First Training Dates Available for Staff in Criminal Justice

We’re really excited to be able to offer our first free workshops as part of the Understanding Self-Harm Lived Experience Project 

Funded by Public Health, we are delivering a series of workshops to support front-line staff in the criminal justice system to develop skills and knowledge around working with people who self-harm or have historically self-harmed. These workshops have been designed for front-line staff, by people who have lived experience of self-harm.

The first of these workshops, ‘Understanding Self-Harm: An Introduction’, is now available to book.

Initial research on self-harm in the criminal justice system showed that empathy and compassion were valued more highly than knowledge based understanding of self-harm by the people receiving support. That’s why lived-experience is at the heart of our approach.

Combining a lived experience understanding of self-harm with the insights from our research, we aim to provide attendees with the fundamental knowledge, language and context to provide comprehensive and impactful support.

Developed by personal experience

Co-production is a key element of this project. All of the training that we offer will be developed alongside people with personal experience. This means that the following people have been involved at various stages in creating this training:

• individuals who self-harm or have self-harmed
• front line staff who support people who self-harm
• managers in services who support people who self-harm
• carers/friends/family members of people who self-harm/have self-harmed

Understanding Self-Harm: An Introduction 

The Understanding Self-Harm workshop series aims to help frontline staff feel more able to cope with experiences of self-harm and more confident when supporting people. In turn, this should improve people’s experience with these services.

These workshops will initially be exclusively for front line staff who work within the criminal justice system. We may look to expand the offering to other industries at a later date.

What does this workshop cover?

It’s an introductory session that is 2.5 hours long and will be a safe, supportive opportunity to look at the following:

What is self-harm?

• Why do people self-harm?
• Who self-harms?
• The language we use
• Cultural competency with self-harm

Myths & facts about self-harm

• What are the common conceptions and misperceptions of self-harm
• The reality of self-harm
• Real experiences

When are these workshops?

We have two dates available for this workshop:

Wednesday 20 November 9:30 – 12:00
Wednesday 27 November 9:30 – 12:00