AVA is being supported to help Transform the domestic and sexual abuse sector following investment from Lloyds Bank Foundation.
We are pleased to announce that we have been awarded a grant of £96,320 by the Lloyds Bank Foundation for England and Wales, to work with AGENDA (Alliance for Women and Girls at Risk) over the next two years. The grant will enable us to launch a national commission to strengthen the sector’s response to domestic abuse for people who have complex needs, such as substance dependencies and/or mental health issues. This will strengthen the work we already deliver on multiple disadvantage and complex needs.
17 small and medium-sized charities across England and Wales have been awarded a total of £1.6 million investment as part of the Lloyds Bank Foundation’s Transform programme. The programme recognises that small, specialist charities that are at the heart of delivering domestic and sexual abuse services have been facing growing funding pressures. These pressures are limiting their scope and opportunity to innovate, conduct research, inform policy or develop new models of care for people experiencing abuse. In response, the Foundation developed a new on-off grants programme Transform, aimed at investing in those charities that have the potential to share and influence the domestic and sexual abuse sector and lead to greater long-term impact.
We are honoured to have been selected to be part of this important initiative. To be kept in touch as we develop the national commission on complex needs please sign up for our newsletter, follow us on twitter or LinkedIn.
Paul Streets, Chief Executive of Lloyds Bank Foundation for England & Wales says: “We have a long and successful history of funding local and specialist charities who offer critical support to people experiencing domestic and sexual abuse in communities across England and Wales. But this sector is under huge pressure. Funding cuts mean these charities are struggling to stay afloat, let alone have time and space to innovate and develop new models of care. We’re pleased to invest £1.6m into those charities on the frontline and to provide a unique opportunity for them to use their knowledge and expertise to transform the way we provide support for people experiencing abuse.”
Donna Covey, Director of AVA says: ”Many survivors of domestic abuse experience mental ill health and problematic substance use, but services are poorly equipped to provide them with the holistic support they deserve. There is also limited capacity and funding for refuges to support women with complex needs. This means women don’t get the support they need to rebuild their lives after abuse. Through our grant from Lloyds Bank Foundation we will establish a national commission that will draw much needed attention onto these issues and mean future national policy and practice on domestic abuse reflects the reality and complex nature of people’s lives.”
