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Training Fund Stories - Tracy

Training Fund Stories - Tracy

Training Fund Stories - Tracy

Thursday, July 14, 2022

Our Partnerships Officer Naomi Trenear spoke to Tracy, a frontline worker based in Plymouth who has recently benefited from our Training Fund

Tracy Parker is a Complex Need Housing Worker with Path Devon https://www.pathdevon.org/

She applied to the Training Fund to enable her to train as a facilitator of “The Freedom Programme” a domestic violence programme for people who are living in abusive relationships.

The Programme was primarily designed for women as victims of domestic violence, since research shows that the vast majority of cases of serious abuse are male on female. However, the programme, when provided as an intensive two day course, is also suitable for men, whether abusive and wishing to change their attitudes and behaviour or whether victims of same sex domestic abuse themselves

Tracy works with complex needs clients in PATH’s Housing Information, Signposting and Support Service (HISS) in Plymouth. This service is targeted at single homeless people, especially those with mental health, drugs/alcohol, or offending issues. Tracy had recognized that many of the women, and some men that she works with are affected by domestic abuse and that this has directly caused homelessness and separation of children from their families.

Tracy works on a 1-1 basis with her clients, the Freedom Programme Facilitator training will enable her to share her knowledge, highlight the traits of abusers and support her clients to gain the tools that they need to identify the behaviours of a perpetrator.

I spoke to Tracy after she completed the training and she explained how she will be able to use what she has learned to provide powerful brief interventions to help survivors recognize their situation and find a way out. Tracy hopes that in time she will be able to run the Freedom Programme for women who access PATH services.

There are many reasons why women do not leave abusive relationships, primarily the very real danger that they may face from their abuser if they leave. (https://www.womensaid.org.uk/information-support/what-is-domestic-abuse/women-leave/ )

The Freedom Programme examines the roles played by attitudes and beliefs on the actions of abusers and the responses of victims and survivors. The aim is to help victims and survivors to make sense of and understand what has happened to them and recognize when intervention is needed. The Freedom Programme also describes in detail how children are affected by being exposed to this kind of abuse and very importantly how their lives are improved when the abuse is removed.

Another aspect of domestic abuse that is sometimes overlooked is the associated anti-social behaviour and the lack of understanding amongst some housing providers. Tracy works with housing providers when her clients’ tenancies are at risk, sometimes as a direct result of DV. With the knowledge she has gained from this training she will be able to explain the issues impacting on tenant’s situations with landlords and encourage empathy.

Tracy says of the Training Fund that “frontline support workers need as many tools in their toolbox as possible” and the Training Fund has enabled her to increase the reach of her support work.

https://www.freedomprogramme.co.uk/

The Freedom Programme examines the roles played by attitudes and beliefs on the actions of abusive men and the responses of victims and survivors. The aim is to help them to make sense of and understand what has happened to them. The Freedom Programme also describes in detail how children are affected by being exposed to this kind of abuse and very importantly how their lives are improved when the abuse is removed.

The National Domestic Violence 24 hour helpline number is 0808 2000 247

If you would like to apply to the Training Fund for individual or group training, please read our guidance here. You can see other blogs and video stories about our training fund recipients here.

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