Nationally Standardised Training

Internal Training

RCCs provide survivor –centred and trauma- based direct services in addition to engaging in prevention work. When RCCs began, there was no such thing as sexual violence training. In order to equip staff and volunteers to provide the best possible services, the RCNI has drawn from training already developed by individual RCCs, training developed by other related organisations and international expertise to devise training modules for a variety of roles within RCCs. These roles include: helpline workers, counsellors, those with a non-counselling role and SATU support workers. In addition, the RCNI accredits the trainers.

External Training

As a result of the demand for RCCs to provide training to equip other professionals to deal with disclosures of sexual violence, the RCNI has developed standardised training for delivery by RCC qualified staff. This training includes an examination of the sexual violence myths that are so prevalent both nationally and internationally. We are currently developing additional training for use with other professionals.

A number of RCCs have provided training and education sessions in second and third level institutions and with youth groups. The RCNI has developed a standardised programme for use with youth, based on the experiences of RCC staff and best practices from other areas. This includes opportunities to explore attitudes, information about prevalent myths and factual information specifically related to young people.

Teen Health Initiative, RCNI Foróige Caring For Me

The RCNI is delighted to announce our new youth education partnership and module. A new national RCNI sexual violence prevention module has been developed and sits within a three week out-of-school setting Foróige training programme. The themes running through the three weeks build on and complement each other. The RCNI module progresses through an exploration of the meaning of consent and negotiated consent, the responsibility to negotiate consent and it allows for a discussion which is intended to empower young people on these issues. It then spells out the law. The set of actions that students leave with also includes a checklist of what to do in the event of a disclosure and a ‘caring for me’ list. Download a copy of caring for me list here

This module will be reviewed again once we have feedback from the roll-out of the pilot sessions. At least 150 young people will be attending the course between now and the end of March 2011 throughout the country.

Foróige youth trainers receive specialist RCNI training before delivering this module and, where resources allow, partner with local Rape Crisis Centres in delivering them.

We believe this module contains innovative and progressive ways to support and empower young people in preventing and responding to sexual violence.

The RCNI would like to thank Mary Roche of Rape Crisis & Sexual Abuse Counselling Centre, Sligo, Leitrim and West Cavan and Caroline Forde author of that centre’s ‘Addressing the needs of young people: A broader view of Sexual Health’ (2010) report (available at http://www.srcc.ie/sligo-rape-crisis-centre-news.html ), who were commissioned by the RCNI to develop this module. The RCNI would also like to thank all Centres and their staff and volunteers who participated in the consultation process. This module was developed in compliance with the RCNI public awareness standard. Our gratitude to Cosc: the office for the prevention of domestic, sexual and gender based violence for funds towards this project.