The Haven Community Advocacy Support Service is an outreach service, which offers support to women and children who have been affected by Domestic Violence, and are living in the community. Launched in December 2009 The Community Advocacy Support Team combinest the skills of Floating Support and IDVA (Independent Domestic Violence Advisors) in order to provide a more holistic service for women. Read more about the service launch here.
The Service aims to help women and children deal with feelings of isolation, provide practical and emotional support and help women to empower women.
The Haven Community Advocacy Support Service has positive contacts with various organisations throughout Wolverhampton, working alongside these organisations to help women and children cope with situations which they may find difficult to resolve. |
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What can the Community Advocacy Support service offer? |
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- Support
to build self-confidence and social skills
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Assistance in setting up and maintaining a tenancy
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Advice on housing rights and responsibilities
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Advice on welfare benefits, including grants and
loans
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Assistance with accessing services, including health,
social services and probation
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Advice with skills development, including budgeting,
bill-payment, shopping, cooking and personal management
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Assistance in developing skills to gain employment-
paid or unpaid
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- Advice
on training and opportunities
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- Assistance
in accessing legal advice and support with court appearances
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- Assistance
with establishing personal safety and security
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- Assistance
with signposting to cultural, community and social groups or
facilities
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Eligability Criteria |
Applicants must be female and resident in the Wolverhampton
Borough, over 16 years of age, and have experienced Domestic Violence according to the Haven definition. This service is for women who wish to sustain their tenancy.
The target
group includes women who are: |
- Leaving
Haven Refuges/Resettlement services.
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- Referred
from Haven Partner Projects of Protects.
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- Not
convicted of offences against other persons .
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- Drug users/Alcohol users who are on a supported programme.
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- Experiencing Mental Health problems and are supported by Mental
Health Services.
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- Able to demonstrate a commitment to the Comunity Advocacy Support scheme.
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Prioritising Strategy |
Each
referral is considered on an individual basis, using the following
factors:
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- Fulfillment
of the Community Advocacy Support serivce eligibility criteria.
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Outcome of Risk Assessment at point of referral including behaviour
in Haven Refuges.
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Information on criminal convictions.
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Degree
of individual committment to the aims, policies and procedures
of the service.
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Degree of tenancy support required.
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Level of support offered by family, friends and referral agency.
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Applicants
with a history of violent behaviour or with a current drug
or alcohol
problem are not necessarily excluded
from the project. These issues are, however, considered in the
assessment as to whether or not the referral is suited to the project. |
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