Rent Subsidy Raises Capacity for MK Sexual Assault and Abuse Support Service

The Sexual Assault and Abuse Support Service provide holistic support to women and men over 16 living in Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes whose lives have been affected by sexual assault and abuse. This includes individuals who have experienced historical childhood sexual assault, non-recent and recent assault, and abuse.

They accept self-referrals, as well as referrals from voluntary and statutory organisations. They support individuals by providing Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG), up to 24 face to face Counselling Sessions, Stabilisation Intervention Programme, Advocacy, Group Therapy, a Thrive 2gether weekly drop-in service, Independent Sexual Violence Advisor (ISVA) service, Telephone Helpline and Emotional support. AVMKSAASS’ services are delivered from their premises in Aylesbury and Milton Keynes.

Their Milton Keynes premises is subsidised by MK Community Foundation, to enable them to deliver support to even more vulnerable local people.

Between 1^st April 2021 and 31st March 2022, the organisation in Milton Keynes supported 618 service users. Between 31^st March 2021 and 1^st April 2022 they delivered 3031 sessions of support in MK, including counselling, group therapy, advocacy, their thrive2gether peer support group, their Stabilisation Intervention Programme and ISVA.

The Sexual Assault and Abuse Support Service’s office space is used to provide space for basic administration, record keeping and office processes. Their counselling rooms offer safe spaces for one to one, face to face support such as information and advice, counselling and assessments. This includes women only access times. The rent subsidy, awarded by MK Community Foundation each year, gives them the ability to expand their services to more people in need.

“I found the support and skills I was given to be amazing and feel that I now have a better understanding of how to cope in this world.”

– Beneficiary of AVMKSAASS

Our mission is to continue to make a positive difference in the lives of those who live in our community by funding life changing projects across the city. Over the past 35 years, the Community Foundation have supported local charities with over £18m in rent subsidies and £15m in grant programmes. In 2021, we awarded £1.6m in grants to help local charitable organisations to recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. To see how you could help us to have an even greater impact in our community, take a look at our website