after the prize draw is completed. The data we receive from the survey is held on UK servers; we do not get information about your IP address or any other digital trace. If you have any questions about the survey, please contact Jane Pitcher on pitcherjane02@gmail.com, or Rosie Campbell on rosiecampbelluk@gmail.com. 

We are also doing a small number of confidential telephone interviews, in addition to the survey. If you would like to take part in an interview, please email Rosie Campbell on rosiecampbelluk@gmail.com. The interviews will take approximately 30 minutes and a Love2Shop online voucher of £40 is offered to everyone who takes part in these.”