Domestic and sexual violence are not always recognised or addressed in different services, which means they remain hidden, causing suffering and costs.
Key worker model for work against domestic violence (LÄHDE) project promotes early and timely intervention, strengthens the knowledge base on violence issues, and integrates tools for anti-violence work into wellbeing services counties, municipalities, and organisations across Finland. The project disseminates the key worker model into different operational environments and offers supervisors support in managing basic-level violence work.
The project works closely with the network of domestic violence coordinators in wellbeing services counties coordinated by Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL).
Goals
- Ensure the key worker model is widely in use across wellbeing services counties in Finland.
- Guarantee key workers have sufficient competence to identify violence and assist those involved.
- Provide professionals with systematic training on recognising and addressing sexual violence.
- Enable wellbeing services counties to engage in cross-regional cooperation to combat violence.
- Make nationally developed practices, models, and tools available to professionals in client work.
Implementation
The key worker model is a self-sustaining operational model based on a network of trained key persons, and its principles are process orientation, experiential learning, and dialogue. The model is embedded in social, health, and education services within wellbeing services counties, municipalities, and organisations.
A threefold model consists of:
- Addressing and recognizing domestic violence
- Key worker training
- Training of key worker trainers
Key person workers train new key workers in their regions, and after training, the key worker continues in the role as part of their regular work. Key workers support recognition, addressing, and service guidance in their own work environments.
Funding
European Social Fund, co-funded by the European Union
Partners
- Domestic Violence Shelter
- VIOLA – väkivallasta vapaaksi ry
- Wellbeing Services County of South Savo
- Wellbeing Services County of Southwest Finland
Contact details
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