SEEDS: A South West Project Enabling Survivors of Domestic Abuse to Evaluate and Influence their Local Services  

SEEDS (Survivors Empowering and Educating Domestic Abuse Services) first started in South Somerset in 2002, when the Evaluation Trust, working on a separate project for the local Domestic Abuse Forum identified the complete absence of survivor feedback in the planning process. In recognition of this, forum members applied for funding for a survivor led evaluation project from the South West Foundation. This was successful and the Evaluation Trust was appointed to set up to run the project. 

Working with 4 local survivors, 1 police officer and 1 outreach worker the Trust consultant:

*   agreed upon the SEEDS name;*   developed a questionnaire for semi structured interviews of  survivors by survivors, incorporating the issues identified as particularly important to survivors;

*   recruited and trained a further 5 volunteers to conduct interviews;

*   analysed the data and produced a report[i].

The women involved went on to make numerous presentations on their key findings and to act as a consultation body for new developments such as specialist domestic violence courts. Ongoing interest from professionals in developing this dialogue enabled the group to secure additional funding from GOSW, the local authority and the PCT.

The SEEDS Somerset group continues  with new members, including several original interviewees, providing training to police and child protection staff (both with outstanding feedback) as well as conducting further research and  participating in local forums representing survivors views. During this time Devon, Torbay and Dorset Local Authorities also heard about this work and requested similar research on survivor experiences and views. These studies were completed in 2005 -2006 and SEEDS groups have now been established as result of this work in both Devon and Torbay and work is currently underway to set up a group in West Dorset.

As in Somerset, the Devon and Torbay SEEDS groups have been actively engaged with local services through participating in training courses, delivering presentations and being consulted on new and existing services. All the women involved feel they have made a significant contribution in improving services for future women experiencing domestic abuse. Most recently in January 2008, having heard SEEDS Somerset representatives speak at a conference, GOSW commissioned  a regional study on the extent to which  survivor views were being conveyed to statutory sector services. In response to this work funds have now been secured to help develop SEEDS groups in both Plymouth and Cornwall and fund a survivor conference in Bristol. The growth of the SEEDS groups has been a steep learning curve for all involved and not without some angst!

A recent case study[ii] for the SW Regional Empowerment Consortium led by Creating Excellence identified the main findings from the research, the collective outcomes from the projects and the key learning points. These have proved vital in developing new projects, and the following have been the main issues to be addressed when assisting new groups to get underway: 

*   Commitment by the Local Authority  to improving Domestic Abuse services and incorporating survivor views into the process is absolutely vital  

*   Those commissioning this work need to appreciate that to fully engage and genuinely empower survivors takes time to build trust, understand roles, develop confidence and acquire skills. Also to understand that with the issues these women are living with, that real lives get in the way and therefore tasks can often take longer than might be anticipated 

*   It needs to be recognised that there is no one model for engagement with survivors; structures for dialogue need to reflect local arrangements / existing work / key personalities etc, and build on those 

*   Work needs to take place either independently of or at least arms length from local providers 

*    In the first instance an independent project co-ordinator/ facilitator is essential to organise the studies / run focus groups/ set up and facilitate SEEDS groups and to provide energy, co-ordination, consistency, research training, and a main contact point  

*    It is vital to fund all survivors’ expenses and be able to pay a daily rate as well as cover the costs of venues and refreshments, promotional material, training and professional facilitation/ support. 

*    Clear procedures need to be in place from the beginning regarding membership i.e. how to join and what is expected; just being a survivor should not automatically entitle someone to join a SEEDS group.  

* It is important for SEEDS groups to establish arrangements from the very beginning to ensure they continue to attract new members (it would be far too easy to become a clique) and also to have mechanisms in place for ongoing dialogue with a broad range of survivors to ensure they are always representing survivors as a whole and not just telling their own stories. 

* Training for members of SEEDS groups is  vital and empowering, not just on developing ‘professional’ and research skills but also on understanding the nature of domestic abuse.  

* In the first instance, survivors need to be supported when attending statutory sector events/ presentations. However even as individuals become more confident about their roles it is still extremely important for them to attend any event/activity in pairs.