VOLUNTEER SERVICE NEWSLETTER The Haven Wolverhampton Autumn 2016
Christmas can be a very difficult time for the women and children we support at The Haven whose lives have been torn apart by the trauma of abuse. We try to make Christmas an all-round experience for our service users so they can spend precious time building new memories and looking toward a brighter future away from fear of abuse. We want to make this year extra special and there are many ways for you to help CHRISTMAS DINNER! We need your help to provide a festive Christmas meal for everyone at the Haven. It costs just £11 for one dinner. Having already had their entire lives turned upside down, being able to provide an authentic Christmas dinner offers a little bit of normality at what is a very difficult time. We also raise funds to provide New Year’s Eve parties; a time of year that is symbolic of new beginnings for the women. Visit our campaign and donate here.
DOUBLE YOUR DONATION! The Big Give Christmas Challenge is back. We have a target of £2,000 to raise in donations between 29th November and the 2nd December. The best bit is these donations will be DOUBLED at no extra cost to you! So, if you are thinking of making a donation to The Haven, why not log on to: The Big Give on 29th November at midday and make your donation go that extra mile! PLANNING A CHRISTMAS PARTY? Are you looking for something a little different for your Christmas meal or party with friends or colleagues? This year the Grand Station are hosting a Great Gatsby themed 3 course dinner on 3rd December and every £40 ticket sold will bring £5 to The Haven. Click for tickets or for more information
SENDING A CARD OR TWO? This year instead of bulk writing cards, click to order our free Christmas tree poster - an alternative way to say Merry Christmas to all of your coworkers or group members. Take a poster and collection tin to pop into your communal area. Make a donation to The Haven and write your Christmas message on a bauble.
FEELING FESTIVE? This year why not host a Christmas jumper party to raise funds. Click to order our jumper party fundraising pack and don’t forget to send us all of your knitwear selfies! ONLINE SHOPPER? Whether it’s a Christmas food shop, a festive weekend break or gifts, you could be raising FREE donations for us. There are nearly 3,000 retailers on board - it doesn't cost you a penny extra! All you have to do is: 1. Join for free 2. Every time you shop online, go to easyfundraising first and pick the retailer. 3. After you've checked out, that retailer will make a donation to us!
GIFTS? We are also grateful for donations of new toys and gifts for the women and children until the 15th December – in time for our grotto. Our address is in the footer. We ask that gifts remain unwrapped as we encourage the women and children to choose and wrap items themselves for that authentic Christmas experience. However, donations of wrapping paper and sellotape are always very well received!
In this issue... EDITORIAL
The Haven’s Voice
Here at the Haven we would like to keep you informed about all the exciting past and current activities, Interview with Popinder Kaur, CEO of The Haven Wolverhampton workshops and events that have already taken place, and will be taking place in the course of the next few months, which are organised and delivered by our volunteers. Our summer newsletter is packed with all the important information you need to keep you updated with everything that we have going on. There’s plenty available so we’re certain there is something for everyone to enjoy!
Inside this issue we have a special interview with our new CEO, Popinder Kaur as well as helpful information about volunteer opportunities. We also cover about some inspirational women of our time, training opportunities, games and much more. Simply click on the link you would like to read, and you will be whisked away to the article of your choice. Enjoy! The Newsletter Team Editorial Team: Hinda Bemba
Maisha Khanom
Maëlle Ortscheit
Khatira Zearmal
Sara Casas
Soraya Bravo
Graphic
Designer:
Soraya Bravo
Contributors:
Natalia Boville
Management:
Marta Rios
Get Involved What’s coming and what we have done, get involved in our events and have fun!
What’s On Zumba, arts and craft, counselling… Discover all the activities that volunteers are running and join them.
Women of our time Get inspired by some wonderful women around the world. In this issue: the Olympians
Discover our artists, train your brain and find interesting online courses
The opinions expressed in this magazine are the author's own 2 and do not reflect the view of The Haven Wolverhampton.
THE HAVEN’S VOICE
Interview with Popinder Kaur, CEO of The Haven Wolverhampton By: Soraya Bravo. EVS Volunteer
“When families come back years later and they thank you, even 20 years later, you feel that you are doing well.” In this issue we interviewed Popinder Kaur, CEO of the organisation since 2016. Popinder remembers exactly when she first began working with The Haven as an Economic Developer. “ The15th June 2004” she told me. I think she can even remember the precise hour when she first walked through the door of the building!
