Vesta - Specialist Family Support CIC

We worked closely with the Institute for Addressing Strangulation to prepare posters with information about strangulation in Polish. The information is primarily based on their guidelines and resources. ​ We covered 5 topics: ​ 1) What is strangulation? 2) What can I do if I've been strangled? 3) Symptoms of strangulation - physical and emotional 4) What is sexual consent? 5) Where can I seek support? You can find all posters here along with the English translations. The initiative was funded by Manchester City Council. #strangulation #Polish #duszenie

On 22 January 2024 we are starting the delivery of the Nurturing Programme for Polish parents and carers in Bedfordshire. We are accepting the referrals to the programme now! The Nurturing Programme is an evidence-based 10-week course for parents and carers that improves the emotional health of both adults and children and strengthens family relationships. ​It is based upon four constructs or building blocks: self-awareness, appropriate expectations, positive discipline and empathy. Over the 10-week programme participants will look at lots of different topics, including: Understanding why children behave as they do Recognising the feelings behind behaviours (ours and theirs) Exploring different approaches to discipline Finding ways to develop co-operation and self-discipline in children Learning the importance of looking after ourselves The 10-week programme was created by child psychologist Dr Stephen J Bavolek and is being further developed by Family Links, a national charity promoting families' emotional health and well-being. We adapted the course content to Polish and delivered it in Polish for the first time in the North West region of England. The programme is aimed at parents and carers of children aged 3 to 12 years old. We are accepting referrals to the course now – you can find the referral form on our website. The project is financed by the National Lottery Community Fund. #PolishParents #PolishFamiliesBedfordshire #PositiveParenting

Ewa Wilcock Domestic abuse is a global issue and just over a quarter (27%) of women worldwide who have been in a relationship report being subjected to physical and/or sexual violence by their intimate partner (WHO, 2021). There is a variety of data sources relating to violence against women and girls in the UK, with the Crime Survey of England and Wales being the primary one. It offers details about the victims’ sex, age, ethnicity, marital status, disability, employment status, and area. What can I learn specifically about Polish people who experience abuse in the UK from the available data? ‘Nothing!’ This is because the client’s nationality or country of birth is not consistently recorded by agencies. The nationality of victims is shown in the Femicide Census, and this is the first time we see what happened to Polish women. The data from 2009 to 2020 shows that Polish women constitute the largest group of victims after British women and there was almost three times the number of Polish victims as the next most represented nationality. The Census also shows that after Poland (34 victims) other most represented countries of birth are Latvia (12), Romania (11) and Lithuania (10). These women are entirely hidden in the statistics as they are placed in the “white-other” category along with a mass of other white women who are non-British. It is particularly concerning for us because, despite the fact, that Polish people constitute the largest minority group in the UK (the most common non-British nationality in the UK since 2007, ONS, 2021) their needs and specific issues affecting families are not adequately recognised and addressed by agencies. Vesta SFS CIC have been supporting Polish victims of domestic abuse since 2014. We set up the first Polish Domestic Violence Helpline in the UK and operated it until 2018 but couldn’t keep it going because of a lack of funds. There is now a helpline for Polish female victims run by Opoka now – 0300 365 1700. We work with families experiencing complex issues: domestic abuse, problems with mental health, parenting difficulties, or addictions. Addressing these problems by offering specialist services to agencies supporting Polish clients including, domestic abuse awareness and recovery programme for women, course for perpetrators of domestic abuse, parenting course, counselling and cognitive behavioural therapy, courses for British professionals about effective working with Polish families and free resources in Polish and English. We know that domestic abuse is a hidden problem in the Polish community and victims face a variety of barriers to reporting it including, language barrier, fear of Social Services, no knowledge of support options, social isolation, or financial difficulties. We also know that Polish people report abuse when the situation is profoundly serious and dangerous. Over 50% of victims who contacted our helpline were classified as high-risk victims which means that there was