Safe Hands
MAF facilitates and delivers “Safe Hands” training, which is aimed at all ages and groups to promote personal safety strategies for everyone. Training can be accessed by schools, and other statutory agencies, e.g. social work, health and police. The full programme is certificated and conducted over 2 days, with everything required supplied to attendees.
If you are interested in having this training held in your organisation, please contact us. From 2020, MAF offers “Safe Hands” programmes based in our own training suite at Mavisbank St, Airdrie, providing catering to participants at a very reasonable cost.
Awareness Raising Presentations
MAF also delivers FREE awareness raising presentations and talks to schools, nurseries, safeguarding church representatives, Rotary Clubs, etc., to promote strategies about keeping safe and understanding of the effects that childhood sexual abuse can have on the individual and society. Youth Organisations, Women’s Guild, Men’s Networks within church groups and others such as Probus which require speakers, often book MAF to also hear more about what the charity does, and how it can be helped with donations.
Safe Hands Frequently Asked Questions
What is Protective Behaviours (PBs)?
We call it ‘Safe Hands’ but the two-day training we provide is based on PBs. This is a well evaluated personal safety programme based on two main themes; they focus on everyone having the right to feel safe, and there being nothing so terrible we cannot talk about it with someone.
What’s the Course Content?
The programme has a fresh and positive approach and splits into two days with day two reinforcing much of the learning from day one (people usually participate in the course over a period of time e.g. week/month, rather than consecutive days).
Main content focuses on the two themes and seven significant strategies to help keep yourself safe in various situations e.g. from bullying, peer pressure and other risky scenarios which may include Childhood Sexual Abuse (CSA).
One strategy introduces the concept of creating your own personal network (using your hand) to start identifying safe people. This is a simple but effective tool for attendees to develop.
What’s the goal?
The aim of PBs is to give adults, young people and children helpful tools to utilise when they feel unsafe. Children talk about Oh! Oh! feelings, while young people and adults are more likely to refer to vibes/ gut intuition.
Attendees gain knowledge, skills and resilience to use in their lives e.g. the workplace, school, at home.
What’s the training format?
The two days are run in participative workshop style with opportunity for group and individual learning and fun.
Who’s it for?
Everyone. Training is often multi-disciplinary so that e.g. Health professionals, Childcare practitioners, Police personnel etc can share and network the ideas with colleagues. It’s also possible for the training to be run as an in-house workshop/during in-service days and for team development.
What are the benefits?
For all age groups there are significant benefits in terms of confidence-building, assertiveness, development and boosting of self-esteem. Awareness raising of the knowledge and skills which are critical elements of PBs, ensures noticeable increases in levels of empowerment and the ability to approach trusted individuals and have your voice heard.
What about feedback?
Over two decades we have experienced highly consistent excellent evaluation of our Safe Hands course based on PBs.
One South Lanarkshire Primary Head comments “It was instrumental in helping my children in school find their voice. It was like a comforting cloak that emboldened children. It also acted as a catalyst for a few to seek help when it was needed”.
A Dundee Secondary Head wrote “……This has to rate among the best I have encountered…..and fitted well within the curriculum particularly within the health and wellbeing aspects. Outstanding, impactful messages are contained which I believe should be available in all schools and communities: as well as being important life lessons, for some pupils I know they were a lifeline.”
An Early Years practitioner from North Ayrshire told Childcare Magazine “I thought our 3 year olds were too young to do this, but in groups of two we worked on the concept of networks and I was staggered at who the children chose (on their hand) as their trusted adults and their reasons why each person was suitable. It’s so simple but could have a phenomenally positive impact. I think access to this programme should be a given right of every child wherever they live.”
Next Steps?
If you’re interested, we have a short Safe Hands workshop presentation that can be done face to face or virtually. This gives an overview of what attendees can expect if they proceed to the full course. The short presentation can be provided at a very reasonable cost.
The full two-day Safe Hands course is delivered face to face. This allows for group work, practical exercises and discussion with all materials provided. Courses normally run from 9.30am – 4.30pm with breaks. While the two days stand alone, day two must always preceded by day one.
Cost available on request and location flexible dependant on your specific needs. A certificate is awarded on successful completion of the full course by an accredited MAF trainer. Attendees will normally number 12 – 15 people, and no more than 20.
Other Training Resources Available: DVD, Book & Pack
One of Our Ain
We developed a film script from a highly successful stage play called “One of Our Ain” written by our founder Sandra Brown, which premiered in London’s Soho Theatre.
It is virtual theatre in that the actress is the person who actually experienced what is dramatized. Adapted from her best selling book “Where There is Evil” (Pan Macmillan), it is based on Sandra’s own childhood and involvement in a real life situation– the tragic abduction of 11 year old schoolgirl Moira Anderson from Coatbridge in 1957- which is now Scotland’s longest unsolved cold case. The play deals with family relationships, betrayal, domestic violence, murder, paedophiles and their lasting impact on victims and families over generations. The play has toured overseas, and was performed in The Lowry, Manchester and New York, as well as completing a well-attended Fringe run at the Edinburgh Festival. It has received superb feedback, including:
‘Wonderfully performed, a beautiful depiction of human resilience.’3 Weeks, Edinburgh Fest
‘A searing personal testimony…………………………remarkable.’ Manchester Evening News
‘Real life theatre………………an exceptionally moving performance.’ Scottishtheatre.co.uk
A DVD of significant quality also called “One of Our Ain”, filmed by Scope Productions Ltd, is available at a cost of £10.00. Postage and packaging can be arranged for you.
Where There is Evil (PAN) is available on Kindle or costs £13.99 via MAF.
Stay Safe Pack – We provide a resource pack of interest to schools, churches, youth organizations, etc, as well as colleges, universities and child protection agencies, which includes the DVD, a CD of music by Carol Laula with the song ‘Little Angel’ about Moira, and guidelines to help trainers and teachers explore issues raised in the play. The suggested guidelines assist discussions on the importance of personal safety. The pack has Sandra’s book and also the script of her play included and is available from MAF, priced £30.00. Postage and packaging can be arranged for you.
A RESOURCE FOR TEENAGERS AFFECTED BY ABUSE is also available from MAF, as well as being published online by our International Ambassador.
The Truth That No One Tells Teenagers by Matthew McVarish is published by Raphael Publications and priced £10.00.
This is a frank and honest sharing of information giving ten facts it is crucial for survivors to know, in order to help them recover from sexual abuse.
Responses from Survivors:
‘I wish I had read something like this when I was much younger. I would have been able to find my way earlier.’
‘Moving, painful in parts to read, but above all encouraging and full of hope.’
‘The love & care with which it has been written are so apparent. Truly inspiring!’
‘I think this book has important messages for all survivors, not just young people.’
Responses from Therapists:
‘I’m not aware of anything else like it available as a resource.’
‘It will instill hope in others that things can be different, that we can think & feel differently about our experiences of abuse and that we are not defined by the abuse.’
‘I found this book a very easy read, and I feel survivors would too.’