START Strategic Plan 2024/25

Welcome to STARTS strategic planning for 2024/2025. START strategy relies on, and is governed by, the available long-term funding to support its range of services. Traditionally START has been funded through Hampshire CC, the NHS England the OPCC (Office of Police & Crime Commission) However, in October 2023 these funding bodies combined their funding streams and then tendered out the contract to deliver therapeutic sexual abuse services across Hampshire.

START was successful in bidding to provide these services and selected as the preferred provider across North and Central Hampshire, securing a 5-year contract until 2029 in the process. This contract award ensures STARTS can plan for long term sustainability and plan for long term projects and areas of development within the allotted annual funding.

STARTS overarching strategy is to;

deliver a wraparound support service to all people who have suffered sexual abuse, whether historical or recent sexual abuse, through offering a range of support option and adopting a trauma informed approach.
only employ experienced and qualified staff at all levels with specialist sexual trauma training.
Provide people who need the service with a quick, and easy way to access services with a maximum wait for any service of six months from the point of contact, working towards a maximum wait of 3 months.

STARTS 10 POINT PLAN (April 2024-March 2025)

START will continue to provide its innovative and unique residential LOTUS programmes for people who have suffered Childhood Sexual Abuse (CSA). Programmes will run between April 2024 and March 2025. and at least one of these at least one will be specifically for Male survivors of CSA, depending on suitability and number of referrals receive for the programme.
START will look to develop a non -residential daytime/weekend LOTUS programme which will be rolled out in the Autumn of 2024, with bimonthly programmes arranged from October, and then in December 2024 and February 2025 depending on referral numbers.
START will expand its service availability across its regional patch as part of its strategic philosophy of delivering local services to local people. More individual counselling services will be made available in Andover and Fleet.
START will further develop its online self-help tool with a new and updated version of the current tool and update its resource website.
START will continue with its specialist STEPS peer support programmes and aim to ensure at least two monthly gender specific groups are offered in Basingstoke for North Hampshire and Winchester for Central Hampshire
START will continue to publish an annual START report (in September of 2024) outlining its previous years operation which will include client feedback and statistical trends and seek additional verbal feedback from male and female clients.
START will continue to further development of its growing EMDR counselling service and potentially invest in two further counsellor training programme places as they become available in Hampshire.
START will invest in further staff training as part of its commitment to working with people with different needs and protected characteristics, including neuro-diversity training.
START will ensure its consultation and advisory group which consists of those with lived experiences has representatives from all gender groups and gender identity and those with a disability
START will seek to recruit counsellors from the BAME communities and continue to ensure that it that at least 10% of its counselling team are male counsellors to offer gender choice to clients.

Testimonials

"I am now in control of my thoughts and my life. I have gained self-confidence in so many ways and I am no longer haunted by the past."

"I have been given the tools to cope with everyday life. Without counselling I would have continued to deny my situation and feelings which was having extreme detrimental effect on myself, family and friends… RASAC has saved me from self destruction without the support I would have crumbled – a true life saver."

"My RASAC counselling has completely changed my life… I am a better mother, a more involved member of the community and I am able to keep myself safe."

"I was counselled for almost a year. I had a wonderful counsellor who helped me through a very difficult and unpleasant time in my life. It has been a process of healing by revisiting past places which at one time felt unimaginable. The journey has been raw and unnerving but slowly I came to see how I was repairing my damaged self. I finally accepted ownership of what had happened to me and was able to let go of my guilt and shame. My counsellor understood my outlook on life and created a connection with me that was very special. I eventually looked forward to my session as a weekly debrief rather than a purge. I am as happy and confident as I have ever been and I tell people about what I have learnt to help turn their negativity into positivity. Fear can be a very powerful emotion and prevent us from moving on in our lives but once it is confronted the clouds separate and you can focus on that hint of sunshine."

"Thank-you for the support, for the first time since talking about the sexual abuse to someone it is really helping me."

"Thank you so much for all your time and support while I was working through all of the stuff that happened - I really couldn't have done it without your help and input." Male client - June 2021

"The support, understanding and guidance that I've received from START has been life-changing. The whole process has been crucial for me to understand some of the trauma I'd experienced during my childhood. Who I've become as a consequence, who I am today, and how I process some of my thoughts, feelings and emotions." - April 2023

"I cannot thank Sarah at START enough for the counselling I received. I was a bit sceptical of the EMDR therapy I was offered at first but it really has helped me a great deal and I'm grateful for having the opportunity to go through it." - April 2023

"I'd like to thank everyone involved at START. You're doing a phenomenal job. I can't stress how important this journey has been for me. It's been a life altering experience." - April 2023

"Thank you for the Lotus week end, my life is taking a turn for the better and my new journey begins now." - July 2023