a threat of serious harm or death. Almost 80% of women who were classed as high-risk victims also had children. The analysis of risk assessments completed with clients also showed us that 73% of perpetrators had police involvement in the past in the UK or/and Poland. It is concerning those previous problems with the police do not deter perpetrators from committing further domestic abuse offences. The ease of moving undetected from area to area or from the UK to Poland can add to perpetrators’ feelings of “being above the law.” The support agencies often see the removal of the perpetrator from the family home as the solution to the problem. In the context of domestic abuse in Polish families this in fact can be a major risk factor. Polish perpetrators who have no family or friends here can become homeless, abuse alcohol/drugs, their mental health will deteriorate, they can start harassing the victim, and use contact with children to continue with the abuse. Polish women often lack knowledge about civil protective orders and might be overwhelmed by the guilt of ‘breaking the family’, and so might be more vulnerable to giving in to perpetrators’ demands. Our recent work on several domestic homicide review panels involving Polish families also revealed to us those victims were killed with severe brutality. In June, this year a report from the first UK-wide research was published – “Polish women’s experiences of domestic violence and abuse in the United Kingdom” Zielinska, I., Anitha, S., Rasell, M. and Kane, R. (2022). It is a long-coming study that helps us to fill the gap in our knowledge and understanding of domestic abuse in the UK’s largest minority group. It contains a lot of useful recommendations for practitioners, policymakers, and researchers. Domestic abuse affects all women but the experiences of women from Poland will differ from the experiences of other women because of their migration history and settlement in the UK, understanding of domestic abuse shaped by their Polish background and barriers they face in reporting abuse and accessing support services here. Only when we fully understand these issues, we can support them more effectively to minimise the risks to them and their children. The blog was published on the Domestic Abuse Commissioner's website in December 2022 - https://domesticabusecommissioner.uk/blogs/specialist-support-for-polish-survivors-of-domestic-abuse/

Our past projects 20191022_190040 (3) (1) Gateway course 53289724_2217407264971862_71176166332453 20191022_190040 (3) (1) 1/4 Specialist Domestic Abuse Support For Polish People in Manchester The conference was organised to present the findings of the first UK-wide study about Polish women's experiences of abuse in the UK, showcase best practices in working with Polish families affected by domestic abuse, and facilitate networking between professionals. ​ This international event brought together academics, experts, leaders, and practitioners from the UK and Poland. It offered a unique opportunity to hear from representatives of the leading organisations supporting women and victims of domestic abuse in Poland. ​ Read more about this successful event here. National conference promoting the first UK wide research about Polish women's experiences of domestic abuse We were concerned that Polish people, one of the largest minority groups in Manchester, do not ask for help when they experience domestic abuse. They face many barriers to accessing specialist services – language barrier, fear of statutory agencies, lack of knowledge of the system, isolation, and financial difficulties. To be responsive to these needs, Vesta, in partnership with Europia, delivered a project for Polish victims/survivors of domestic abuse in Manchester to ensure they are safe in their homes. Specialist support has been offered to adult men and women: Information, advice and support in accessing local domestic abuse services Welfare & housing advice and support Online support group for women Counselling Emergency funding for accommodation-related need Gateway - domestic abuse recovery and awareness course for women Information about strangulation in Polish. Support for parents in Gwent and South Wales We delivered a parenting course to Polish parents and carers in Gwent. The 10-week course The Nurturing Programme was a great opportunity for parents to learn positive parenting methods, and share experiences with parents who also grew up in Poland and were raised within Polish cultural norms. ​ We also recorded two webinars about positive communication in the family: ​ Communication - how can we communicate to understand each other? ​ Emotions - how can we control them better? ​ ​ The project was funded by the National Lottery Community Fund Mental health support for Polish adults in Wales We supported Polish adults who live in Wales and experience mental health issues. We offered the following services: peer support group for Polish women telephone individual emotional support for men and women The project