Helping Everyone Abused Live (HEAL)

Self-help Support Centre

Helping Everyone Abused Live (HEAL) is a self-help support centre for people who are survivors of childhood abuse.

HEAL provides a confidential service to help members, their partners and carers to overcome emotional trauma and take control of their lives. Formed in 1997, HEAL initially operated once a week from loaned accommodation. HEAL became a registered charity in June 2000 and opened their own Centre in January 2002.

HEAL's objectives are to:

• Help survivors overcome their trauma
• Help reduce the feelings of stress, isolation, guilt and loneliness
• Encourage personal confidence and self-esteem
• Empower survivors to be more in control of their own lives
• Effect a better understanding of survivor needs.

HEAL offers a variety of services to its members, with ongoing workshops, discussions, social events, arts, crafts and a very useful library. They also offer a support group for the partners and carers of abuse survivors.

There are a number of survivors within HEAL's team, helping its volunteers relate to those it helps. This also works to ensure that the organization successfully achieves its goals and maintains its commitment to confidentiality.

HEAL knows and understands just how difficult it can be to make contact. However, they are proud of the fact that those who first meet them regularly comment on how friendly, relaxed and approachable they are. HEAL are often invited by local organisations to deliver training to their staff, involving issues such as the impact that child abuse can have on adult survivors. The organization has worked in partnership with both voluntary and statutory organisations such as Colchester Gay Switchboard, CRUSE, NERIL, Samaritans and Open Door.

Volunteers are an essential element of HEAL's service. Demands on their volunteers can be high, so the organization offers a comprehensive training and support package with monthly supervision sessions.

HEAL's Achievements:

• Eight trained volunteers regularly donate their time
• 30 people are being helped by HEAL at any one time
• 1,500 people are helped face to face in a typical year.

In 2001, a FitC grant for £5000 supported HEAL with

• £950 worth of activities
• £1,870 for furniture
• £235 for kitchen equipment
• £720 therapy workshop
• £400 survivor directory
• £825 for volunteer expenses

Quotes

“My first attendance at HEAL was quite unnerving as I was unsure of what to expect. What I found was a group who were very sympathetic and understanding towards my physical and mental abuse as a child. Before coming to HEAL I had emotional problems from feelings of isolation, anger and guilt but also from a great deal of stress. However, since attending the sessions and talking to other survivors of abuse and the volunteers, I feel some improvement of these feelings especially those associated with stress.” — HEAL Member

“HEAL is such a lifeline to me. It means so much to be able to be among others who have suffered the same sort of trauma. Before I came to HEAL I felt so isolated and alone and found it very difficult to get the support I so badly needed. I find the closed meetings very helpful, not just the support group but the topics of discussion which are particularly relevant to me. Coming to HEAL is helping me develop and to cope better with life and my aim is to recover enough so that I can become a volunteer myself so I can continue to help and support others.” — HEAL member

“Our members have shown a lot of courage and commitment to addressing the issues, and we have been very well supported.” — John Wills, HEAL correspondent