Programmes

Freedom Programme

The Freedom Programme is a domestic abuse programme developed by Pat Craven, stemming from her work with those who perpetrate domestic violence.

This Programme is tailored for women who are victims or survivors of domestic abuse, as research indicates that the majority of serious cases involve male perpetrators targeting female victims.

The Freedom Programme delves into how attitudes and beliefs influence the actions of abusive men and shape the reactions of victims and survivors. Its objective is to help individuals make sense of and comprehend their experiences, transforming what may feel like a chaotic ordeal into a clearer understanding.

Additionally, the Freedom Programme outlines how children are impacted by exposure to such abuse, highlighting the significant improvements in their lives once the abuse is eliminated.

The sessions are delivered by our experienced staff in local venues. We provide a safe space where women can share their experiences in a non-judgemental environment and build the skills and confidence needed to recognise repeated patterns of abusive behaviour in relationships to help break the cycle.

EVA Lution Programme

EVA Women’s Aid has developed a program called EVA…Lution as a follow-up to the Freedom Programme, aimed at empowering women to transition into the next phase of their lives.

After receiving numerous requests from women wishing to rejoin the Freedom Programme, we searched for a suitable follow-up but couldn’t find one that met our standards. Consequently, we secured funding to create and pilot our own programme, leading to the inception of EVA…Lution. This program underwent an accreditation process and successfully achieved Level 2 with the Open College Network (OCN), officially launching in 2018.

EVA…Lution serves as a follow-up programme for women who have completed the Freedom Programme and feel ready to explore new paths in their lives. It is designed as a journey of self-discovery, where participants can chart their unique life courses, examine their beliefs, and identify their future goals. This programme aims to enhance self-esteem while providing a transformative and informative experience.

Changes Programme

We designed this as a follow-on to the EVA Lution programme. This is aimed at developing long term growth. Our programme “Changes” was written by staff at EVA Women’s Aid and was launched on International Women’s Day 2021 after gaining Level 2 accreditation with OCN.

This course is an opportunity for women to focus on themselves and think about self-care, life planning, coping techniques, longer term goal setting. It involves a small group and is extremely intensive and helps women to recognise and grow their strengths.

Our Work in Schools

We offer our free student workshop and assembly to schools and colleges in the Redcar & Cleveland area. We incorporate various activities and videos to foster engaging discussions. The assembly’s length may vary based on available time and serves as a brief overview of the topics explored more deeply in the workshop.

The workshop centres on healthy relationships and is appropriate for all year groups, with tailored content for KS3 and KS4. The subjects addressed include:

• Healthy Relationships: sexting, online grooming
• Consent
• Recognising domestic abuse
• Sexual harassment and stalking
• Sources of help and support

Research indicates that while young people often recognise unhealthy and abusive behaviours, they tend not to label them as domestic abuse, preferring terms like toxic or harmful. Our workshop aims to educate young people about abusive behaviours, clarify that many of these actions are illegal, and equip them with the knowledge and tools to accurately identify and report such issues.

Often the work we do in schools will encourage a young person to disclose abuse that they may have experienced; we can then support them with a range of specialist services from EVA.

4EVA

Due to the success of our programmes for women, we decided to create a new initiative aimed at young people. This program, developed and written by EVA, is called ‘4EVA’ and is designed to help students explore their personal relationships.

How does 4EVA operate?

Spanning over six weeks, the programme covers:

• Young people’s expectations regarding their intimate relationships.
• The behaviours and beliefs of individuals who mistreat them.
• Guidance for young people to better recognise the signs of abusive partners.
• Insights into coercive control and bullying.
• Different tactics employed by abusers.
• Understanding sexual coercion and abuse, including the sharing of ‘nudes’.
• The impact of being in an abusive relationship on self-esteem.
• An assurance that they are not responsible for the abuser’s actions and how to seek help if they feel isolated.

Participants are encouraged to reflect on their personal relationships, assessing whether they are treated with respect, love, and care. 

4EVA encourages attendees to think critically the impact of social media on their lives. Additionally, the programme emphasises how respect, care, and love manifest in healthy relationships. Each week includes exercises that involve working individually, in pairs, or as a group, along with discussions and videos.

60+ Project

Our award-winning bespoke programme designed to support Women over the age of 60.

At EVA Women’s Aid, we are proud that we not only listen to our service users, but we take note of what they say, and act upon it when possible. The ‘60+ Project’ was borne out of a conversation with one of our older service users and is today one of our most notable projects.

The Project involved four main elements:

• Employing a new member of Staff dedicated to working with women aged over 60

• Delivering awareness raising sessions to professionals and other interested parties who had contact with women over 60

• The opening of the UK’s first (and only) Safe House for older women

• A poster/flyer campaign featuring images of older women

In addition, because there was very little research available about domestic abuse and older victims, we undertook a joint piece of research with Dr Nikki Carthy from Teesside University. This focussed on barriers to older women reporting abuse or seeking support, and has since been published in The European Journal of Criminology.

The Project began with a roar – we opened the new Safe House on Monday by Friday, we were full. The property has remained almost at full capacity levels since then. The following year, we saw a 45% increase in the number of women aged over 60 accessing EVA’s services, including a staggering 500% increase in the 55-65 age group.

EVA Women’s Aid received five awards for our work relating to older women. These are:

• Lloyd’s Bank Foundation Charity Achievement Awards ‘Championing Change’ (runner up)

• North East Charity Awards ‘Charity Campaign of the Year’ (runner-up)

• Charity Bank Awards ‘Greatest Impact’ (WINNER)
• Cabinet Office ‘Social Entrepreneur Investment Award’ (runner-up)

• South Tees Charity Awards ‘Getting Noticed’ (WINNER)

You & Me, Mum

Experiencing domestic abuse in a relationship can profoundly impact a mother’s ability to parent her children as she wishes. Recognising how domestic abuse interferes with the mothering process is a crucial first step toward improving the situation and moving toward healing. EVA understands this and offers the You & Me Mum programme.

You & Me Mum is designed for mothers, helping you comprehend how domestic abuse influences your role as a parent and its effects on your children.

This programme aims to empower, support, and enhance your your role as a mother in meeting the needs of your children and young people. While it does not work directly with children, it acknowledges the vital role mothers play in ensuring the safety and positive development of their children.

Objectives:

• Evaluate the impact of domestic violence on mothers.
• Identify the effects on children and young people.
• Improve communication skills with young people.
• Promote healthy, non-violent relationships.
• Explore protective behaviour messages and safety strategies for mothers and children.

Over the course of seven weeks, we will cover:

• Various family structures
• The influence of domestic abuse on us as mothers
• The impact of domestic abuse on our children or young people
• Survival strategies utilised by children and young people
• Managing challenging behaviours from our children or young people
• Supporting children and young people in adopting protective behaviours
• Effective communication with our children or young people
• Our aspirations, dreams, and plans for the future.

Each session is around 2 hours long, and course partcipants can self refer.