Survivor Sanctuary is a peer-led group by survivors for survivors. Founded in 2022, SSC is an ambitious team that values kindness, care, and empathy. We are a non-hierarchical, intersectional space, using principles of community organising to shape and ground our work.

 

As the Survivor Sanctuary work expands, we need our team to do the same. We are looking for core team members to build our SSC+ peer support work: providing support for LGBTQ+ survivors who have been victims of any type of abuse in Coventry and Warwickshire. Alongside our mission, our aim is to ensure that survivors of abuse are invited to have a seat at the table where decisions are made about policy changes that directly affect them. As survivors, we want to work with systems and organisations to reform the experience for survivors of the reporting process and the accessibility of specialised support.

 

In the last year we have:

• Provided 12 peer support sessions.

• Provided wellbeing sessions and free therapeutic yoga sessions for survivors.

• Received funding to expand our offer to include holistic therapies. SSC recognise the significance of accessibility and we firmly believe that healing shouldn't be a luxury. Therefore, we use our funding to ensure that everyone, irrespective of financial constraints, can access the support they need.

• Provided a series of support sessions at universities in Coventry.

• Built a network of volunteers to assist in the work on the ground.

• Supported the founding of a local trans rights campaign.

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Our aims:

• To continue to build our support systems and opportunities for survivors in the Coventry and Warwickshire area.

• To build our board so that the SSC and SSC+ team is supported and sustainable.

• To build national relationships with like minded organisations to share learning.

• To continue to support the SSC+ trans rights campaign.

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Apply for this position if:

• You are a victim-survivor of abuse (for example, but not limited to: Sexual abuse, Domestic abuse, hate crime, conversion therapy)

• You’re a member of the LGBTQ+ community and you have lived-experience that you think will be valuable. 

• You are passionate for change and amplifying the voice of survivors.

• You care deeply about survivor-led spaces and lived experience playing an important role in changing the systems in which we live.

• You have time to lend skills and experience to support our work on the ground.

• You have energy to help strategically shape our mission.

• You care deeply about building bridges and pushing against polarisation. Survivors are survivors, no matter their pronouns.

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Skills of interest (but not required):

• Knowledge of campaigning (experience leading on or helping shape campaigns, public speaking and/or narrative work, building relationships with other organisations etc).

• Strategic planning (facilitation, leadership, coaching - any experience that will help us shape and refine our mission).

• Event planning (organised, likes to make plans, able to manage multiple things at once).

• Digital Skills: social media, marketing, etc.

• A willingness to learn any of the above skills!

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Time commitment:

• Ability to attend board meetings, once a month approx (virtual is an option).

• Willingness to take on roles and responsibilities based on your own capacity. We understand that this will vary person to person and we will work hard to ensure that your boundaries are respected.​

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If this doesn’t feel like the right fit for you but you want to help us with our mission, we are also looking for volunteers:

• A craft/skill that you want to share at one of our sessions.

• Time to help make tea/coffee at our in-person sessions.

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If interested, please submit an application to support@survivorsanctuary.co.uk with answers to the following questions:

• Kindness is one of our core values. Please tell us of a time when you used kindness to shape and influence a decision (personal or professional).

• Lived Experience is a foundational pillar in our work. Please tell us about a time when you advocated for your own, or someone else’s, lived experience. If you’re struggling with this, please share what you know about lived experience and why it is important.

• Social justice is a driver of SSC and SSC+. Please tell us about a time that you have been moved to act or support a social justice movement.

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We will also accept video or audio applications. Please reach out to us if you want to learn more or need any advice or guidance. We will only be looking at applicants based in the United Kingdom at this time.

 

We are a small team of volunteers but will work hard to get back to you within a few days.