Today, as the new CEO of The Haven, she is responsible for providing strong leadership and managing the whole organisation including Operations, Finance, PR and Fundraising departments. I told her that I wanted a personal interview with her, so I started the interview by asking her to recommend me a book. One of her favourite books is To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee because, according to her, “it describes a society from the innocent eyes of two children”. Talking with Poppy, as she is known in the office, she told me that she appreciates the possibility to make a real difference in people’s lives. This is directly related with what she dislikes the most in the world : the pressure that young people have on their shoulders. She thinks that this “system is not productive for young people”. Whilst she clutched her cup of tea, Poppy shared her views on what domestic abuse was and said “it is about gender inequality” and “it is still based on gender”. Finally, I asked Poppy what The Haven was to her and with the same honesty she told me it was important for her to be true to the organisation’s roots and remember why it was established and honour that. Poppy’s family and friends are very proud of her position. They think she can really make a difference because when she believes in something, she will “dig her heels in” and fight for it. Speaking about the achievements of The Haven, Poppy emphasised that it must be judged by its long term impact on the women and children who use and have used The Haven services. She said “when families come back years later and they thank you, even 20 years later, you feel that you are doing well. Or sometimes people came back and told us , “We were in refuge with our mother, now she sadly passed away and we would like to leave part of her legacy for you”. That is really beautiful”.
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GET INVOLVED The Haven volunteer service embraces traditional volunteers, ex-service users eager to build their confidence and skills, students looking for an internship or placement, young people motivated by service-learning opportunities, mid-life adults, skilled-retirees, professional associations willing to do pro bono work and so forth. All of you, in a way or another, can make a difference supporting women and children affected by domestic abuse and homelessness. For further information about opportunities available do not hesitate do contact our Volunteer Engagement Lead: Marta.Rios@havenrefuge.org.uk
Volunteers Awards On 10th June 2016, The Haven Wolverhampton organised a Volunteer Awards Ceremony at the Light House Cinema, in order to celebrate volunteer’s week and to thank all the volunteers for their outstanding commitment to the Haven Wolverhampton over the past year. Volunteers were able to meet with the staff and board members in order Right: Marta Rios (Volunteer Service Lead) to embrace a culture of Left: Maëlle Ortscheit. community engagement (EVS Volunteer) and share their volunteering experiences. Service users were able to show their appreciation along with staff by being able to vote in advance for their favourite volunteer. Following the ceremony, a lovely buffet was served with some of the food and cakes donated by our generous surrounding community. Megan Reece, a former contestant on the UK series “The Voice", graced us with a wonderful rendition of the song “I feel Good”. 5
Skydiving It is a common practice for fundraisers to use some of the sponsorship money raised to pay a portion or the total cost of their charity jump. The level of sponsorship required vary for each centre depending on the cost of any chosen courses. However by raising at least double the price of your jump, you satisfy the charity’s expectations and get to jump for free. Already, 18 amazing skydivers took the plunge on behalf of The Haven on Saturday 11th June 2016 in Nottingham Airfield. A huge thank you for your participation!
Bag pack Sainsbury’s The last few months an amazing team of volunteers, including the European volunteers and Faye Campbell, our Miss Wolverhampton have supported us with our bag packs and raising awareness of domestic abuse at Sainsbury’s Supermarket. Throughout the day, people show a great passion for our cause and were very supportive. For example some of them proposed to apply as volunteer and others give us generous donations. We are happy to announce that due to your community support, the Haven team has raised a fantastic amount of £1500. 6
Dudley Zoo Trip By: Natalia Boville. EVS Volunteer.
On 25th July 2016, The European Volunteers organised a trip to Dudley Zoo with the support of Vinspired Cashpoint in order bring mothers and children to different and interesting spaces they can have a great time.
We rented a coach and picked up the group from Wolverhampton bus station. When we finally arrived to our destiny a fantastic day began. Everyone had a terrific time during this fun and educational trip.