was funded by the Community Foundation Wales and Wrexham Council. Physical activities for Polish men and women in Cheshire We supported Polish men and women with their well-being through physical activities: HIKING GROUP FOR MEN The trips were organised in the Peak District and other areas. ​ FITNESS CLASSES FOR WOMEN We run fitness classes in Crewe and Northwich. ​ The project was financed by Active Cheshire and Sport England. Counselling for Polish people living in Wales Counselling for the Polish community in Wales ​ We offered counselling to Polish people aged 18 and over who lived in Wales. Services were delivered by Polish-speaking experienced and qualified professionals and counsellors. ​ ​ ​ The project was funded by Comic Relief with Bawso. Polish Domestic Violence Helplinefor Wales We offered specialist services to Polish families affected by domestic abuse in Wales during the Covid-19 pandemic: ​ we run a helpline for victims and perpertators we offered counselling to people who experience abuse and to those who harm we run domestic violence awareness course "Gateway" we offered individual parenting support. ​ The project was funded by the Welsh Government. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Mental health support for Polish adults in Cheshire ​ Mental health support project for the Polish community in Cheshire. We supported Polish adults who live in Cheshire who experienced mental health issues. We offered the following services: peer support group for Polish women telephone individual emotional support for men and women counselling and cognitive behavioural therapy Services were delivered by Polish-speaking experienced and qualified professionals and counsellors. The project was funded by the NHS Cheshire Clinical Commissioning Group. ​ ​ Support for parents in Greater Manchester We supported Polish parents from Greater Manchester who were required to work with Children Services due to domestic violence or parenting difficulties. As a result of our support parents reported improved wellbeing and increased knowledge about the British social care system. ​ We also delivered two parenting courses to Polish parents and carers in Greater Manchester. The 10-week course The Nurturing Programme was a great opportunity for parents to learn positive parenting methods, and share experiences with parents who also grew up in Poland and were raised within Polish cultural norms. The projects were funded by the National Lottery Community Fund A parenting programme for Polish parents and carers The Nurturing Programme is an evidence-based 10-week course for parents and carers that improves the emotional health of both adults and children and strengthens family relationships. ​ We adapted the course content to Polish and we delivered it in Polish for the first time in the North West region. ​ The project was financed by Comic Relief Community Fund, Polish Consulate in Manchester and Cheshire East Council. ​ ​ Emotional support for Polish people in Wrexham and Flintshire We supported Polish adults who experienced mental health issues. We worked with people who experience multiple barriers from engaging with British agencies to ensure that they access support at the right time. The project was funded by the Big Lottery Community Fund. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Covid-19 Emotional support for Polish people in Cheshire and North Wales We offered emotional support to Polish people who struggled to cope with their situation caused by the pandemic. ​ ​ ​ The projects were funded by Community Foundation Wales and Tesco Bags of Help Gateway - domestic abuse recovery and awareness course for Polish women. We delivered this course in three locations in England: Derbyshire We offered the course to Polish women living in various parts of Derbyshire . ​ The project was funded by The Community Foundation for Staffordshire as part of the Tampon Tax Community Fund. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Nottinghamshire We delivered a group course for Polish women living in the Nottingham City area. ​ The Gateway course was delivered in co-operation with Juno Women's Aid, funders of the project. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Merseyside We delivered the course for Polish women living in the Wirral area. ​ The project is funded by The John Moores Foundation. ​ ​ ​ Peer Support Group for Polish women in Wrexham in North Wales How did the group help me? As a result of coming to the group, I feel a stronger woman now. I find it easier to deal with my problems. I changed the way I see things now, where I would normally end up crying, shutting everyone out and blaming myself I now tell myself: "It didn't work out this time, I will try again". Women Side by Side The group was set up for Polish women of all ages who experienced problems with their mental health or who simply felt lonely and wanted to meet other Polish women for a coffee and chat. We run weekly meetings in Wrexham. The project was funded by Mind.

