Case Study
Gentoo
Domestic abuse-themed learning and development sessions
We delivered a number of domestic abuse-themed Learning and Development sessions over a number of years for sector-leading social housing provider, Gentoo, using our play (now film) Make Do and Mend to encourage empathy and insight.
Domestic Abuse Housing Alliance
The Domestic Abuse Housing Alliance is an alliance of over 150 members comprised of registered social landlords and local authorities. They are the leading specialist domestic abuse organisation supporting housing providers to improve their response to domestic abuse. It was founded in 2014 by Gentoo, Peabody and Standing Together (at a time when the latter’s CEO was Dame Nicole Jacobs, the current Domestic Abuse Commissioner).
As a founding member, Gentoo were keen to be proactive in trialling approaches to learning and engagement and welcomed our creative approach to Learning and Development. Their Business Manager for Domestic Abuse, Kelda Henderson (who now runs independent consultancy Addressing Domestic Abuse) could see the impact of our approach and was a key support in the initial development of our Demystifying Domestic Abuse learning programme.
What we delivered together
Live theatre
Gentoo Housing Association hosted a live performance of Make Do and Mend in its original stage-play format back in 2016 in their Sunderland head office. Staff engaged in a post-play pilot workshop that used the play as a tool to develop their awareness around domestic abuse.
Domestic abuse housing alliance
We supported a 2018 learning and engagement event which Gentoo hosted, as part of the Domestic Abuse Housing Alliance, for social housing industry professionals to consider how they can develop staff awareness and support around domestic abuse, resulting in Northumberland County Council and County Durham Housing Group (now known as Believe Housing) booking our training.
Train-the-trainer
Gentoo invited us back in 2021 to deliver the new train-the-trainer iteration of our workplace awareness programme Demystifying Domestic Abuse, to upskill a core group of their staff to go on to deliver our training to their colleagues.
Project Outcomes
Better support
Staff refined their ideas about how to effectively support colleagues who may be survivors, considering when and how to communicate sensitively.
Confidence to share knowledge
100% found the training approach effective and felt they’d been given the tools to deliver the training to their colleagues effectively.
Wider uptake
Additional social housing providers went on to book our training and train-the-trainer offers, supporting the Domestic Abuse Housing Alliance mission of mainstreaming the issue within the sector.
