What is the project about?
The FSEPS project will develop a programme of activities that will actively support mothers who live with their children in refuges or other places of safety. The project aim is to combat social exclusion, aid recovery from abuse and facilitate stable, sustainable family relationships. The programme will provide learning and therapeutic activities, supported free play, educational trips and communal food activities to create positive memories for families living in refuges or other places of safety. The programme is expected to help families gain active life-skills and build confidence needed for healthy reintegration into mainstream society while, at the same time, challenging experiences of negative and abusive behaviour.
Objectives
The project aim will be achieved via the following objectives:
- identifying key existing provision and best practice;
- developing a programme for use in refuges/places of safety in different national contexts;
- engaging with key stakeholders to inform the new programme;
- identifying a range of resources to support to facilitate stable, sustainable family relationships;
- identifying a range of activities to combat social exclusion of women and their children;
- incorporating lessons from piloting activities into the final programme for use in refuges/places of safety;
Activities
The project has a number of discrete activities that are designed to facilitate production of the programme. These are as follows:
Compiling an evidence base
The project will bring together the latest learning from a wide range of different sources, incorporating existing approaches from around Europe and further afield. Each partner will compile an evidence base, based on approaches and practice in its own country, ensuring that cultural differences are identified and incorporated in the programme and the activities.
Development of a programme and resources
On the basis of findings from the interviews, and evidence of best practice, a programme – including activities, supporting material and resources – will be developed according to the concrete needs of the target group.
Training the trainers
A transnational training event will be organised with delegated members from each partner country. This transnational learning will be further cascaded through a training event in each partner country for professionals who work with women and children who have experience of domestic Violence and other forms of gender violence. These professionals will also test the programme with women and their families in refuges and communities.
Piloting and evaluation of the programme
Partners will test the programme and the material during a piloting phase in cooperation with refuges /places of safety.All activities will be evaluated by collecting feedback from involved professionals as well as from women and their children.
Development of a programme manual
A detailed manual will provide guidelines for implementation of the programme in refuges/places of safety.