Domestic Abuse Volunteer Support Services (DAVSS)

Domestic Abuse Volunteer Support Services (DAVSS)

At a glance

Causes

  • Community safety / victim support / domestic violence

Other details

Organisation type: 
Charity
Geographical remit: 
Local

Objectives

DAVSS provides customised wrap-around support for a long a needed to anyone experiencing domestic abuse in West Kent. We provide support for as long as needed by survivors and their children from immediate crisis intervention (including support-to-court) through to recovery.

Positive outcomes include survivors obtaining protective Injunctions, retaining jobs or getting new ones, starting training courses, living in safer or new accommodation, taking up volunteering, and reporting health benefits and better nursery/school attendance for their children. We believe that this is a key opportunity to help make a real difference in the lives of many people and their children who urgently need our support right now. As one survivor put it “Without DAVSS I would not still be here.”

Activities

We provide:

  • A Helpline weekday10am-4pm with 24/7 messaging, giving immediate safety advice
  • Face to face support services at  venues across the area convenient to our clients, offering options for action and client choice whatever the level of risk.
  • Risk assessments to national standards and.personal/family safety planning.
  • Referring and representing clients at the West Kent MARAC  (Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference)  chaired by the Police and referring children to Social Services for safeguarding.
  • Sign posting to other agencies or voluntary groups eg Police, Social Services, Citizens advice, Benefits and Housing, Health professionals, Counselling, legal  representation etc, which  many clients experiencing the impact of domestic abuse may not be aware of  because of their isolation.
  • Free legal advice appointments for clients with DAVSS pro bono Lawyer if needed
  • Support to court alongside clients who often find this very daunting and  frightening
  • Assisting with paperwork for people with language or literacy difficulties .
  • Raising public awareness and providing training about domestic abuse by arranging presentations, workshops, attending business and community events and providing safe and healthy relationship courses for young people (the DAY programme) in schools and colleges.
  • Co-ordinating and co-facilitating Freedom Priogrammes for survivors plus creche for children.
  • Volunteer interpreters
  • Assistance at One Stop Shop on Tonbridge
  • Recovery programmes for adults and children
  • Peer support Groups

No current opportunities

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