About the Survivor Advisory Panel
The Regional VAWDASV (Violence against Women, Domestic Abuse, and Sexual Violence) Partnership is establishing a Survivor Advisory panel for Mid and West Wales.
The purpose of the panel is to bring together survivors and survivor voices, with statutory and provider agencies through a raft of opportunities to inform and influence policy and practice in the region. As experts by lived experience of violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence, the panel will provide a mechanism to ensure the needs of survivors are at the heart of VAWDASV service planning and delivery in Mid & West Wales.
Your input will inform the future of VAWDASV Services in Mid & West Wales and we can’t do it without you.
What will you be doing?
The panel is intended to be led by survivors themselves, supported to identify priorities and areas of VAWDASV service/communications/policy etc that they want to focus on. There will also be a large number of opportunities survivors will be invited to take part in such as completing surveys, consulting via focus groups or interviews that are led by public bodies. These will likely grow and increase as the panel is established.
Involvement in the panel is flexible and how individuals get involved will be up to them. Methods will initially include:
- Attending regular panel meetings every 2-3 months
- Taking part in focus groups/consultation events
- Taking part in surveys
- Providing written input/feedback
- Feeding back on a 1 to 1 basis
It is expected that these methods and opportunities will be reviewed and influenced by how individuals themselves want to get involved and feedback. As much as possible reasonable adjustments will be made to increase the capacity for engagement to as many people as possible.
What support will you get to be involved?
Expenses: We will pay reasonable expenses for you to attend and be involved. This could include the cost of childcare to attend, travel expenses incurred, the cost of phone calls or use of internet. Please ask us if you have any additional needs or costs that you think you may accrue to take part so we can determine how best we can support with this.
Induction: Before you are first involved in the panel, you will have a full induction with the Regional VAWDASV team to ensure clarity of expectation, involvement and to build relationships. You will be provided with a useful handbook detailing how the panel works, its approach and values, and our policies and procedures including confidentiality and safeguarding.
Ongoing support: We will support you throughout your involvement in the panel through regular check ins with our Regional VAWDASV Team.
Training: Training will be provided to all participants. Initially this will include awareness of the VAWDASV structure in place to plan and deliver strategies and services; shared power; and access to building confidence, resilience and wellbeing. Additional training will be identified based on the needs of participants.
How to get involved
Alternatively, you can contact the Regional VAWDASV team directly by emailing us at mww.survivor.panel@gmail.com
Once your initial expression has been received, the Regional VAWDASV team will make contact with you directly to discuss this further.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR INTEREST IN THE PANEL.