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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
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Feeling proud!
RSVP’s specialist LGBT ISVAs Bev & Mark were at Birmingham Pride 26-27 May and had a lovely time embracing diversity & equality while promoting our specialist service for survivors within the LGBT community. Bev & Mark had a stall set up in the marquee with our Umbrella partners sexual health testing team, Birmingham LGBT centre and Swanswell.
We enjoyed watching the parade, celebrating 50 yers since decriminalisation of homeosexuality and seeing all the community groups taking part with the colourful fun spirit of the event.; dancing along to the musical floats as they went passed.
We watched Zara Sykes perform her latest single The Right which is about violence and sexual abuse.
Bev was in the women’s arena promoting our services to LBT women, who are currently underrepresented. We hope we reached out to some of the women present, and that people know our services are there for them if ever they need them.
The increased security were a comforting reassurance following the terrorist attacks in Manchester & London. The silence in honour of those lives lost was a sombre moment yet the LGBT community continued to celebrate acceptance and diversity against the adversity.
We hope that everyone had a safe & happy pride, and have reached some of the LGBT community who may now feel more comfortable in accessing support following any sexual violence/abuse.
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The Epic Vale Fest!
ValeFest did it!
The one day music festival with a difference ‘ValeFest 2017’ was held on Saturday June 3rd. This fabulous musical extravaganza is run once a year from the Vale at Birmingham University primarily to raise funds for charity. This year we were ecstatic and extremely grateful to be one of the two chosen charities, Basic Needs being the other.
The whole festival with its main and smaller stages, acoustic tent and comedy stage, amongst other things too, was organised by around 30 students. They volunteered their own time to pull together this vibrant, enjoyable and amazing day, while completing their degrees at the same time too! They showed how a group of dedicated people can achieve absolutely huge things when they collectively rally their energy, time and determination.
Fiona from our advocacy team and Lisa our CEO were delighted to attend the festival and join in the fun. Fiona chatted to students and passed on information about RSVP from our stall. Lisa recorded a piece for Burn FM radio, was filmed for Guild TV and even read out a Vagina Monologue appearing with our ongoing supporters Infinity Stage Company highlighted here in a past blog: https://rsvporg.co.uk/blog/infinity-stage-company-make-rsvp-their-charity-of-the-year/
The monologue was about consent and respect and we will write more about this in a later blog. Afterwards Lisa spoke on the main stage to let the 4,000 plus festival goers know about the services that RSVP offers. She also wanted everyone to know how enormously grateful we were for their support.
This year the vibrant day finished with a celebration that they had raised a record breaking amount for their charities. Although ValeFest are still confirming the exact amounts they have said that last years figure of £32,000 was smashed! This means that there will be an even bigger, colossal and unbelievable amount of funding raised to share between us and Basic Needs.
We want to say an enormous thank you for the kindness, support and generosity of ValeFest organisers and ticket holders. As an independent and local charity we raise every penny ourselves to provide empathic support to people affected by sexual abuse and violence. We would like to extend our gratitude and love to everyone from ValeFest 2017, you truly are fantastic, you really are!
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Women and Sexism in the Rock and Metal Industry
Women and Sexism in the Rock and Metal Industry event is a joint collaboration between the University of Birmingham Rock Society and Women’s Association in light of National Women’s History month. We will be looking at how women are presented in the rock and metal music industry, in terms of female fronted bands or lack of, women behind the scenes and also sexual harassment at gigs.
The event will be a series of short talks and presentations from a number of guest speakers, such as music academics Dr Asya Draganova and Jasmine Shadrack, members of progressive groove metal band Aramantus, current student and writer Rosie Solomon, the Not On Campaign and the organiser and President of the Rock Society, Anna Pitts.
There hasn’t been an event of this kind done before by the Rock Society and as the first female president of the society in a long time I felt responsible to raise awareness of these issues that affect women in the industry. I came up with the idea for this event as I’m very passionate about the topic of women and sexism within the rock and metal genre and I feel that these issues are rarely discussed. Also, I had spoken to a lot of female students who had experienced these issues at gigs and it becomes a norm to just brush off sexual harassment in this environment which is not right.