Nasze usługi Wróć do głównej strony Oferujemy specjalistyczne wsparcie dla Polek i Polaków w wieku od 18 lat wzwyż mieszkających w Anglii i Walii. ​ Nasze usługi świadczone są przez dwujęzycznych wykwalifikowanych specjalistów, posiadających wieloletnie doświadczenie zawodowe w brytyjskim systemie pomocy rodzinom. ​ Pomagamy polskim rodzinom, które zmagają się z licznymi problemami oraz/lub pragną zwiększyć swoją wiedzę i kompetencje konieczne do stworzenia środowiska domowego, w którym dzieci i rodzice są bezpieczni. ​ Rodzaj oferowanej przez nas pomocy uzależniony jest od sposobu finansowania poszczególnych usług. Granty Pozyskujemy fundusze na projekty pomocowe dla polskich rodzin w różnych rejonach kraju. Udział w nich jest bezpłatny dla klientów. Sprawdź, czy oferujemy wsparcie w twoim rejonie: Finansowane projekty Osoby, które chciałyby wziąć udział w bieżących projektach prosimy o bezpośredni kontakt z nami. info@vestasfs.org 07545075093 Organizacje rządowe i pozarządowe Oferujemy szereg usług dla organizacji, które współpracują z polskimi rodzinami, np. opieka społeczna, Cafcass, organizacje ds. przemocy w rodzinie. Najczęściej oferowane usługi: Kurs dla osób doświadczających przemocy Kurs dla tych, którzy krzywdzą bliskich Kurs rodzicielski Psychoterapia Jeśli współpracujesz z brytyjskimi organizacjami np. dziecko objęte jest planem opieki Child Protection Plan i potrzebujesz dodatkowej pomocy w ojczystym języku, poproś te organizacje o kontakt z nami, abyśmy mogli ustalić z nimi jakiej pomocy możemy ci udzielić.

Kurs dla Polek, które doświadczyły przemocy Wróć do głównej strony O NAS O NAS NASZE USŁUGI GATEWAY FURTKA DO NOWEGO ŻYCIA - Program dla osób, które doświadczyły przemocy w rodzinie Gateway to akredytowany program stworzony przez Tools4Change. Ma na celu zwiększenie wiedzy na temat przemocy domowej oraz wspieranie świadomych i bezpiecznych decyzji w przyszłych relacjach. Vesta dostosowała program do potrzeb Polek w ścisłej współpracy z jego autorką i prowadzi go od 2015r. w grupach i indywidualnie. ​ Cele kursu: ​ zwiększenie wiedzy na temat dynamiki w związkach nacechowanych przemocą zrozumienie źródeł przemocy oraz przekonań utrzymujących przemoc zmniejszenie poczucia odizolowania, poczucia winy poznanie strategii mających na celu zwiększenie bezpieczeństwa zrozumienie wpływu przemocy na dzieci i umiejętności rodzicielskie poznanie znaków ostrzegawczych u przyszłych partnerów zwiększenie wiedzy o dostępnwj pomocy wzajemne zrozumienie i wsparcie ​ ​ Kurs grupowy trwa 6 tygodni, Kurs indywidualny obejmuje 5 sesji . Kurs oferujemy wyłącznie klientkom skierowanym do nas przez organizację brytyjskie, które finansują wsparcie dla klientów. Pomoc dla osób, które doświadczyły przemocy w rodzinie Nasze usługi dla osób, które doświadczyły przemocy domowej wykonywane są przez specjalistki, które mają długoletnie doświadcznie w pracy z osobami dotkniętymi problemem przemocy w ramach brytyjskeigo systemu. Mają kwalifikacje Niezależnego Doradcy ds Przemocy w Rodzinie (Independent Domestic Abuse Advisor) oraz są akredytowanymi facylitatorkami programu Gateway. ​ Nie przyjmujemy skierowań bezpośrednio od osób, które chcą skorzystać z naszej pomocy. Skierowania przyjmujemy wyłącznie od organizacji, które już współpracują z klientem niezależnie od tego, kto ponosi koszt naszych usług. ​ Sesje mają charakter poufny, nie przekazujemy informacji innym osobom, czy organizacjom bez zgody klienta. Jedynymi wyjątkami od tej zasady są sytuacje, kiedy istnieje zagrożenie dla życia lub zdrowia osób, wówczas pracownik ma obowiązek poprosić inne organizacje o pomoc. OPINIE KLIENTEK “Czuję się bardziej pewna siebie.Wiem, że sobie poradzę w razie rozstania. Będę dążyć do tego, aby stworzyć "zdrową rodzinę". Nigdy się nie poddam. Jestem panią samej siebie.” “Teraz widzę, że nie jestem jedyną osobą w takiej sytuacji. Poznałam lepiej swoje mocne strony i wiem, jak chronić siebie i moje dzieci” ​ 1/1 Osoby, które chciałyby zasięgnąć dalszych informacji na temat naszych usług prosimy o kontakt tel. 07545075093 e-mail info@vestasfs.org