Relationship Programmes to End Violence Against Women and Girls

Relate NI are delighted to be part of a consortium of voluntary sector organisations that will deliver education and support services to end violence against women and girls in Northern Ireland.

In Northern Ireland, most violence against women and girls happens in their own home. The most common perpetrators of violence against women are intimate partners. We know that people who lacked healthy relationship models often repeat harmful patterns, and societal norms that reinforce gender inequality often perpetuate abusive relationships.

It’s time for change; we need healthy relationships to be at the heart of our society to end violence against women and girls. Relate NI aims to change attitudes, behaviours, and the culture of violence against women and girls by promoting healthy relationship skills to develop respectful relationships.

Our experience of delivering programmes and counselling creates safer spaces and communities for women and girls through healthy, respectful relationships. To effectively achieve this, we are focusing on prevention, education, and empowerment.

With this funding, we can deliver 3 strands of additional support.

Respectful Relationships’

A 4- week, community-based programme for women aged 16+. It promotes respectful relationships and an understanding of the differences between challenging relationships and those rooted in harms. It focuses on tools to navigate conflicts, resolve relationship issues and strengthen bonds. It reduces barriers by creating a supportive group where participants focus on developing self-worth and confidence building in relationships.

Relate-Ed

Relationships and sexuality education (RSE) engaging with young people in community settings. Relate-Ed raises awareness of the root causes of violence against women and girls, what it is, where it comes from and how it manifests in relationships and society. It challenges attitudes, behaviours and culture of distorted views of relationships, sexuality and power by providing young people with tools to sustain healthy relationships.

Often facilitators will be approached or identify participants who are living in trauma in real time. For this we will offer one-to-one support to empower and rebuild client’s resilience and self-esteem through Individual Relationship Counselling and Psychosexual Therapy. In Relate NI’s experience of delivering programmes in the community it is an added value to be able to offer seamless access to specialist counselling to end violence against women and girls.

The programmes aim to ensure that women and girls are safe and feel safe everywhere by providing healthy relationship information so unhealthy behaviours can be challenged long term.

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“How Relate NI helps people”

Our counsellor was excellent and really helped me and my husband to resolve the niggles in our relationshipService Attended Adult Relationship Counselling for Couples

My counsellor was lovely, attentive and supportive. She helped me to understand my worth and for that, I will always be gratefulService Attended Adult Relationship Counselling for Individuals

This service is invaluable. Such lovely people to meet and help you through difficult times.Service Attended Adult Relationship Counselling for Couples

The service was excellent, my counsellor was really good at getting us to open up and helping us to get to the root of our issues. We have definitely improved our communication since attending.Service Attended Adult Relationship Counselling for Couples

I found the Relationship MOT an excellent method of focusing on how we work as a couple and just as importantly, where we need to work. It was professional, insightful and well worth the time. It has reminded us of how much we have to be proud of in our relationship and why it is so important to occasionally review it with experts.Service Attended Relationship MOT

I would definitely recommend using the Relationship MOT service as a bit of a check in with your partner. I thought how the counsellor was able to steer the conversation was very insightful and nuanced. The MOT reminded us about why we are great together but also the importance of communication and respect.” “Our counsellor provided an outside perspective which immediately helped us to agree that we needed to stop and think with more kindness and empathy for each other especially when stressed or pissed off. We both felt that our counsellor’s excellent and gentle facilitation was quite invigorating. So many positives!Service Attended Relationship MOT 2

Very Interesting Content. I like the concept of preparing your relationship before you have problemsService Attended Sustaining Healthy Relationships – Surestart 4

The face to face programme has made me feel connected with others experiencing similar thingsService Attended Sustaining Healthy Relationships – Surestart 3

The workshops made me more confident to balance family life after the baby's arrivalService Attended Sustaining Healthy Relationships – Surestart 2

I now have a better understanding of myself, it is good to know that it is normal to have argumentsService Attended Sustaining Healthy Relationships – Surestart 1

I felt the weekly questionnaire, couples with the counsellor's understanding of my needs help contribute to my own understanding of my mental health and needs throughout.Service Attended Adult Relationship Counselling for Individuals

I loved every session. Our counsellor listened to what we had to say and gave us helpful wee homework - would recommend this service to everybodyService Attended Adult Relationship Counselling for Couples

Our counsellor was a fantastic support - we now feel strong enough to continue working on our relationship togetherService Attended Adult Relationship Counselling for Couples

I had a very good counsellor that helped me through a lot and it has made me come out the other side.Service Attended Adult Relationship Counselling for Individuals

Counselling took us from a bad place to a good one and I would return if neededService Attended Adult Relationship Counselling For Couples

Been a lifeline to help us fall in love again - forever grateful!Service Attended Adult Relationship Counselling For Couples

I would just like to say that when I first came for counselling I felt that I was drowning. I have completed my sessions and I now feel that I can cope a lot better with everything. Thank you for a brilliant service.Service Attended Adult Relationship Counselling For Individuals

Thank you Relate NI for a good nights sleep.Service Attended Relate NI Kids Counselling

Really enjoyed Relate NI and I'm actually going to miss counselling. I Found it helpful to find myself again. Very fair and equal within our relationship.Service Attended Adult Relationship Counselling For Couples

The counsellor was very pleasant to meet with. They had the necessary skills to speak and listen when appropriate. I liked their humour and good personality.Service Attended Family Counselling

Relate NI has helped me move on as well as understand myself and situation more. My counsellor listened to me, facilitated me and was compassionate!Service Attended Relate NI Teen Counselling

I felt the weekly questionnaire, coupled with counsellor's understanding of my needs helped contribute to my own understanding of my mental health and needs throughoutService Attended Adult Relationship Counselling For Individuals

We had four funded sessions and cannot express how grateful we are for the help, guidance and knowledge. Our counsellor was incredibly professional, and her experience and obvious passion for helping couples like us was exceptional. She helped us to understand ourselves and each other like we otherwise never would have been able to.Service Attended Adult Relationship Counselling For Couples

I have tried counselling many times in the past. This time actually made a difference. I was able to complete online sessions as well as some face to face.Service Attended Adult Relationship Counselling For Individuals

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Relationship Programmes to End Violence Against Women and Girls

Respectful Relationships’

Relate-Ed

“How Relate NI helps people”

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