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Introducing Claire
On International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women we would like to introduce Claire to you and our new service which will provide better protection, support and outcomes for women involved in sex work. More information about this new service will also appear on our website soon.
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Great News!
The Centre of Expertise on Child Sexual Abuse has selected RSVP as one of only 17 organisations across the country to fund us to evaluate our services for sexually abused children and young people.
This is really important funding. It will allow us to monitor the effectiveness of our support services for children, measure the impact our support has on the lives of children, young people and families and ensure we are making a difference. We’ll be consulting with young people and families who use our services to make sure that the services properly reflect what young people need.
You can read more about the fund, and the other projects awarded here www.csacentre.org.uk/research-publications/evaluation-fund
If you are a child or young person who has faced sexual abuse or you know one who has, you can talk to us, we’re here for you and we believe you. Call 0121 643 0301 to talk about services or call the helpline or 0121 643 4136
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Third Sector grants – Success!
Back in May we shared news that the Birmingham City Council were recommending that Third Sector grants, that fund 41 charities in the city, be removed as part of budget cuts.
We shared the public consultation paper, and invited you as members of the public, as users of our services and the people who would be affected by these changes, to contribute your thoughts.
You did, and it had a real impact. The cabinet agreed to extend Third Sector grants to 31st March 2018.
Thank you for your support, you made a difference.
Find out who currently supports our work, and how you can donate or fundraise for us here rsvporg.co.uk/support-us
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Infinite thanks!
Infinity Stage Company at University of Birmingham chose RSVP as their charity of the year, last academic year. They spent the year fundraising for us, and have donated profits of their theatre productions.
They donated a whopping £2000 to supporting survivors of sexual abuse, on top of £986 they already fundraised for us from the production of the Vagina Monologues. We’re so appreciative of their hard work and commitment, fundraising and donations make an enormous difference to our work.
If you would like to do some fundraising for survivors of sexual abuse RSVP services at work, school, college or simply among friends and family, get in touch. We can give you a fundraising pack with lots of fundraising ideas, and help to promote events and sponsorship opportunities.
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The Running Awards
In more running related news, we have been nominated for a national award, as part of The Running Awards. We are nominated in the Charities category for the work we do promoting running for wellbeing, relaxation and resilience. Thank you so much to the anonymous person who nominated us! Voting is now open to the public, it’s free to register and cast your vote https://therunningawards.com
If you are interested in trying out running yourself, in a safe and supportive environment, you might be interested in the weekly running group for survivors or the Run Talk (Walk) weekly event. Both take place at Cannon Hill Park in Edgbaston. They’re free to join and focuses on gentle running for relaxation and fun. Drop Lisa an email if you’re interested: lisa@rsvporg.co.uk
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More Capable Than You Think
Our Chief Executive achieved the unthinkable this year; she ran a whopping 200 miles in under 88 hours, raising funds for our services to support survivors of sexual abuse. She has raised over £4,200 online and offline so far, and you can still donate here localgiving.org/fundraising/only-200-miles
We’re not the only ones impressed by Lisa’s achievements. Runner’s World magazine did a double page spread and RSVP got mentioned too! They interviewed Lisa and photographed her in Birmingham’s Cannon Hill Park. The interview is now available online, where you can read about Lisa’s running journey, what motivates her and how running has been important to her wellbeing and resilience.
Lisa also has a message for survivors in the article, “You don’t have to be the strongest to achieve – some of the most resilient people and survivors I know are the quietest and gentlest, with the most self-doubt; but they keep going anyway and achieve their goals.”
Read the full interview here www.runnersworld.co.uk/training/motivation/human-race-i-run-to-help-me-offload-stress
If you are interested in trying out running yourself, in a safe and supportive environment, you might be interested in the weekly running group for survivors. It is organised by Lisa and happens on Saturday mornings at Cannon Hill Park parkrun. It’s free to join and focuses on gentle running for relaxation and fun. No 200 mile races, we promise!
Drop Lisa an email if you’re interested: lisa@rsvporg.co.uk
Please ask Lisa about the Run Talk (walk) event too which she can also introduce you to. It’s particularly useful for people who aren’t ready to run yet or want a less busy group to join than parkrun. It also happens in Cannon Hill Park at 10am and is on the second and last Saturday of each month.
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Aviva Community Fund – will you give us your vote?
RSVP’s project page is live on the Aviva Community Fund website. If we get enough ‘votes’ we can secure funding from Aviva to:
- Reduce the time that people are waiting for counselling; due to high numbers of referrals, the wait for counselling to start is approximately 5 months.
- Provide more support in outreach locations around Birmingham and Solihull, so our services are more accessible and inclusive.
- Increase our services and provide more resources for children, young people and families
When you register with the Aviva Community Fund, you’ll be granted 10 votes. You can use all 10 votes with RSVP, or spread them across a number of causes.
