CHANGE 1997-1998 Annual Report Convenor’s Report On behalf of the management committee I am pleased to introduce CHANGE’s eighth annual report. For the time covered in this report CHANGE has managed to operate in a limited capacity without mainstream funding. CHANGE’s director, Monica Wilson completed her counselling course in June 1997 and has since been working for CHANGE on a part-time basis. Despite limitations of time and resources Monica has been successful in continuing to promote CHANGE as a training and consultancy agency in addition to exploring funding options, organising conferences and participating in seminars. Although CHANGE faces severe funding difficulties at present, the management committee remain committed to its survival, not least to preserve and build upon the expertise and respect that Monica and her former colleagues have established in the field of men’s violence in the last eight years. On behalf of the management committee I would like to thank Monica for her dedication and hard work throughout the past year. Sue McLaughlin Convenor Director’s Report This year has been a difficult one for CHANGE as we have been without any regular source of funding. Planning our future direction has monopolised most of our time at committee meetings with various avenues explored and investigated. As yet no source of funding has emerged. Funding We began the year with an application to the National Lottery Charities Board under the New Opportunities and Choices round for Voluntary Sector Development. This was a time-consuming process and I would like to thank Val Simpson, CHANGE Treasurer, for her tireless help in drafting, redrafting and finalising the submission application. This was sent in early April and in July we had an interview with an assessor. Sadly in August we heard that our application had been unsuccessful. We continued to make enquiries about funding from the Scottish Office and have exchanged correspondence over the last 12 months. The year ended with our drafting a business plan to submit for consideration and we await the outcome from that.  CHANGE Programme Manual Following acceptance for publication of the manual by Russell House Publishing in Dorset, David Morran and I had a series of meetings with their editorial advisor and had to undertake some substantial reworking of the material. This was accomplished by the end of the summer and the published version Men Who Are Violent To Women was released in November. This is now being used by CHANGE to promote training for other agencies.  Training CHANGE continues to receive enquiries from many agencies expressing interest in developing men’s programmes, particularly probation services in England and Wales. During this year the Network to Prevent Violence and Abuse in the Home, a multi-agency forum in the States of Jersey, was the only agency to contract CHANGE to undertake consultancy and training for them. This involved advising on organisational issues; assisting in short listing, interviewing and selection of candidates; and intensive training in programme facilitation for six staff. This process took place over a period of some months, with training being delivered in Jersey during November. A member of the probation team and a member of staff from the local women’s shelter also participated in the training. Excellent feedback was received from participants who were asked to complete an evaluation form. By the end of this year Jersey had its first men’s programme up and running. Input to Social Work training courses contined this year with half-day seminars being undertaken for students at Edinburgh University (26 May 1997) and Glasgow University (23 January 1998). On 25 November CHANGE was asked to undertake a training seminar alongside a representative from Dundee Women’s Aid for Justices in Perth. They were a very receptive audience and plan to liaise with social work about improving their sentencing practice in this area of offending. Conferences The eleventh meeting of the Practitioners’ Network hosted by Cleveland Domestic Violence Forum was held in Durham in June and I attended on behalf of CHANGE. Ellen Pence from the Domestic Abuse Intervention Project in Duluth, Minnesota was a guest and gave three very stimulating workshops. In November, CHANGE hosted the twelfth network meeting at the Golden Lion Hotel in Stirling. This involved a great deal of planning and organisation with 57 people eventually attending the two-day event. As well as organising the meeting I undertook a workshop using one of the exercises developed for use in the men’s programme. Throughout the year I was involved in the planning of a joint conference on domestic violence and the criminal justice system. An organising group comprising individuals from Universities, the Edinburgh Domestic Violence Probation Project, CHANGE and Scottish Women’s Aid invited speakers from all areas of the Criminal Justice System and related agencies to share a platform and address the issue of developing good practice over domestic violence. The conference was held on 6 March at the John Macintyre Centre at Edinburgh University and attracted an audience of 100 plus. David Morran introduced the day and Roseanna Cunningham MP chaired the proceedings. These comprised contributions from Women’s Aid, the Police, the Procurator Fiscal Service, a Sheriff, men’s programme staff, academic researchers and a local authority officer. GEESE Theatre Company performed an interactive improvised play on the theme of the dilemmas women face when confronting agencies of the justice system. The conference report, which I collated on behalf of the organising group, is available from CHANGE at £2.00 a copy.   Future Plans At present we await the outcome from the business plan which will be submitted to the Scottish Office in early May. We will continue to advertise training and consultancy and to develop various training packages. Monica Wilson Director                A charitable company limited by guarantee registered in Scotland No 183989             Scottish Charity No SCO18322          CHANGE acknowledges funding from the Scottish Executive