YOU SAID – WE DID
It is really important to us that we listen to survivors and their families and carers, and help them to shape and influence the work we do. There are different ways for you to tell us about your experience of our services, during sessions, at reviews and through our online feedback form.
Some of the changes we have made in response to your feedback can be found by clicking on the links below. General comments are listed separately to those provided at specific groups/events.
We held a survey to find out what people understood about our service and who they thought it was for. We also asked for ideas for what our name could be changed to.
Using the survey results we changed our name to Nottinghamshire Sexual Violence Support Services – Notts SVS Services for short. This meant that our logo and main references were less triggering and it helped to indicate the wide range of services we now offer.
We understand that people may feel anxious about having face-to-face support while Covid-19 is still around.
We ran a survey of clients and people visiting our website and social media to find out what would help you feel more safe when having in-person support. Using this, along with government and other guidance we have put in a range of measures, including larger counselling rooms with opening windows, sanitizers and extra cleaning.
You can find out about some of these measures in our blog and can discuss your options, requests and concerns before coming into our centre. We are also able to offer support online and over the telephone if you prefer.
We ran focus groups with survivors to ask them for their feedback on the Survivor’s Charter we were working on. You gave us lots of really useful feedback, from things like the colours used, the shape of speech bubbles and how much text to use. You can read the in-depth ‘you said – we did’ document summarising this work here.
It’s been really good and I’ve worked through a lot. It’s been very useful and beneficial and I feel totally different to how I did in the first place. I feel more able to cope when I feel overwhelmed. I feel more able to understand my feelings and connect them to what’s happening and how past experiences can impact me in the present. I benefited from learning about how my own trauma responses caused me to cope in certain ways and have learned new coping strategies that have work better for me. I’ve learned how to develop trust more in key close relationships.
At first I was very unsure what to expect from my sessions and how I would be able to talk about my past. From taking the first step of contacting up to my final session has been a massive break through, I have been able to explain from the early abuse up to my current relationship. I feel that my counselling sessions have helped me tremendously with my attitude and feelings that I have kept bottled up for years. I am now beginning to see how I can change the way I think and act. Keep up the great help and understanding, it is more than appreciated.
My counsellor saved the quality of my life. I know I have work to do but think I am in a better position to do that moving forward having worked with her. I feel my counsellor has gone consistently above and beyond to help & support me
I have never had the opportunity to be fully known by someone before and the first time I have felt safe enough to be myself. I am better at managing relationships when I am open and honest and these sessions have enabled me to begin being that way. My counsellor has been exceptionally brilliant and I have been very grateful to have had her with her kindness understanding and patience. It has meant a lot to me.
Approaching Notts SVSS was one of the best decision I’ve ever made. When I first started I was at breaking point in terms of anxiety and losing control of my emotions due to the impact of the sexual violence I have suffered. My sessions with my counsellor have been fundamental in me reaching my present mental health and wellbeing which is better than it has been in years. Although I know I will still suffer low periods, the self care tools I have been practicing are helping immensely to keep myself on track. I’m much kinder to myself which in turn has created a much happier mind and home for myself, my son and surrounding loved ones. My support system is strong but I can never really vocalise the gratitude I have for my counsellor and Notts SVSS for helping others in my position.
If you feel that we have fallen short and could do better, we have a complaints process that allows you to tell us, so that we can investigate and take action to improve. Our complaints process is available to read here.
