Mission, Vision & Values

“All the time that domestic abuse exists, individuals will need us to help make safety possible. With our support they are empowered to reclaim their lives & choose the next chapter in the future they want”

Next Chapter (formerly known as Colchester & Tendring Women's Refuge) is a domestic abuse charity working across the areas of Tendring, Colchester, Maldon, Chelmsford, Braintree & Uttlesford. We provide free and confidential services to support people who are currently experiencing, or have previously experienced domestic abuse.

We are passionate about ensuring that every person has the opportunity to live their life free from domestic abuse

Our vision is for Life without Domestic Abuse with our mission to provide rapid responses to domestic abuse that increase safety for all victims, enabling them to rebuild their lives & create lasting change. We believe in raising awareness through education, training & partnerships in our community.

We take the values of our organisation very seriously - it's the way we set our own expectations about how we work with our service users, partners & each other and how we hold ourselves to account.

Integrity

“We are open, honest and fair in everything we do and everyone we work with. People trust us to do the right things for the right reasons”

Respect

“We value the diversity and uniqueness of all individuals and families. We listen & believe our service-users and strive to always walk with them on their journey with us”

Courage

“We understand and value the courage it takes to work with us and for us. We strive to act at all times with courage; challenging injustices and enabling the voices of our survivors to be heard”

Pride

“Delivering the very best in all we do and holding ourselves accountable for the outcomes”

Innovation

“We strive to find new ways to break the cycle of domestic abuse by supporting research, developing best practice and influencing decision-making at the highest possible level”

Latest

Day in the life of a resettlement worker

Setting up a new home is a great relief for my families. Finding that they can re-gain some sense of normality quickly takes a great weight off their shoulders, to know that they are not just left to do it all on their own once leaving refuge is really helpful.
Schools out for summer…..?!

Indeed, school is out for summer but actually it’s been out since before the start of the Spring term. It feels an age since we had the routine of school around us to help us manage our day and our children could socialise with their friends as they used to. We know schools are often the heart of our community and act as a place of safety for many of our children who are living with or have experienced domestic abuse.
What our partner agencies and clients tell us

I could talk and talk about our service indefinitely I guess because I want you to feel comfortable I want you to feel that you can trust us with your own individual story, but now it is time for you to hear a bit less from me and a bit more from people who have used our service, and what other agencies may tell you about our service
Jargon buster - let us explain as much as we can for you!

My point to you all today is to continue to ensure you that as IDVA’s we can help and we will help with all sorts of issues that matter to you, simple and not so simple. We may not always have the solution right away, but we will help you get there, we will help you see the wood for the trees, to see that there can be a light at the end of that tunnel and you will then understand why all of a sudden you have so many people wanting to talk to you.

Covid-19 - what are we doing?

As part of our commitment to individuals experiencing domestic abuse and their families who are worried about them - we’re doing our very best to make sure that we are always available to respond and help. Your safety and wellbeing is of paramount importance to us and we are prioritising our services in relation to safety and support above everything else.
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Partnerships and memberships

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Funders

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Our journey

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Our history

How to move forward from loss and grief

These are all perfectly natural feelings and reactions to loss and grief and some may even compare it to a bereavement. Even if you don’t feel that way at all you may have been left feeling empty and confused or angry. We might constantly be bargaining with ourselves still or find that depression has taken over. We all deal with loss in our own individual ways and this is what makes each of us so unique. This is perfectly normal too.
How does domestic abuse differ in other cultures?

The actions of individuals are influenced by the norms, values, language, and other cultural factors that are like the dust in the air that surrounds everyone. These cultural factors are ingrained in us from the day we are born, and can play a role in either ending or perpetuating domestic abuse.
Special Place in the Home

So, you survived Monday! Well done. One of the things that I am really missing is seeing my friends and family – we know that ‘being connected’ is really important for our mental health and emotional wellbeing. Having close positive relationships gives us a purpose and a sense of belonging. During this lockdown many of the ways we are usually connected to people – friends, family, work colleagues, school chums – have changed beyond all recognition.
The Role of an Independent Domestic Violence Advisor

So, imagine for a moment that you’ve summoned up the courage to finally leave, you’re feeling vulnerable and afraid and understandably really nervous about what the future might hold –you have to try and find your way through all that…. that's if you even knew half of it existed in the first place or where and how to start to getting in touch with them… So that's where we IDVA’S come in.
Safety begins at home.....?

We know from speaking to our clients, that the lockdown has meant that some perpetrators may not be able to feed their addictions, or they may be over feeding their addictions due to boredom or frustration and this in turn will be affecting their mental health. There is so much research about the dangerous cocktail of this ‘toxic trio’ (the combination of domestic abuse, substance misuse and mental health issues) as it leads to emotions being intensified which in turn drives behaviours.
Covid-19 - what are we doing?

As part of our commitment to individuals experiencing domestic abuse and their families who are worried about them - we’re doing our very best to make sure that we are always available to respond and help. Your safety and wellbeing is of paramount importance to us and we are prioritising our services in relation to safety and support above everything else.
Help in an emergency

What to do in an emergency. If you think that you are in immediate danger then you need to call 999 for the police.
IDVA’s in lockdown

The IDVA team understands the impact lockdown has had and the additional difficulties, this has for our victims/survivors of domestic abuse for we all continue to break down these barriers and continue to be innovative in how we offer our support.
Mask fitted, safety card is located in the seat in front of you

Last week we focused on our own psychological safety (routine so important here) and helping our children to feel emotionally safe – but what about being physically safe? For many children living in a household with domestic abuse, school provided the routine and much-needed respite. With schools closed and communities ‘shut down’, how can we help ourselves and our children to stay safe when violence erupts.
Jargon buster - let us explain as much as we can for you!

My point to you all today is to continue to ensure you that as IDVA’s we can help and we will help with all sorts of issues that matter to you, simple and not so simple. We may not always have the solution right away, but we will help you get there, we will help you see the wood for the trees, to see that there can be a light at the end of that tunnel and you will then understand why all of a sudden you have so many people wanting to talk to you.