We offer wide-ranging community outreach services that meet with women and men who are experiencing domestic abuse where they are in the community. We provide support in person, online or over the phone.
You may still be living with your abuser, be planning to leave, or have already left to rebuild your life. Whatever point you are at in your journey to safety, our community workers can offer support to help you and your children keep safe.
The Elm Foundation Community and Outreach service works with women and men who are subject to domestic abuse. Community workers provide support to victims and survivors in various venues across Chesterfield, Bolsover, Amber Valley, and North East Derbyshire. This may be in a client’s home or in a neutral, safe venue such as a GP Surgery. Community workers are solution-focused and their person-centred approach means they are flexible to meet the needs of their clients.
The Community Team enables people to access support in their local area. This service is free and confidential and is led by the individual. Community workers support people in one-to-one sessions, group sessions or via the telephone. The support can be short or long term.
Our Community Team support
- Confidence and self-esteem building
- Support to move to a safe place (refuge or another property)
- Support to remain safely in their own home
- Safety planning
- Housing advice
- Finance/debt advice
- Supporting service users to gain legal representation and court orders
- Support around mental health
- Support around substance misuse
- Providing emotional support
- Liaising with other specialist services
- Reducing isolation
- Providing support for women and men with issues relating to children or parenting
- Anything else related to domestic abuse which a woman or man requires support for.
We also hold a number of drop-in sessions and service user groups across Chesterfield, North East Derbyshire, Amber Valley and Bolsover, which provide additional support and enable individuals to meet new people and build on their confidence and self-esteem.
We collaborate with other local “by and for” services to provide inclusive services for more marginalised victims of domestic abuse. This includes links with Derbyshire LGBT+, The Derbyshire Asian Association and Deafinitely Women.
Who can use community outreach services?
All adults who experience, or have recently experienced, domestic abuse can access our outreach services. Whether you are living at home, moving out of a refuge, or already living in a new community, our outreach workers will support you.
What can community workers help with?
- Safety planning
- Contacting the police
- Keeping you updated and informed if you are going through a court case
- Attending court
- Help with injunctions
- Improving the safety of child contact
- Access to safe housing options
- Referrals to other services
- Building self-confidence and independence
- Welfare rights and legal support
- Assistance when applying for grants and loans
- Help with budgeting, paying bills and debts
- Resettlement skills, such as shopping and cooking
- Finding work, paid or unpaid
- Access to training or education
- Discussing the effects of experiencing domestic abuse
For more information, or to refer yourself or a client to our community team, please call 08000 198 668. Alternatively, you can email info@theelmfoundation.org.uk. Or Contact Us.