Group sessions that support and empower survivors to learn from each other in a safe, non-judgemental space.

Our award winning, innovative weekly ‘SHE-roes Lounge and Peer group’ offers female survivors an opportunity to learn, connect with others and have fun! The mornings are dedicated to the facilitation of our self-development courses, where survivors learn about the impact of trauma – and by understanding it, they can start to process it. They also cover topics such as mindset, healthy coping strategies, and life skills to name a few. Although we have written course synopses for each session, our role is to facilitate discussion rather than teach. This is to encourage discussion and learning from each other.

During the afternoons the group has some fun, creating a sense of belonging. We regularly invite in community visitors to showcase what is available in our local area. These include, for example, working with the local adult community college on literacy and numeracy or money management, tai chi, drumming, boxing, employment assistance plus many more. In addition to this, all group attendees have a monthly 1:1 key working session to set and review short-term goals.

The groups are run in-house at our Mansfield base for the morning session. The afternoon sessions take place at a community centre in Mansfield town centre to ensure we have ample space for activities and visitors.

This service supports and empowers survivors to learn from each other in a safe, non-judgemental space. We witness clients offering and receiving peer support, it is so powerful in terms of impact, relatability and enriches the learning of each person. The ‘Lounges’ have a very strong sense of togetherness. This was the way the organisation started in 1998, it was a ‘founding’ activity, and one that continues to evolve and held in high regard within our organisation today.