Who is Liberty Mentoring for?
Liberty Mentoring is for young women aged 16-24 who live in Canterbury, Ashford and Folkestone & Hythe, and have experienced, witnessed or are at risk of domestic abuse. The abuse can be related to personal intimate relationships, family relationships or the young person may be vulnerable to experiencing unhealthy relationships.
Experiences of domestic abuse and trauma are individual and unique. With this in mind mentoring provision is flexible and adjustable dependant on the needs and wants of those we support.
When and where is Liberty Mentoring run?
Our Liberty Mentoring programme is 12-weeks of support, made up of weekly or fortnightly sessions lasting about an hour depending on individual needs.
We adopt a flexible approach with our one-to-one sessions, and can offer support in a number of different ways including in-person at school, college, our offices or a community centre. We can also do sessions over WhatsApp, on the phone or over Facetime.
Where possible, we try to meet you where you are. We recognise that travelling to sessions can be a big disruption in your day. By being flexible with our approach, we aim to minimise disruption to your day as much as possible.
We have strong relationships with many schools, sixth forms and colleges across Canterbury, Ashford and Folkestone & Hythe, working closely with their safeguarding teams to create a safe and secure place for one-to-one sessions.
What will I gain from Mentoring?
Our Liberty Mentoring aims to help you move past your experiences and have a happy and safe future. It also aims to help you prepare for healthy future relationships. It does this through:
- Giving space and permission for you to talk about any challenges and the impact of those experiences – breaking down the stigma and secrecy of domestic abuse.
- Offering the context and language to your experiences of domestic abuse, through psychoeducational support around healthy relationships, trauma and emotional regulations.
- Building a trusted relationship with a professional adult and identifying a support network to share your thoughts and feelings with.
- Discussing staying safe online in a world of social media and online dating, as well as experiencing coercive control and pressure online.
- Recognising red flags, beige flags and green flags in current and future relationships for yourself and others, and knowing where to turn for support.
- Opening up the conversation about the importance of consent, in and out of relationships.
- Show you that your have a choice, and that your voice is important and worthy of being heard and listened to.
