Women and Domestic Violence programme

Who is it for?

The programme is open to any women who are interested in understanding more of the issues surrounding domestic violence or who may wish to receive some training for working as volunteers in Women’s Aid refuges or supporting women experiencing domestic violence. It’s particularly designed for those with few or no formal qualifications. It aims to build women’s confidence in their ability to learn and provides a stepping stone for further educational and training opportunities.

What does it cover?

The programme consists of two courses

Understanding Domestic Violence looks at:

• Understanding what we mean by domestic violence
  
• Its causes and effects on women and children
  
• Issues facing different groups of women
  
• Reasons for women staying in/returning to abusive relationships
  
• The links between domestic violence and child abuse
  

• How to support women and children living with or moving away from domestic violence
  
• An overview of services, agencies and the law
  
• Basic counselling skills

How is it organised?

The two courses can be followed separately as ‘stand alone’ courses, or consecutively as a two part programme. Both courses each take 60 hours of study to complete, including around 15 hours of home study. Each course is usually offered as a 2 – 2 1/2 hour study group session over four or five months. The programme is offered at local venues accessible by public transport, with crèches, at times suitable for women with dependent care responsibilities.

The programme is accredited by the Open College Network and students can gain 2 credits on each course by completing a portfolio of work.

"Challenging Domestic Violence: The Women and Domestic Violence Programme". This article is a shortened version of an article first published by NIACE in its Adults Learning journal. To view or download the article click below Word Version Pdf Version

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