The Arts of Change Trust provides counselling and therapy services to disadvantaged and at-risk young people and adults, the main aim being to support people that face barriers to accessing mainstream provision. The Trust helps children, young people, adults, and families by providing counselling and creative art therapies including drama therapy, play therapy and art therapy, all delivered by professionally qualified experienced therapists.

The AoC Trust will be offering up to 6 FREE Counselling & Therapy sessions to people in the West Midlands who have directly been affected by Covid-19. This includes NHS staff, key workers, those that have lost loved ones due to the virus or who have felt trapped during the pandemic.

The sessions can be held in multiple ways including face to face, telephone or Zoom video calls. The work is in association with The Big Lottery Fund who have given them a grant to support those in need

If you or someone you know needs their support then please get in touch on 01384 211 168 or email – support@theaoc.org.uk

Barnardo’s have a new service for children, young people, parents and carers who are experiencing crisis due to COVID 19.  If you are worried about a child or young person experiencing harm and increased adversity or are looking for advice and help there are 2 ways to access the service.  Submit a referral through their website www.barnardos.org.uk/see-hear-respond or contact them on 0800 157 7015.

Dudley CVS has been asked to lead on co-ordinating the community response to COVID-19 in Dudley borough, working with existing voluntary and community groups and the volunteer centre and connecting people that need support to assets in their local community.

Get involved and be part of this…

Organisations and groups:

If your organisation or group would like to be part of a virtual COVID-19 Support Network (more details below) to explore options for mobilising local support for vulnerable people, please complete and return this form via email to admin@dudleycvs.org.uk .

Individual volunteer:

If you are interested in registering as an individual volunteer to help support local vulnerable people, please complete and return this form via email to admin@dudleycvs.org.uk ..

Dudley CVS will be:

• Co-ordinating community action – The Dudley borough is well blessed with active voluntary, community and faith based organisations and volunteers that will be developing plans to support vulnerable people in localities. There will be an additional groundswell of local people wanting to play a role in supporting COVID-19 efforts. Dudley CVS will look to harness this support in a safe and effective manner ensuring efforts are well co-ordinated and duplication is minimised.
• Explore the establishment of six new virtual COVID-19 Support Networks, one in each of the following localities. Sedgley, Coseley and Gornal, Dudley and Netherton, Kingswinford and Amblecote, Brierley Hill, Stourbridge, Wollescote and Lye and Halesowen and Quarry Bank. We envisage these will involve colleagues from DMBC, the Police, voluntary sector organisations and groups, Fire Service, NHS and other colleagues. These will explore options for mobilising sector support for vulnerable and excluded groups.

• Providing information and key messages to local voluntary, community and faith based organisations about COVID-19 and understanding from them what assistance they need to continue to provide support particularly to vulnerable groups.

Dudley CVS is co-ordinating local COVID-19 efforts to help establish six COVID-19 Support Networks for each of the following geographical localities:

During August 2019 Dudley CVS Children’s, Young People and Families Team engaged 88 young people both male and female aged between 11 and 18 in conversations about feeling safe. To find out more about what they had to say read the report attached.

Youth Violence Reduction Strategy – 01 (002)

Here4YOUth info

We’re doing a consultation at Switch around Vaping and e-cig use, and are interested in the views of young people.  Hoping you might point any young people that may be interested in sharing their experiences in the direction of this questionnaire.

It can be printed off, or web based.  We have also posted it to Switch Dudley Facebook Page if Young People want to access if via the link there.

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/FGWFYLC

Also as a reminder Switch continue to offer smoking cessation to young people up to 18 years of age, if not accessed through school nurses.

FREE Modern Slavery Training
Safe and Sound invite you to attend FREE training sessions on Modern Slavery.

There are 2 ‘tiers’ to the training, information is below regarding which one you should attend depending on your role:

The 1 hour awareness session, is suitable for anybody in our partner organisations within the Dudley Borough, including the community, voluntary, faith and business sectors, who wants to gain a  basic understanding of modern slavery and human trafficking and where you should report if you have concerns
Aim: To provide a basic awareness of modern slavery and human trafficking

By the end of the session delegates will:

• Have a basic awareness of modern slavery and human trafficking
• Be able to explain the different types of modern slavery
• Know who to contact if you come into contact with a potential victim of modern slavery

To book your place please follow this link https://www.eventbrite.com/e/modern-slavery-briefing-session-tickets-66189286939 

The 3 hour training session is open to our partner organisations, within the Dudley Borough, including the community, voluntary, faith and business sectors.

This course is recommended for staff that may work with individuals and families but will refer any concerns to the MASH.

(This will also include Specialists / Designated leads who have particular specialist safeguarding responsibilities. Operational managers of services for members of the public including children, young people, families and vulnerable adults. Senior Managers responsible for strategic management of services for members of the public including; children, young people, families and vulnerable adults, Directors of Services and commissioners)

Aim: To raise awareness of modern slavery and human trafficking and highlight appropriate responses to potential victims

By the end of the course delegates will:

• Understand how you can contribute to fighting modern slavery in the UK
• Understand your role and responsibilities in tackling modern slavery
• Understand what support is available for modern slavery victims and
• Know where to refer potential victims and share intelligence

To book your place please follow these links

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/modern-slavery-training-session-tickets-66189736283

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/modern-slavery-training-session-central-dudley-tickets-66190815511

In partnership with West Midlands Violence Prevention Alliance (West Midlands PCC) , we are pleased to launch this FREE online training: Introduction to Adverse Childhood Experiences. Available online NOW: https://www.acesonlinelearning.com/

This course is aimed at practitioners, professionals and volunteers who work with children, young people and their families.

Over approximately 50 minutes, this online training covers the following modules:

1. Introduction to ACEs: By the end of this section you will be able to identify adverse experiences that can impact on a child’s development and their response to stress.
2. Brain Development in the Early Years: By the end of this section you will understand the importance of healthy brain development in a child’s early years and the impacts of toxic stress.
3. The Impact of Childhood Adversity: By the end of this section you will understand that experiencing adversity in childhood can have a significant impact over a person’s life course resulting in ill health, poor       wellbeing and in some cases premature death.
4. Social, Health and Community Impacts of ACEs Early Trauma: By the end of this section you will be able to identify a range of social and community impacts resulting from ACEs.
5. Protective Factors: By the end of this section you will be able to give key examples of ‘Protective Factors’ that can help prevent ACEs and different strategies that can help build resilience.
6. Looking at ACEs Through a Trauma Informed Lens: By the end of this section you will understand what it means to look at adverse childhood experiences through a ‘trauma informed lens’.
7. Building Resilience: By the end of this section you will understand how building resilience can help mitigate the impact of ACEs.

Please feel free to share the link to this course with colleagues and anyone else you feel may be interested.

We welcome any feedback you may have and would actively encourage you to forward this to  Ben Curtis (ben.curtis@barnardos.org.uk).