Welsh Women’s Aid are delighted to announce Ask & Act Conference on 21st February 2024.
Since 2016, Ask & Act training has been delivered across Wales, equipping thousands of practitioners with skills to conduct a targeted inquiry to identify violence against women, domestic abuse, and sexual violence (VAWDASV) and respond effectively to disclosures. The conference aims to be a celebration of Ask & Act and the positive impact of the training in supporting targeted enquiry to identify VAWDASV. The conference will bring together agencies, policymakers, and practitioners to share best practice on, supporting, protecting those impacted by VAWDASV and interventions that can prevent it from happening in the first place. It will also aim to further promote the delivery of Ask & Act training to relevant authorities under the Act and beyond.
We are proud to announce that opening remarks for the conference will be delivered by the Minister for Social Justice and Chief Whip, Jane Hutt. Welsh Women’s Aid CEO Sara Kirkpatrick will follow with valuable insights into the organisation’s work to prevent and tackle VAWDASV in Wales. Rakhshanda Shahzad, Head of Modern Slavery & Human Trafficking Services at Bawso will provide essential insights into modern slavery in Wales, offering practical guidance on identifying and supporting those impacted. The Survivor Network supported by their Engagement Officer Vicky Lang will bring the voice of lived experience to the conference.
Other speakers at the conference will include a discussion by Ann Williams, the manager of the Live Fear Free helpline, a case study of how Ask & Act is delivered by Sharon Garland from Conwy County Council’s Workforce Development Team and Fiona Clarke from Aberconwy Domestic Abuse Service and a talk by Doctoral Researcher Emma Noble, specialising in the field of tech-assisted young people partner abuse.
The conference will also include opportunities for learners who have completed Ask & Act Train the Trainer with Welsh Women’s Aid to share their experiences of the course and of subsequent delivery of the awareness sessions. We will offer refresher activities allowing Ask & Act trainers to steer future training content. Click here for an agenda.
Who should attend
- Ask & Act trainers
- Local authority VAWDASV leads
- VAWDASV Regional Coordinators
- Corporate Safeguarding
- Heads of Community Safety
- HR Directorate
- Local Heath Board VAWDASV leads
- Fire & Rescue
- Welsh Ambulance Service Trust
- Third Sector Specialist VAWDASV providers
Why attend
- To celebrate what has been achieved through Ask & Act.
- Share learning and best practice to inform future implementation.
- Access to new training resources.
- Enhance understanding of the unique challenges young people face in terms of DA and technology. This has been requested many times by Ask & Act trainers.