Psychologically Informed Environments

Changing Lives For Women

Organisational Activity• Buildings• Community • Culture

Places of Change Development

Intelligent by Design inspiring, intuitive & safe

Residential design

respectful welcoming supportive non-institutional safe secure private

Impact

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Service Users Crimson Red Amber Green

Community and Culture

• Community Standard

• Asset available to the service

users & local community

• Reducing stigmatisation

• User led

• Driven by staff – 30% former

Clients

Places of Change Development

The ProjectOverview of the GAP Project: • Sexual exploitation and victims of trafficking• Escort industry• Adult women (18+)• Newcastle upon Tyne and Gateshead • Support around 45/50 women at any one time • Assertive outreach service and group support

Primary aims of the GAP Project:• To help increase lifestyle choices • Encourage exiting sex work strategies • Reduce any risks of harm and exposure to sexual exploitation • Improve health and wellbeing • Improve mental health

 

Client Group & Need- Evidenced trough PEER Research

• Chronic Exclusion Factors- disengaged from services• Homelessness• Involvement in the Criminal Justice System• “Survival” Sex Work and Escorting • Drug and Alcohol Addictions• Presenting with Borderline Personality Disorder

Traits• Depression and Anxiety• Violence and Sexual Violence• Childhood Trauma

Staff Training and Support

• Psychotherapist

• Clinical Consultancy

• DBT Personality Disorder Training-Language and skills

• Regional Collaboration

Regional Learning Day North East Sex Work Forum

Interventions

• Long-term Intensive Outreach Support and drop-ins. Focus on Relationships and positive Experiences

• Interventions Leading to DBT Skills Training Group- Fits with recovery model

Therapeutic Relationship Building, Environments and Experiences

DBT- Dialectical Behaviour Training Therapy

To learn new skills in changing difficult patterns of behaviour in life which cause distress”

Outline of the Programme

Distress tolerance – 6 weeksMindfulness – 2 weeksEmotion regulation – 6 weeksMindfulness – 2 weeksInterpersonal skills – 6 weeksMindfulness 2 weeks

Some people will then repeat the course – people learn different skills as they go

Specific goals: Learn skilful behaviour to replace problem behaviour

Behaviour to Increase Behaviour to Decrease

Mindfulness Skills Confusion about self, Feelings of emptiness, Difficulty with thinking patterns and unwanted thoughts

Interpersonal /Relationships Skills Chaotic relationships, Fears of abandonment

Emotional Regulation Skills ‘up and down’ feelings, Overwhelming anger

Distress Tolerance Skills Impulsive behaviours, Suicide threatsSelf Management Skills Decrease behaviours that interfere

with skills programme

Outcome Recording• Client Journey- Distance Travelled

• Outcome Star

Types of Outcomes Recorded- Drug and Alcohol Treatment- Sexual Health Appointments- Money Management- Sexual Exploitation Vulnerabilities- Engaged with other services- Housing

GAP Project JourneyPre-change Stage :Harm ReductionPre-change - clients who continue to be involved in the sex industry or are still exposed to sexual exploitation. Engaging with the project - workers will focus on harm reduction strategies. i.e. providing condoms/resources and supporting client to engage with GUM services 'keeping safe, or make a safeguarding adults referral. This stage could also be described as the 'Gateway' stage.Accepting Help Stage: Crisis Interventions, Practical and Emotional Support Accepting Help - clients will acknowledge and identify that they need support to address complex issues and that there is an escalation in problems. Clients will be offered holistic support packages where the allocated support worker will use an outreach approach and provide tailored and needs led interventions. The holistic approach is focused around the Out Come Star tool, areas which are all related to sex work and sexual exploitation. Change Stage: Progression Out Come Star points should now be at a different stage, highlighting the clients progression. All areas of the star continued to be focused upon and less support is offered from the allocated key worker, clients will take more responsibility at this point. Self Reliance Stage: Stability Clients will go under a review with their Support Worker, using Out Come Star tool, and will also be discussed with the team at weekly case management meetings. This will provide information which shows that the client has self reliance and is stable.Exit: Positive Discharge from service Exit - Referrals made to external services to support with continuing personal development

Outcome Star