Carver Wolverhampton City Marathon I have run for the The Haven Wolverhampton in Carver Wolverhampton City Marathon because I admire the work they do, how they help to save lives and help to rebuild lives for women and children affected by domestic violence who feel they are in a situation they can't escape from. A situation that I had experienced myself as a young woman. The first time I experienced domestic violence I was 19 years old. I was too afraid to speak out in the fear I wouldn't be believed. I didn't even acknowledge it was domestic violence because I thought it was my fault, that I was doing something wrong. It destroyed me and my confidence and the happy smiley Laura had gone! After 5 years I'd found the strength to speak out and stand up for myself and my son. My family and friends were so supportive and I'd wished I told them sooner. Now aged 33 years I'm once again the happy smiley Laura. At one stage in my life I would never of thought this would happen to me... To be happy and enjoying life. Domestic violence can happen to any woman! I never thought it would happen to me but it did and I survived.
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Highlighted event
One Million Steps for The Haven
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month and we need YOU to join us as we take on our One Million Steps challenge. On Saturday 8 October at 10:30 am we started our walk at Wolverhampton’s iconic Molineux stadium covering approximately 6,000 steps. The aim of this day was to: Spread the word and deliver a united message that any form of domestic abuse is completely unacceptable
Raise funds so that we can continue to provide emotional and practical support to victims of domestic abuse
Stay fit and healthy by completing 6,000 steps that puts you well on the way to completing your recommended daily total of 10,000 steps
Enjoy a relaxed, welcoming and a friendly atmosphere
Take in some of Wolverhampton’s City Centre landmarks, including the Molineux and West Park
We can't combat abuse alone and we certainly can't reach one million steps during the month of October without your help.
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A C i “ w n s E f n c l b i
WOMEN OF OUR TIME By: Maisha Khanom
Women achieve great things every day and the 2016 Olympics showed no different. We witnessed some great triumphs from extremely talented female athletes. Here at the Haven we want to recognise the achievements of women and empower them to reach their goals. To honour these talented Olympians and all that they stand for, we’ve rounded up some of the most feminist moments to come out of the Summer Olympics. From a tennis star Andy Murray reminding a reporter that women can and do dominate I tennis, to a gymnastics floor routine set to a Bec yoncé song, to some wonderful moments of sportsmanship, it was an amazing few weeks in Rio. Simone Biles( photo on the left), after winning the gold medal in the women’s individual allaround, the 19-year-old gymnast insisted that she should be credited for her own achievements. “I’m not the next Usain Bolt or Michael Phelps,” she told Sporting News after accepting her second gold medal. “I’m the first Simone Biles. 9
After winning a Gold Medal in the Shotput Michelle Carter (photo on the right) expressed an empowerng message about body image and self-love. “I’m in a sport where people don’t look at us like women, they don’t look at us like being girls, or feminine, but I’ve been girly all my life and so I couldn’t separate between the sport and being a woman.” Earlier this year, she had told reporters that it’s just fine to be feminine and a serious competitor. “I think now, it’s like, ‘You know what? We’re girls and we can throw heavy balls and be in the dirt and we ook good while we’re doing it,’” she said. “I think it’s bringing more attention to the sport and girls are realizing, ‘Hey, I can do this and t’s O.K. to do this as a girl.’
Oksana Chusovitina (photo left) competed in her seventh Olympic Games! Oksana first competed in the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona and has competed in every Olympics since. During the women’s vault competition, Chusovitina attempted a vault move so dangerous it’s beendubbed the “vault of death.” The 41-yearold gymnast wowed the crowd with her gutsy performance. Kimia Alizadeh Zenoorin ( photo below) kicked and punched down barriers along with her opponents when she became the first Iranian woman to win an Olympic medal by taking taekwondo bronze in the 57 kg category. These are just a selected few of the hundreds of inspirational women who participated in the games, but every one of them reminded us we can all be winners, despite the barriers we face. 10
WHAT’S ON Strike a Pose
By: Hinda Bemba. EVS Volunteer.
