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Counselling & Mentoring Access

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• Active Community Counselling & Emotional Support Service (ACCESS)  

• STOP & REACH

• Movement & Mindfulness 

• Road Map for Business Development

• Project SMILES 

• Evidence Based Parenting Support

• Let's Involve Fathers Too (LIFT)

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When Mothers Against Violence started in 1999 there was little understanding about the isolation victims of crime in the inner city of Manchester felt. It was during this time that Mothers in the community took a stand against the acts of violence. There were several gangs operating in the area; street violence which sadly included a high volume of gun crime murders. Death related to gun crime was at an alarming level.

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The violence led to the area being dubbed Gun-Chester. In 2002 the inner city of Manchester was recorded to have nine unsolved gang-related murders at one time.

 

The police were finding it hard to manage problems; much of this was due to the fear of gangs and at times a fear of the police. As a result, witnesses often failed to come forward. This left many victims of such crimes feeling fear and shame and lead to them suffering in silence. Often when MAV volunteers went out to visit families after a murder or serious violent attack, families would often openly speak to us.

 

Many of these families would still not speak to the police even after our intervention. Many of the bereaved families seemed to find it easier talking with those people who had personal experience of their situation. Other helpful services like Victim Support found it harder to engage with victims in the inner city. MAV started peer support groups for the victims of those who had lost family members or been victims to violence in the inner city.

 

This led to volunteers becoming qualified counsellors and mentors which then lead to a service for victims, from victims. The peer support approach encouraged recovery and provided understanding and safety for many of those who took part. 

 

MAV also worked with Greater Manchester Police and the Home Office to help improve community relationships with public services. As a result of this early intervention by MAV our support service developed and has now become known as.

Active Community Counselling & Emotional Support Service Programme (ACCESS Programme).

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• ACCESS Programme provides support for those who have been affected by anti-social behaviour, murder, aggression, and mental health issues.

• ACCESS Programme gives easier access to a qualified counsellor for those living in the inner-city areas of Manchester. Our counsellors have experience and training in issues related to trauma, violent death, and mental health.

• ACCESS Programme is a combination of services which provide Therapeutic and Cognitive behavioural support for those in the inner city of Manchester who have suffered because of social issues, which include gun crime, knife crime, anti-social behaviour, and mental health issues. We offer a wide range of services to individual, business, and public services.

• ACCESS Programme provides support for those who may find it hard to access public services due to finance, fear, or stigma.

• ACCESS Programme provides group work which includes Peer Support, our qualified therapists and counsellors are members of The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy giving clients the confidence of many years of training and expertise.

• ACCESS Programme offers a friendly, personal, professional, and confidential support to people who need that little extra. Whether it is in your personal or professional life

• ACCESS Programme provides you with the help you require. Our qualified Counsellors structure sessions to satisfy your specific needs and requirements giving both a personal and comfortable environment.

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The one-to-one mentoring service the ACCESS Programme provides allows privacy to those people who need support and advice by qualified mentors. MAV’s mentors have experience in areas such as getting out of gangs, mediation, parenting support, relationship support, behavioural support, bereavement, and mental health. 

 

MAV also signpost to other services within the area that offer specialised support and guidance. The mentoring service takes referrals from youth offending teams and schools who are dealing with children and young people who need additional behavioural support. The mentoring service provided by the ACCESS Programme has a focus on young black males.

 

Over 90% of victims of gun crime in the inner city of Manchester have been of black origin, many having dual heritage. There is priority need for support for young males in this category. The experience of our volunteers and support staff suggests a lack of positive male role models have contributed to these young males getting into gang activity.

 

In more recent years we have seen a rise in young girls getting involved with gangs we have completed work with schools in the local area providing support and guidance for girls involved with gangs and anti-social behaviour.

 The ACCESS Programme is led by Mr Ian C. Swanston BSc (Hons) Professional Counselling Degree  

Ian lost his brother to murder in August 1999. Ian’s younger brother was gunned down in the inner city of Manchester.

 

The killer was never found. Ian and his family have never been able to receive criminal justice. As well as being a qualified counsellors Ian is trained in three parenting programmes and is an accredited Triple P Parenting Practitioner. He provides parenting support and training for parents who are experiencing challenging behaviour from their children. Ian has also completed training and received certificates in areas such as Bereavement skills, Professional and Ethical Issues,

 

Supporting People with Depression, Mental Health, Mindfulness Practice and Traumatic Death. He has a commitment to his personal development and believes this is vital to providing ongoing support for those victims of crime. Ian has worked with several support services across Greater Manchester and brings a vast amount of personal and professional knowledge to the MAV Team.

 

Ian was appointed chairperson of Mothers Against Violence in January 2009 just before the organisation received charity status.  The ACCESS Programme has recently received support from Victim Support.

The ACCESS Programme understand We all experience difficulties or challenges which we find hard to cope with. In many cases help from those around you such as family, friends, church, and social groups can be all that is needed to help us understand and overcome life’s hurdles.

 

There may be times when we need some extra help and assistance. The ACCESS Programme understands sometimes the hardest part of seeking help is admitting that we require any help at all. Should you feel that you are at a stage when you may benefit from professional support, please contact us for a personal and confidential discussion.

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ian@mavuk.org

office@mavuk.org

Mobile Number: 07984066771

Office Number: 0161 226 8134

www.counselling-directory.org.uk

 

Evidenced Based Parenting Support

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Since August 1999 MAV UK have supported the inner-city communities of Greater Manchester. MAV UK was born at a time when gun violence was at its worst in the inner-city community of Manchester. Three young black males were murdered in the space of eight days in one community in 1999. The mothers of that community took a stand and came out fighting, not with guns but with words of Hope. It is with this same hope that

 

MAV UK now serves the community providing mentoring support, educational awareness of gun and knife crime, substance misuse referrals, counselling, workshops, and outreach work which includes campaigning for positive change in our community.

