The AVS Project

Brighter, Safer Future

Recognising the gaps in service provision and beginning in 2001, a group of survivors created a programme “For Us, By Us,” to help support each other through the trauma. 

Over twenty years later, this Queen’s award Winning programme provides a holistic package of emotional and practical support to both men & women aged 13+; who are dealing with domestic violence, sexual abuse and rape. 

Whether this is happening now or has happened in the past, providing immediate and free one-to-one counselling and art therapy for individuals in safe and secure surroundings.

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What AVS provides

AVS Project Counselling Service: – Free, immediate and confidential, in a location chosen by the client (home or office)

AVS Project Counsellor & Survivor Training: provides a 12-week training course for individuals working with this client group; the course is also offered to survivors and has mental health and well-being benefits.

AVS Project service users can access all Art Medicine workshops being delivered as part of the Piece by Peace project. 

Art Medicine

  

The Be Heard! campaign

NINE RED Presents… (CIC) is working in partnership with Bedfordshire Police delivering the Be Heard! Campaign to help support victims of Domestic and Sexual Violence with a specific provision to target issues particular to the Caribbean community.

Debra Knight LL.B (Hons) from Nine Red Presents, which works with the grassroots community, said: “This work is so important because it is happening now. Twenty years ago, when we started the AVS project, we wanted to think about people’s individual needs and create something for us, by us, to support those on their journey of trauma recovery.

“Back when we started the project, our holistic approach to trauma recovery was not widely supported; however, our art therapy and art medicine approach is now used by many different people across the world. So it is important we are now working with Bedfordshire Police to share this approach and highlight different ways they can engage with those who need it.

“Be Heard is the next step in our journey as we work closely with Bedfordshire Police to bring together the collective efforts of people from diverse backgrounds. This is the moment to Be Heard.”

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