I’ve chosen to collect donations for RSVP as it is a charity that is directly relevant to helping people who have experienced sexual harassment, assault and rape such as we will be discussing at the event, in the context of music gigs and festivals. Also, the work the charity does is so vital and I thought it was important to raise awareness of the support available and to reduce the stigma around speaking out about the issue of sexual assault which was one of the main reasons for organising the event. Finally, as RSVP is a local charity I wanted the event to give back and help our local community in Birmingham, especially with the recent targeting and sexual assault of female students around the Selly Oak area.
The event will be taking place on Saturday 18th March, 6-8pm in the Rosa Parks room of the Guild of Students at University of Birmingham. Find out more at: https://www.facebook.com/events/1420530174687167/
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The internet in the therapeutic space
Below is an extract of a blog from Catherine Knibbs on internet use, social media and devices and the ethical questions that arise from counsellors in the therapeutic space.
There are many approaches and guidelines around how to use equipment you find in the kitchen. Call them directions, user guides or instructions, aka destructions in my household as no one ever reads them. Therein lies the problem…#skimming or #ignoring or #doesntapplytome (I’m using hashtags # to highlight the fact that this can be trend/pattern.
So if there was indeed a user guide for cyberspace would you ignore it? Skim over it? Throw it in the bin or digest every ounce of the contents? Did you know a document such as this actually exists for counsellors and psychotherapists and has done for a while?
That’s the one. Have you read it? What do you think about it, what are your reflections and what rights do you think you have for using your social media accounts as you see fit? What do you think about your clients and their social media usage?
Do you have rights? Do your clients? What might these be? What do you expect from the sites and applications (programs) that you use when it comes to privacy, harassment, location services and your right to express yourself as a human being on the Internet?
Ethical dilemma after ethical dilemma right?
What about the question that can often go unnoticed… What happens about your past or your opinions of today becoming your future? (or future past for that matter)
What effect will this have on you or your clients?
I have deliberately put questions forward in this article to get you thinking. Please feel free to feedback and let’s open this up for debate, I’m sure you will be surprised at both your response and others too. (I should also insert a comment about trolling and respect for each other, however the point is exactly that- – you never know the response that will occur after posting).
Now onto working with clients who bring technology into the room, again what rights do you have a counsellor to insist that the device is turned off or not brought into your room? Why would this be ethical or unethical? Do you know about geolocation and tagging? (go and google these terms if you’re not sure)
Would this have an effect on your practice? Do you have a right to have your device in the room?
What about access to the Internet? What about the content a client may show you that is on their phone? (Think #sexting and #underageconsent). Do you know enough about the internet to know what apps are safe, underage, ethical, secret or indeed coercive?
Read the rest of Catherine’s blog on her website www.cybertrauma.com
Catherine will be discussing these questions and more at the Cybertrauma training on Wednesday 8th March.
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New training: Cybertrauma 8th March 2017
Wednesday 8th March 2017
9.30am-4.30pm
Cybertrauma: A new paradigm for working with cyberspace issues in therapy and beyond.
What do you do if a child has Tinder on their smartphone?
What if a client asks to record you in session?
This training will look at the online world for children and young people, as well as adults, whether that be gaming consoles, PCs, tablets or smartphones. The training will looks at the issues, and pitfalls that people face online, how this affects the person and their ability to engage in interpersonal relationships, how to practically work with these issues.
What will be covered?
- What does cybertrauma mean?
- What happens when a person is traumatised online?
- Attatchment theory, use of devices, and the distinction from addiction
- Introduction to attachment and how this relates to devices and cyberspace
- Introduction to Polyvagal communication (how and why we communicate online the way we do)
- Ethics, the law and your practice.
Parts of the training include discussion based learning/breakout sessions.
E-safety leaflets will be provided and a handy guide to take home with you.
There will no doubt be more questions by the end of the session as cyberspace is ever evolving and the material is constantly updated to reflect this.
About the trainer: Catherine Knibbs is a child sex abuse therapist and founder/CEO of Peer Support Yorkshire CIC, a service for child trauma, abuse and attachment. Catherine conducts research into the affects of cyberspace on young people’s interpersonal connections. Before training as a therapist, Catherine worked in gaming and computers.
Location: Priory Rooms, Quaker Meeting House, 40 Bull St, Birmingham B4 6AF
Cost: £90 (voluntary orgs / individuals) £105 (Statutory / private orgs) + booking fee
About the trainer: Catherine Knibbs is a child sex abuse therapist and founder/CEO of Peer Support Yorkshire CIC, a service for child trauma, abuse and attachment. Catherine conducts research into the affects of cyberspace on young people’s interpersonal connections. Before training as a therapist, Catherine worked in gaming and computers.