 

Our parenting support package will provide outcomes which include:

 

· Improved parent child relationship

· Early intervention and support for young people and families

· Intensive support for parent and young person

· Parent group support

· One to One support

· Systemic support (services around the family)

· Additional referral support

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Email: ian@mavuk.org

Contact Office: 0161 2268134

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Project SMILES 

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The main aim of MAV UK is to work with young people and their families to Support, Motivate, Lead, Educate & Safeguard (SMILES)

We also work to provide then with the support they need to establish themselves as fully integrated young people with the ability to enrich others. We believe children and young people matter now more than ever.

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The SMILES service emphasis on reaching new young people in the Manchester City areas. There is also support for the young people in school providing by trained staff and volunteers from the local community.

 

SMILES selects the most disadvantaged Children and Young People (CYP) many are not in education, employment, or training (NEET). These CYP are supported with one-to-one support which will include mentor support and counselling provided by a qualified staff. 

 

SMILES has a focus on Every Child Matters (ECM) UK government initiative for England and Wales launched in 2003 and the helps provide the base of programmes that encourage CYP to develop their work ethic. In addition to this SMILES will also provide the parents of identified CYP the chance to take part in an evidence-based parenting support programme.

 

MAV currently have two evidenced based parenting practitioners working with the service. Manchester lost many aspects of parenting support during the first stage of government cuts in 2011 and parents of teens in Manchester have been with much less group or one to one support since the cuts. MAV are keen to bridge this gap helping parents to develop positive relationships with their young people.

 

MAV understand the need to ensure young people are engaged with positive activities in the community as this reduces the needs to be involved with anti-social behaviours. Evidence shows home life is key to sustaining long-term change.

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SMILES aims to engage 30 young people each year supporting them with Self Esteem, Goal Setting, employment, and business mentoring. The project completes at least one weekend residential and will also have a talent event and celebration for CYP.

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This have a wider impact on the local urban environment as more young people are engaging in more positive activity which then reduces forms of deprivation such as low income, unemployment, and poor education. 

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​​MAV are encouraged by the research from evidenced based parenting programmes that show children are more likely to have better attitudes to issues such as drugs, alcohol, smoking, sexual diseases, exercise, fitness, and diet when they live in a home with positive parent child relationships.

 

MAV will also use service to sign post beneficiaries to local services that will support health and well-being needs.​

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• Keeping Young People Safe

• Mental Health & Well Being

• Confidence & Self-Esteem

• Personal Development & Goal Setting

 

MAV have been regularly supported with funding from Awards for All since 2010 when MAV became a registered charity.​

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Road Map for Business Development (RMBD) 

 

MAV UK have supported the rehabilitation of many offenders within the prison service. We are committed to developing rehabilitation for n those who our serving sentences at Her Majesty Pleasure. For over a decade we have had a commitment to victims of crime.

 

Many of those victims want the criminal justice system to ensure justice is being served, and those criminals who have served their time return to communities reformed and able to live as law abiding citizens, contributing in a positive way to society.

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Professor Tom Schuller and commissioned by the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE) states; “All citizens should have access to develop their capabilities in four key areas: digital, health, financial and civic” and there should be a guaranteed “access to the citizen’s curriculum”.

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MAV UK have a commitment to working with Prisons Services to ensure those leaving prison have every opportunity to change offending behaviours. We are keen to reduce the rate of re-offending in our communities. Road Map for Business Development is a programme used with ex-offenders to provide support in developing their knowledge of business and employment.​

 

RMBD provides training which covers all major aspects of establishing a business. It offers an opportunity to gain an understanding of business development and provide support, encouragement, opportunity, and training for ex-offenders and those preparing for release. 

 

We will also include in the programme those less fortunate in our community, who have never had the opportunity to go into business and would like to develop their skills.

 

AIMS OF THE COURSE:

 

The course material is designed to help identify and clarify the reasons why a student wishes to start a new business venture. It will be of assistance in identifying a potential business idea. It is intended to provide a comprehensive understanding of the skills and abilities that are required to establish and organise a business. The main aims are:

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• To understand the requirements for establishing a business

• To provide students with opportunities to develop academic skills in Business Studies appropriate for a range of progression options.

• To enable students to develop a knowledge and understanding of the subject area

• To encourage the learner to apply theoretical understanding and evaluation to complex content

• To enable students to apply a range of transferable skills to subject related topics, issues, and situations.

• To provide students with a working knowledge of how to establish and develop skills that will be required to develop a business

• To facilitate and foster the development of a range of presentation skills relevant and appropriate to the discipline level of running a business.

• To provide guidance for financing and raising capital for a business 

• To provide support and encouragement to students

 

THE OUTCOMES OF THE COURSE ARE:

 

• The development of key skills in an effective and academic context for the purposes of personal development and progression.

• An appreciation of the value and problems of interpretation of core concepts in Business Studies, together with related and relevant practices, methodologies, and theories.

• An understanding of the core concepts within Business Studies in different situations and contexts

• Ability for students to apply their experience, knowledge and understanding, and skills to a range of course-related topic.

• An ability to apply presentation skills appropriate to the discipline, level of study and delivery method of their business plan.

• Development of transferable evaluative and analytical skills relevant to Business Studies.

• An understanding of business in today’s marketplace along with all its facets.

 

On completion of the course the student will be able to identify their own strengths, weaknesses, and any special training needs. The training will also help the student identify the resources needed to commence a business and decide on the appropriate name and legal structure.

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For more information on the course please contact Carl Montlake on:

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Phone No. 0161 226 8134

carl@mavuk.org