Deadline: 6-Mar-23
The Safe Accommodation – Improving Psychologically Informed Environments (PIE) Grant Programme is now open to applicants focusing on improving the physical environment and social spaces of existing safe accommodation operated by London’s domestic abuse sector, including:
- spaces which recognise the impact of the environment on wellbeing and behaviour, such as noise, light, comfort, temperature, fabrics, colours, and aesthetics
- spaces which are safe and inviting for victim/survivors and where the internal building is in a good state of repair, looks cared for and is fit for purpose
- spaces which have fixtures and fittings that meet the needs of victims/survivors and their children
The Greater London Authority (GLA) and the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) are working in partnership on the activities involved in delivering the duty.
Through this grant programme, the Mayor seeks to have a comprehensive and focused package of measures to improve the provision of safe accommodation to ensure that survivors of domestic abuse can access physically and psychologically safe spaces where they and their children can recover safely from abuse. He has therefore launched the Safe Accommodation – Improving Psychologically Informed Environments (PIE) grant programme.
The Mayor is seeking to have a comprehensive and focused package of measures to ensure that survivors of domestic abuse can access physically and psychologically safe spaces where they and their children can recover safely from abuse. Psychologically informed services are those designed and delivered in a way that considers the emotional and psychological needs of the individuals using them and working in them.
Aims
- This programme has been established in recognition that the physical and psychological quality of safe accommodation has an impact on the recovery of survivors and their children. They also know that lack of high-quality safe accommodation provision can be a barrier for survivors leaving an abusive relationship as well as it being a reason they may return to their abuser. By focusing on improving safe accommodation provision, this grant programme will, therefore, aim to:
- support the right of victims/survivors to access physically and psychologically safe spaces where they and their children can recover safely from abuse, supported by services rooted in a rights-based, trauma-informed and gender-informed approach
- ensure that services are of a consistently high quality, in terms of both support and the accommodation provided, to enable victims/survivors to recover and rebuild
- ensure that safe accommodation should meet high quality standards, for both support services and accommodation, including those standards produced by Imkaan/Women’s Aid
- ensure commissioning processes and requirements do not disadvantage smaller and/or specialist providers, including ‘by and for’ providers, and must support these providers to build their capacity
Funding Information
The total budget for this grant programme is £750,000.
- Grant size
- Safe Accommodation – PIE grant programme services can apply for between £10,000 and £100,000
- Please note that only one application per organisation will be accepted, even of managing several sites across London
- Grant duration
- 12 months
- activities that will improve existing spaces can begin in May 2023
- Grant purpose
- activities must improve existing safe accommodation spaces.
Outcomes
The successful grants funded by the Safe Accommodation – PIE grant programme will result in:
- improved safe accommodation provision where victims/survivors can access physically and psychologically safe spaces to aid recovery
- improved quality of the fabric of existing refuges and other safe crisis accommodation
- safe accommodation provision maintained and refurbished to meet the needs of victims/survivors.
Eligibility Criteria
- Only London-based services that take a PIE approach in managing their existing safe accommodation for survivors of domestic abuse and their children are eligible to apply for funding to support their service.
- Applicants must be able to demonstrate that they are operating a PIE approach – these are services which are designed and delivered in a way that considers the emotional and psychological needs of the individuals using them and working in them.
- A PIE approach has five key elements:
- Development of a psychological framework
- The physical environment and social spaces
- Staff training and support
- Managing relationships
- Evaluation of outcomes
- Preference will be given to organisations which are led by and are for communities experiencing inequity. By and for organisations for the purpose of this programme are defined as smaller grassroots organisations with a maximum turnover of £1.5m, that are rooted in, and led by, the communities that they serve.
- In line with this definition, this includes organisations:
- Specialist Black and minoritised organisations addressing VAWG;
- Women’s community organisations delivering services to address VAWG as a core aspect of their work; and, or
- Specialist community organisations (e.g. disability rights groups providing services that address VAWG as a core aspect of their work or groups providing support for women engaged in prostitution)
For more information, visit London Community Foundation.