The Haven Wolverhampton wants to develop the emotional support given to their service users, therefore a team of volunteers has been delivering a range of creative and engaging activities to involve the women who are based in our refuges. One of this projects was called Strike a Pose. The idea of striking a pose can help you unlock your imagination. According to researchers at Columbia and Harvard Universities, striking a pose can change the way people think, it can also have an impact on a physiological level too. In fact, ‘striking a pose” can be a way to build confidence, relax and feel more self-assured. The aim of this project was to provide a new positive experience for service users which involves energetic dance sessions allowing them to express themselves. From 4th July 2016, the dance sessions moved to a dance studio in Market Square in the City Centre, where the women benefited from a venue more suitable for this type of activity. Every Monday and Thursday from 5 to 7 pm women attended Zumba classes which included different dance styles such as: Latin, Afro, Bollywood and Pop dancing. The dance sessions were combined with ABS exercise and a meditation program which aimed to find the balance among the body and mind. The classes were taught by a professional dancer and during the project, we had different guests: like a belly dancer who taught our ladies all the core steps related to her discipline. Through all our creative projects our aim was to promote women’s rights, and dancing is a perfect way to support people in gaining confidence and recognise their value. 11
WHAT’S ON Women’s Support Hub Join us every Tuesday from 10am to 2pm at the Haven’s Main Office for our weekly Coffee Mornings. The Haven want you to make the most out of everything, that’s why we’ve included fun and engaging activities for you to take part in whilst enjoying your tea and biscuits. You have a choice to get involved in our: - Women’s Inspiration Group - Computer Skills Sessions - Creative Writing Group - Driving theory - Employment Skills Sessions What about the kids? We have a team of dedicated volunteers at hand to support with Childcare, so you can have a relaxed morning catching up with the other women. We’ll keep them busy with fun and games so they won’t hassle you to get home early. Sound like your cup of tea? Come along next Tuesday, we look forward to meeting you!
Cinema Days By: Natalia Boville . EVS Volunteer.
Every month we organise a Cinema Day for all the families across the refuges. We have already seen the films The Secrets Life of Pets, Storks and The Girl on the Train. The children have been very excited to see the movies as for some of them it has been the first time in the cinema. For example for one seven years old girl who told us “I will remember this day forever”. 12
WHAT’S ON The Haven in Green By: Soraya Bravo. EVS Volunteer.
The Haven in Green’s main aim is to encourage children to take care of the environment and enjoy the nature. The programme is divided in two projects, The Tribe - Environmental Education for Kids and Art Tree Contemporary Art for Kids. The first programme was developed in August 2016 and allowed children to learn about how to recycle materials, how to contribute to the environment through a healthy and sustainable lifestyle, and discover what the connection between humans and nature is. The second programme known as Art Box - Contemporary Art for Kids is currently under development and it will promote recycling, and encourage a comprehensive appreciation and interaction with art in context of refuges for people affected by domestic abuse and homelessness. Join us every Wednesday at 10 am at Pearl Refuge to get involved.
Freedom Programme The freedom programme examines the roles played by attitudes and beliefs on the actions of abusive men and the responses of victims and survivors. The aim is to help the women make sense of and understand what has happened to them, instead of the whole experience just feeling like a horrible mess. The programme also describes in detail how children are affected by being exposed to this kind of abuse and very importantly how their lives are improved when the abuse is removed. The programme gives the women a greater insight into the behaviours of controlling men and aspects of the personalities to encourage them on their journey to a safer future. I see all of the women’s confidence grow so much and they naturally support and encourage each other and form new firm friendships, which is amazing to see especially as the sessions are very emotional and take us all on an emotional journey. 13
WHAT’S ON By: Sara Casas, EVS Volunteer.
Enjoyment of Art
Since April 2016 I have been running different workshops at The Haven refuges related with Arts & Crafts and music. This is something that I enjoy and I wanted to share my passion by encouraging women to get involved. Art in general is a way to express what we feel without the need to talk, where you also feel good inside and with others around you. As Picasso once said the purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls. Women who fight alone every day dealing with difficulties in their lives can sink into the darkness as a result. Therefore, having recognised this, I decided to help and motivate women by organising and running fun and engaging activities where everyone can benefit from and enjoy. Up until now, we have created picture frames, masks for the children and decorations for some events for the Haven such as the Volunteer Awards and the summer barbeque at Penn Hostel. Also, we made some collages with the topic of motivations and expectations. With regards to music, I have been teaching women how to play the guitar as they are very interested in learning. We also sing songs and create songs or fuse melodies together from different cultures and styles.
Counselling By: Naghma Ferdos
Counselling helps people to explore their feelings and emotions that are often related to their experiences. The sessions are held in confidential settings with empathy and respect shown to those who express their feelings. The sessions offer support on coping with challenges and making positive changes in their lives.
