HOME - WHAT IS LANTERN?

The Jan Foundation Mentoring Project (Lantern) is an innovative community led response to domestic abuse (DA) in which female mentors recruited from the community (including some who have been through domestic abuse (DA) themselves) are trained to provided one-to-one support services for women living with DA (survivors). This support enables survivors to take early planned action to end their suffering and that of their children and to reduce the length of time they remain in abusive situations.

The work done by Lantern has been shown to lead to significant improvements in quality of life for survivors, their children and their wider family.

Such improvements can include:

• permanent removal of the violence,
• higher self-esteem,
• restored self-respect,
• living without fear,
• higher aspirations
• and improved prospects in terms of employment and training.

Of equal importance are reductions in the potential damage to children which can be caused by witnessing DA or being abused themselves and which can lead to serious problems in later life including being more vulnerable to also becoming victims or perpetrators.

The Project was originally based within Bournville Lane Police station and originally operated within the E1 Operational Command Unit (OCU) of West Midlands Police, covering six wards in South West Birmingham. It has now moved out to an office in the community and covers eight wards.

The support, which has been shown to be highly effective, is both practical and emotional and works alongside a range of other agencies to help victims find the best combination of services to meet their needs.

Lantern works closely with a number of statutory and voluntary agencies. It takes referrals from Police, Health Visitors, Doctors, Social Workers, School Nurses, Parent Support Workers in schools, Housing Officers, Tenant Support Officers, the Anti-Social Behaviour Unit, the Youth Offending Team, other Voluntary Organisations, Counsellors, Councillors, Friends and women who have formerly been supported by the Project. Victims can also ask for help themselves.

In the time that it has been operating the demand for The Mentoring Project’s services from both women and other agencies has been increasing very rapidly.