Southern Domestic Abuse Service

Application Pack for Trustees

Contents

  Our Mission, Vision, Values and Governance

  Organisational Background

  Our Services

  SDAS Trustee and Governance Policy

  Application Form

  Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form

Mission Statement

§  Southern Domestic Abuse Service is an innovative and unique provider of all services to those affected by domestic abuse.

Our Vision, Values and Governance

Our Vision is a world without domestic abuse.

Our Values

At Southern Domestic Abuse Service we are committed to:

·  Ending abuse within families

·  Equality

·  Lobbying and campaigning

·  Working in partnership

·  Service user participation

·  Innovation

·  Empowering women and children

·  Respect for individual dignity and diversity

·  Openness and honesty

·  Providing services that reflect the diverse needs of the communities we serve

By committing to these values we will ensure that our services will be:

·  Easily accessible

·  Relevant to service users’ needs

·  Of real assistance to women, children, young people and men experiencing domestic abuse

·  Provided by a diverse workforce

·  Well managed and provide value for money

·  Regularly monitored

·  Continually improved

·  The good governance of the organisation

By committing to these values we will ensure that our services will be:

·  Easily accessible

·  Relevant to service users’ needs

·  Of real assistance to women, children, young people and men experiencing domestic abuse

·  Provided by a diverse workforce

·  Well managed and provide value for money

·  Regularly monitored

·  Continually improved

By achieving our vision for Southern Domestic Abuse Service and committing ourselves to the values that underpin our work, we will significantly improve the lives of those to whom we provide services.

Governance

We are committed to effective governance to ensure accountability. SDAS willreport, explain and be answerable for the consequencesof decisions it makes on behalf of its stakeholders.

We ensure that governance is:

•  transparent

•  responsive

•  equitable andinclusive

•  effective andefficient, and

•  participatory

The governance of SDAS has three primary roles:

1.  to establish policies,

2.  to make significant and strategic decisions, and

3.  to oversee the organisation's activities.

SDAS has effective governance, a successful management structure, effective supervision mechanisms, efficient financial and administrative support. The Chair is a specialist in the area of family and childcare. The SDAS Board of Trustees are from the legal profession, finance, human resources, governance, housing, education, children’s services, community development, education etc. All Trustees are recruited for their diverse skills and experience. Survivors of domestic abuse are represented on The SDAS Board of Trustees.

Organisational Background

Southern Domestic Abuse Service is a local charity providing services to women, children, young people and men who have experienced or who are experiencing domestic abuse with the majority of services delivered in South East Hampshire. The organisation was originally set up in 1977 as Havant Women’s Aid by a group of local women who realised that local statutory agencies were failing to meet the needs of women and children experiencing domestic abuse. Southern Domestic Abuse Service was established in 2012. This name change reflects that our services are truly inclusive to all. However, we still recognise that many of our service users are disadvantaged due to gender disadvantage - women are more likely than men to experience abuse, among people subject to 4 or more incidents of abuse 89% are women and the majority (73%) of family violence victims are females (WAFE 2012). We are a member of the Women’s Aid Federation of England and the organisation is managed by a board of Trustees made up of women that have a wealth of experience and knowledge.

Our Services include:

§  Refuge accommodation

§  Outreach and Resettlement Service

§  Young People and Children’s Service

§  Independent Domestic Violence Advocate Service

§  Telephone advice

§  Group work for young people and children

§  Individual tailored advice for women, children, young people and men focusing on their current risks and options for safety

§  Women only group work

§  Family Intervention

§  Group Work for families

§  Holiday activities

§  Specially provided workshops

§  Website

§  FGM Community Work/Development

§  Domestic abuse preventative work/awareness raising/training services

Southern Domestic Abuse Service