Project providers

Changes providers

Who are we?

The three organisations that form this partnership have a combined 98 years’ experience of providing Domestic Abuse services in Derbyshire.

The Elm Foundation, Crossroads Derbyshire and NCHA/Derbyshire WISH already work as a consortium to deliver refuge accommodation and Domestic Abuse outreach services for women, men, children, and young people across the county, and have worked together as partners on other projects.

All three organisations have excellent track records of collaborative working, take advantage of shared training opportunities, and can share office space and facilities to reduce travel expenses. This consortium share ideas, information, data, and evaluations using a robust and secure email system and through regular face-to-face meetings.

Each organisation has senior staff with a strong background and years of experience of working in Domestic Abuse service provision.

Founded in 1985, The Elm Foundation provides specialist Domestic Abuse support services in Chesterfield, North Derbyshire, and Bolsover, including:

Providing safe refuges for women, men, children and young people.
Providing emotional and practical support for people in the community who are at risk of Domestic Abuse.
Supporting victims of Domestic Abuse when they move into their own home.
Providing free counselling, group sessions and therapeutic services for victims of Domestic Abuse, including art therapy for children, which address issues around historic abuse, mental health, confidence and self-esteem.
Supporting children and young people who may be living with Domestic Abuse or displaying signs of being abusive.
Influencing and shaping policy around Domestic Abuse at local and national levels.
Delivering external training on Domestic Abuse to statutory and non-statutory organisations.

The Elm Foundation is affiliated with Women’s Aid (the national Domestic Abuse charity) and holds the SafeLives Leading Lights 2019 accreditation: the mark of quality for domestic abuse services. The Elm Foundation is also White Ribbon Accredited organisation.

The Elm Foundation supports men, women, children, and young people who have experienced Domestic Abuse and believes that everyone has the right to live their life free from fear, violence, and abuse.

Established in 1979, Crossroads Derbyshire has over 40 years’ experience of delivering domestic abuse services across the High Peak and Derbyshire Dales.

Beginning as a volunteer-led advice line in 1979, they now employ 20 staff and deliver a range of services. Their refuge accommodation, ‘The Harmony Project’, was the first specialist domestic abuse refuge in England and Wales to work exclusively with young women aged 16-24 and their children. They accept up to five young women at a time and house an average of 23 women each year. These young women are fleeing violence from their partner or family, grooming, forced marriage, honour-based violence or gang-related violence.

Crossroads Derbyshire provide prevention and recovery outreach support for women, men and children, delivered through one-to-one sessions and group work. They provide intensive support during times of transition and help people to leave an abusive relationship and keep themselves safe. Male victims made up 6% of their outreach clients last year.

Last year Crossroads Derbyshire received the Stage Two National Women’s Aid Standards Accreditation Award. Their assessor described their service as “exemplary.”

Derbyshire WISH is a specialist domestic abuse service and is part of Nottingham Community Housing Association (NCHA) Care and Support Services. Derbyshire WISH has provided specialist domestic abuse support throughout the Amber Valley, Erewash and Derbyshire Dales for over 23 years.

Established in 1996, the service has grown year-on-year and they now employ 20 staff offering a range of support services. They provide a wide range of services for men, women and children including refuge / individual safe accommodation and community-based support where they provide both one-to-one and group support sessions to meet the differing needs of individuals and families who access their support.

In addition, alongside consortia partners, they deliver the ‘Women and Girls Safe’ Project which focuses on women and girls aged 13 to 24 years old who are at risk of abuse, grooming, coercion, or bullying.

In addition, alongside consortia partners, they deliver the Choices Project.