This October, we are supporting Domestic Abuse Awareness Month, an international campaign to raise awareness of domestic abuse and unite us all in our determination to tackle it.
PCH also supports the yearly campaign of 16 Days of Action Against Domestic Abuse, which takes place from 25 November – 10 December each year, to raise awareness about domestic abuse across the South West, with a focus that it affects all genders, ages, ethnicities and sexualities.
To mark Domestic Abuse Awareness Month, we wanted to share the good news that PCH has recruited a number of new Domestic Abuse Champions from across the organisation. The newly recruited Domestic Abuse Champions are on hand to support colleagues and residents as needed around domestic abuse matters and are set to attend specific training to further enhance their knowledge and the support they can provide.
The new Champions will join our existing group to form a Domestic Abuse Champions Network across the business, working with the Domestic Abuse Housing Alliance (DAHA) Steering Group, to ensure necessary support, guidance and signposting is available when required.
The recruitment will continue to strengthen our organisational approach to Domestic Abuse and the ongoing work towards our DAHA accreditation to ensure PCH demonstrates best practice in the support and understanding of domestic abuse for both residents and staff.
Our local housing teams are always on hand to help residents who are experiencing domestic abuse, and information about the support we provide can be found on our website. If residents are experiencing domestic abuse, they can also fill out the form on our website or can call 0808 230 6500.
PCH has also recently joined EIDA (Employers Initiative on Domestic Abuse), joining their network of over 2,000 employers who are already committed to taking effective action on domestic abuse, equipping us to further support our employees affected by domestic abuse and to share best practices and learning across a wide variety of sectors.
We will also be looking to work more closely with the city’s VAWG (Violence Against Women & Girls) Commission and have signed the VAWG pledge as leading housing provider in the city, outlining our support for the recommendations made by the Commission.
Natasha Kirkham, Quality Assurance Manager at Plymouth Community Homes, said: “We’re really pleased that we have been able to expand the support available for residents and staff dealing with Domestic Abuse. The specific training for DA Champions ensures they’re equipped with the knowledge and understanding of such an important issue and are able to provide the necessary guidance to individuals when needed. PCH’s commitment to tackling domestic abuse remains a focus as we work with DAHA and other partners to develop best practice.”
(Photo caption: staff members from teams across the organisation, including with the Housing Choices, Income Recovery and Financial Inclusion, Adaptions, Environmental, Communications, Marketing and External Affairs, Quality Assurance teams.