Follow the link to read more about RSVP’s cause – supporting survivors of sexual abuse, and to register and case your vote www.community-fund.aviva.co.uk.
Voting closes on 21st November.
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A Different Day
We were pleased on World Mental Health Day to see the momentum gathering for a different conversation around mental health. There’s been a growing number of people talking about trauma informed support, as opposed to medical model based support. The latter labels people, puts a diagnosis on them and asks ‘what’s wrong with you?’
In cases of sexual trauma a survivor can be invited to feel that they are the problem, and are powerless, disordered and broken, further exacerbating feelings of shame and blame they might feel. They can think that their only answer is medication and to understand ‘what’s wrong with them’ by using a medical label.
A trauma informed approach sees people’s struggles as understandable responses to the trauma and/or adversity they’ve faced, as ways to cope with the overwhelming, distressing nature of trauma.
In cases of sexual trauma the question considered would be ‘what’s happened?’ A survivor would be invited to make their own connections between then and now, to value their resilience in coping with abuse and to see their feelings and behaviors as natural and understandable responses to an unnatural situation. This empowering and compassionate approach would build on the resourcefulness of survivors and give them the power to understand and change, dismantling feelings of powerlessness, shame and blame.
At RSVP we are part of the movement to create a more trauma informed world. We deliver training which encourages professionals to respond to survivors of sexual abuse with belief, compassion, kindness and warmth. We provide frameworks so that professionals see survivors struggles and despair, not through the lens of stigma, shame or labels, but through the lens of humanity, as natural reactions to extreme distress. Our training uses the voices and experiences of survivors at the centre of what we do, as they are the experts of their experiences. If more people avoided giving labels and instead took the time to listen, hear and understand the stories of survivors we’d give hope and provide the compassionate support for them to thrive.
If you’d like to know more about our trauma informed training, please contact us on: trainer@rsvporg.co.uk or 0121 643 0301
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Outstanding!
On Thursday 28th September LimeCulture will be revealing the winners from their shortlisted nominations for the 2017 LimeLight Awards.
We are absolutely delighted and so proud that one of our ISVAs (advocates) has been nominated for the Award for ‘Outstanding Achievement by an ISVA Supporting Adults.’
Our team member Lisa Monks has done exceptionally well to be selected as one of only three nominees across the U.K.. The award she’s nominated for celebrates excellent practice and the achievements of an individual ISVA who supports adults. All nominees have demonstrated commitment, passion and exceptional encouragement and support for their adult clients.
Lisa has been nominated alongside Yvonne Raybone from Amethyst SARC and Barbara Pawson from Arch North East. We wish them all well but obviously hope that Lisa wins for us, although in our eyes Lisa is already outstanding with or without an award.
Limelight Awards
Last year you might remember that firstly, our entire ISVA Team won the “ISVA Exceptional Team” award, for leading the way in the provision of ISVA services and for making a significant contribution to supporting survivors. Secondly that a LimeLight Award was named in honour and memory of our beloved colleague and friend Vicky Bardsley who we still miss so much. Vicky supported children and young people at RSVP and sadly lost her battle with cancer in 2015. The award is one of the many ways that Vicky is leaving a positive legacy for the many sexually abused children and young people she supported.
For the ISVAs nominated for the “Vicky Bardsley Prize: Oustanding Achievement by an ISVA Supporting Children & Young People” and for the “ISVA Exceptional Team” Award we wish you well.
We’d like to congratulate RSVP’s Lisa Monks and every other nominee shortlisted as we know that it is a fantastic achievement to get this far.
A final message to our Lisa though, we genuinely appreciate you, this award is a testament to your skill, dedication and professionalism, and we hope you win!
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Santa Cause 4 – it’s that time of year again!
Santa Cause is our annual Christmas fundraising event, an opportunity to really shout about the important work that we do, celebrate the year’s achievements and raise some extra funds to support survivors.
This year is the 4th edition and will be the biggest yet. We’ll be at Hawker Yard in Birmingham city centre on Friday 17th November from 6pm. The theme this year Christmas past, present and future, explored through delicious street food and exciting cocktails. There’ll be live performances too from Marty Elliott – performing Christmas ballads from the past, Dry Rain – performing upbeat Christmas covers and DJ Silence who will bring the party to a climax.
Fancy dress is optional – but you could win a prize!
Why not kick off the party season for charity and make it a great social occasion, network with lots of great people and make it a friend or colleagues office night out
Tickets are priced at £25.00 per person and include food and drink options.
Early Bird tickets are available until 17th October at £22.50
Group booking discount – Book 10 places and pay for 9!
Book online now via https://www.skiddle.com/whats-on/Birmingham/Hawker-Yard/RSVP-Santa-Cause-4—Christmas-Past-Present–Future-/13053693/
For any further information contact at jeremy@rsvporg.co.uk or on 07793536002
