NEWS: Say Women Training Available to practitioners working with survivors of sexual abuse

29 March 2022

Say Women, established in 1991, are an organisation working to provide safe accommodation and related services for young women who are survivors of childhood sexual abuse, rape and sexual assault, who are threatened with homelessness.  

They have a wealth of knowledge in this area and are now offering training to other organisations, so that workers can feel confident in supporting young women who may be facing these issues.  

The training responds to the needs of survivors, workers, organisations and strategic bodies: 

  • All of SAY Women’s training reflects and contributes to the Scottish
    Government’s Equally Safe strategy priorities.
  • Scottish society embraces equality and mutual respect, and rejects all forms of
    violence against women and girls.
  • Women and girls thrive as equal citizens: socially, culturally, economically and
    politically.
  • SAY Women's interventions are early and effective, preventing further violence and
    maximising the safety and well-being of women and girls.
  • Men desist from all forms of violence against women and girls and perpetrators
    of such violence receive robust and effective response.
  • SAY Women’s training provides a thorough understanding of Housing First and
    tenancy sustainment; firmly recognising that CSA is a housing and homelessness
    issue and that women’s housing needs are unique and different.

A range of courses are available to be delivered face to face or via zoom, including: 

Child Sexual Abuse and the links to Housing and Homelessness > 1 day
This course informs participants about the links between child sexual
abuse and homelessness, exploring how the impacts of sexual abuse can
contribute to difficulties in tenancy sustainment. Participants will develop
their understanding of child sexual abuse and the social context in which
abuse occurs and consider a gendered analysis of homelessness.

Working with Self-Harm > 1 day
This training aims to increase participants’ awareness of self-harm,
helping participants to recognise the needs of individuals and respond
appropriately.

Toolkit for Working with Survivors > 1 day
Builds on workers’ knowledge and understanding of sexual abuse and
its impacts, and explores appropriate ways to work with and support
survivors of sexual abuse through appealing to a model of trauma
recovery used by SAY Women.

Working with Survivors of CSA who experience Addiction Issues > 1 day
Developed and delivered in partnership with SDF, this course aims to
increase understanding of the complex relationship between substance
use and child sexual abuse.

CSA Awareness > half-day
This half-day course seeks to raise participants’ awareness of child sexual
abuse and the prevalence.

Supporting Disclosure of CSA > half-day
Supports participants’ to feel confident about managing disclosures
of sexual abuse, offering practical guidance about how to facilitate
disclosures.

Understanding Gender-based Violence > half-day
This short input provides participants with an understanding
of Gender-based Violence, introducing a feminist analysis of
why violence against women and girls occurs.

Groupwork Facilitation > 1 day
Drawing on SAY Women’s successful groupwork provision,
the training offers guidance on the planning, execution,
and facilitation of groupwork within services.

There is a also a range of online courses which can be undertaken in 2 hours.  

If you are interested in accessing courses for your staff team, group access can be arranged. Please contact the team at Scottish Mentoring Network on info@scottishmentoringnetwork.co.uk and we can pass on your details to the team at SAY Women.  

Read more