Brave Spaces Launch

Last week, CoLab Women were delighted to work with so many partners at the launch of the Brave Spaces programme. This is a two-year test and learn project which will support women facing multiple disadvantage, homelessness, domestic and sexual violence and abuse, and trauma.

Brave Spaces has developed from the success and learning of the Women First (Northern Devon) and Breathing Space (Exeter) projects. The programme will have 3 main offers: safe accommodation; pioneering projects; and an action learning community and stewardship group. It will seek to test and refine a ‘trauma resilience hub model’ approach to provide a single point of access and holistic wrap around support for women who find themselves homeless due to DSVA.

This will also provide insight and data into what works, for whom and in what circumstances. This collection of learning will go on to inform service and practice development, provide recommendations and support system change.

Specialist training for generalist workers in areas such as substance misuse, mental health and trauma informed practice will support gender informed practice in the wider system. It will also develop a variety of toolbox training resources based on need and co-designed by women accessing the services which can be shared across Devon.

The project will be managed and delivered by Encompass SW and CoLab respectively and will be supported by the System Change Action Alliance (SCAA) Group, and the aligned objectives for system change they share.

Brave Spaces will create real opportunities for system change and improve responses to women, removing barriers to immediate support.

Together we will create brave space.
Because there is no such thing as a “safe space” —
We exist in the real world.
We all carry scars and we have all caused wounds.
In this space
We seek to turn down the volume of the outside world,
We amplify voices that fight to be heard elsewhere,
We call each other to more truth and love.
We have the right to start somewhere and continue to grow.
We have the responsibility to examine what we think we know.
We will not be perfect.
This space will not be perfect.
It will not always be what we wish it to be.
But
It will be our brave space together,
and
We will work on it side by side.

Poem by Micky Scott Bey Jones based on Beth Strano’s original work describing what you can expect from Brave Spaces.

We are currently recruiting for this project. Please see our Jobs page for more information.