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Working with people who experience trauma related dissociation
On Thursday 16th February, we will be welcoming back First Person Plural to continue their excellent training on trauma related dissociation.
Using a mix of experiential, group discussion, audio visual media and didactic training tools the day aims to further improve understanding of the complexity and contradictions in how people who experience dissociation may present. It supports and develops participants existing professional knowledge and training through providing complex dissociation specific information and practical suggestions. It encourages development of participants’ practice when supporting a person who dissociates who is in crisis.
The training is delivered by Kathryn Livingstone and Melanie Goodwin from First Person Plural, who are experts by experience. They deliver a professional training day that provides a unique perspective with generous sharing of lived experience to enhance theoretical learning.
Attendance on the introductory day is the ideal prerequisite for entry onto this training. However, if you have not attended the first part of the training, we can share resources with you to view in advance: First Person Plural’s training film “A Logical Way of Being” and the chapter on Stabilisation from “No Two Paths The Same”. Please contact sarah@rsvporg.co.uk to request these resources, after booking.
Thursday 16th February
Priory Rooms, 40 Bull Street, Birmingham, B4 6AF
Voluntary organisations/individuals – £75 + booking fee
Statutory/private organisations – £90 + booking fee
Book via https://www.eventbrite.co.uk
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Santa Cause 3
Come along to a great charity evening where everyone wI’ll have a fun night whilst supporting our specialist charity.
Every year we support thousands of survivors of rape, sexual violence and sexual abuse whether they are men, women, children, asylum seekers or trafficked people. The demand within Birmingham and the West Midlands is growing at an unacceptable level. We need your help and support to raise our profile and to also help engage supporters.
Santa Cause 3 – The Return of Mrs Cause, will take place on Wednesday 23rd November 2016. The plan is to meet at The Bank Restaurant & Bar in Brindley Place, Birmingham for a welcome drink of wine, beer or bubbly and photo shoot starting at 6pm. Everyone will then be given a special seasonal outfit before we leave for our second venue. The first 100 people to book will be given a free seasonal outfit sponsored by our good friends and supporters Orton Estates Ltd…… So book your tickets here !
Then at approximately 7.30pm we will move onto Zizzis where you will receive another free welcome drink of bubbly and food.
We then will move to our final destination of the night Nuvo, at approximately 9pm where we spend the remainder of the evening where there will be a DJ, a raffle with some great prizes and treats for a Christmas party!
Unlike our Santa Cause events on previous years we are keeping this event to three venues to allow for a more leisurely approach.
Book your tickets on the link above but if you do require any additional information please contact us on:
info@rsvporg.co.uk
We look forward to seeing you there!
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BCLC Autumn Quiz Fundraiser!
On Tuesday 18th October, Birmingham Chinatown Lions Club will be hosting their Autumn Quiz in aid of RSVP! The event will take place from 7:30pm at Edmunds Brew House (B3 2ES), and costs just £5 per person to enter – which includes canapes on entry.
If you’re a keen quizzer, or just want to support us in the work that we continue to do, book in a team of up to six people with Lion Stewart, who can be contacted on 07973833519 or stewart@chamberlainssurveyors.co.uk. Thank you in advance for your support, we can’t wait to see you there!
(Click on the image below to take you to our event page for the quiz)
![JPEG_BCLC Autumn Quiz 2016[54550]](https://rsvporg.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/JPEG_BCLC-Autumn-Quiz-201654550-213x300.jpg)
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JamFest 2016 Launched!
We’ve had an exciting day in the office today, finalising our partnership with the annual music festival, JamFest, hosted by Birmingham’s premier Jazz and Soul music venue – The Jam House!
Tuesday 11th October will see a host of exciting acts descend on The Jam House, bringing an eclectic mix of musical delights right to our doorstep. All proceeds from the night will go to RSVP to keep supporting, inspiring, and encouraging survivors of rape and sexual abuse to be bold, hopeful, and to have self-belief.
We think this could be the start of something big, so if you’re interested in music and want to change some lives then come on down, we’d love to see you!
Why not like and follow our JamFest Facebook page and follow us on Twitter whilst you’re there? We’ll be releasing more details about the event and about the artists who will be supporting us in the run up to the event, so keep your eyes peeled on our social media! (Click on the icons below to take you to our pages, and to buy tickets).