Counsellors team
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WHAT’S ON Economic Empowerment Course The Economic Empowerment Course has been developed to empower women who have suffered domestic abuse to live financially healthy and independent lives. The Course has been designed to include financial tools and information which will help women engage in long term planning, which will help women create better futures for themselves and their children. The Course covers the following:
Budgeting & Managing Utility Accounts Dealing with Debts Opening a Bank Account Loans & Borrowing Savings & Credit Unions Your housing options, finding a place to live and maintaining a tenancy Plan for Education, Training & Employment
For further information about support available do not hesitate to contact: Anita.Kumari@havenrefuge.org.uk
Corporate Projects Supporting The Haven Wolverhampton can be both rewarding and beneficial to you, your company and your colleagues. There are lots of ways your company can get involved with us, from choosing us as your Charity of the Year, taking part in our events, donating your time or offering your expertise and services. Our dedicated team will provide your company with friendly and professional support and we’ll always find ways to work with you that best suit your business. The Haven values the relationships and partnerships that we have developed within the corporate sector. With work ranging from garden and room makeovers to sorting out donations, in-kind and pro-bono work as well as financial support – the support provided by corporate organisations to The Haven Wolverhampton is invaluable! For further information about opportunities available do not hesitate to contact our Volunteer Engagement Lead: Marta.Rios@havenrefuge.org.uk
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WHAT’S ON Study Volunteering Case Julie first trained as a volunteer in 1999 for a non-profit organisation called Home-Start, which offers practical and emotional support to families (with young children under the age of 5) experiencing difficulties through: isolation, sickness, disability, mental health, domestic abuse, twins/ triplets and difficult relationships. Julie’s role as a volunteer was visit families to offer emotional support and respite from their usual routine. Several years later Julie volunteered for Supporting Others through Volunteering Action (SOVA) mentoring young people that had recently left the care system. ‘Looking back, I feel that my enthusiasm to assist others in exploring their inner thoughts and feelings combined with the desire to make a positive difference is what led me towards a career in counselling’. Julie’s decision to start a career in counselling started when she experienced a difficult relationship break up which made her evaluate her direction in life. ‘Surviving this emotional trauma, taught me that I was stronger than I thought I was and it gave me the courage and determination to reach for things that I thought were beyond my capabilities’. Julie was studying for a Level 5 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling. She needed to find a placement to complete her course but, she found it very difficult to find a counselling volunteer placement that fitted around her working life and the fact that funding for counselling services everywhere had been cut. Julie got in touch with The Haven Wolverhampton. She met with Marta, the Volunteer Engagement Lead and knew she had a very similar vision of offering women who have been affected by domestic abuse therapeutic support through counselling. ‘Volunteering at The Haven has been an amazing experience from both a personal and professional perspective. I have had the pleasure of working alongside dedicated, hardworking and supportive staff who gave me the opportunity to gain valuable skills, in a supportive environment’. Working in refuge helped Julie gain a clearer understanding of the difficulties and frustrations for both staff and service users and how counselling fits in to the dynamics. Julie’s experience at The Haven has given her the confidence and self-belief to start up her own counselling business www.affinitycounsellingtherapy.co.uk.
‘It’s been a privileged to have been a small part of the lives of so many amazing women that sought counselling at the refuge I was based. I truly applaud their resilience, determination and courage to keep going through some of the toughest battles. I would like to thank everyone at The Haven but especially the women whom trusted me enough to share their stories with me and for the lovely feedback they gave me’. Volunteer Role: Trainee Counsellor Hours Contributed: 148 hours 16
YOUR CORNER DISCOVER the artist from The Haven! Sara Casas. Evs Volunteer
LEARN WITH US! Do you want to know more about Domestic abuse? Here you have some of our courses. For further information write: Rebecca.matthews@havenrefuge.org.uk
·Domestic abuse Awareness ·Domestic Homicide Reviews ·FGM Awareness ·Safeguarding ·Early help ·Confidentiality/ Information Sharing
LEARN ONLINE! Interested in starting something new? Here you have some interesting free courses starting now: Nutrition and Wellbeing
A Life of Happiness and Fulfillment
Starting a Business
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