In-person workshops are non-residential. They start either on a Friday evening (around 6pm) or on Saturday morning (around 10 am) and finish on Sunday (around 5 or 6 pm).

There are frequent refreshment breaks and a 1-hour lunch break on both Saturday and Sunday.

Online workshops generally take place weekly (one evening, 7:30-9:00 pm) over six weeks.

Hybrid workshops generally start with one face-to-face session (usually a full Saturday), followed by three weekly evening sessions online.

Yes. Most people who come on an AVP workshop have not been physically violent. Some people want to make changes in their lives and learn new skills to help improve their relationships. Every workshop is unique, and everyone is welcome.

Generally, yes. AVP is mainly funded by grants and private donations. While these funds help subsidise participation costs, they do not fully cover them. The nominal workshop fee therefore helps to keep AVP workshops going.

If you are in full time employment, the workshop fee is approximately £100-120.

If you are employed part-time or you are unemployed, please contact us to discuss fee reductions. We do not turn anyone away.

AVP believes that people should attend workshops voluntarily and that no one should be forced to attend against their will.

AVP workshops are run for people who want to make changes in the way they handle conflict. If you would like to be able to see your children or family, this workshop may help you to view your situation in a different way, and take positive steps to make change happen. As we say in AVP, ‘the more you put in, the more you get out.’ So, please try to come with an open mind!

If you’re unsure about the format of the workshops, you can find out a little more here. If you would like to know more about what AVP aims to do, you can learn more here.

A major aspect of AVP workshops is self-care, and participants are encouraged to think about ways of caring for themselves, to keep themselves safe during the workshop.

If you are at risk of non-life-threatening self-harm or your mental health condition causes you to feel out of control, please call us and we will discuss ways that you can take care of yourself before and during the workshop.

Please note that AVP staff and volunteers, including workshop facilitators, are not trained medical professionals. If you need immediate assistance or critical mental health support, call 999 or find the right service here.

No. Learning happens through everyone’s individual experiences. We learn through hands-on exercises and cooperative games. Workshops are not lectures- they are fun! We can support you with any reading or writing that may be suggested during the workshop.

Although we cannot always give everyone individual attention, our aim is to be accessible, and our activities reflect that. We try to vary the activities done to cater to all learning styles – so we hope you will feel comfortable and able to participate. You can always let us know of any concern ahead of the workshop and we will keep those in mind when choosing the activities.

Participants in AVP workshops who have previously attended anger management courses told us that AVP’s approach to anger is very different to anger management courses. They said that AVP offers a gentler and less intrusive approach to assisting people to recognise and understand their anger. AVP does not ask participants to share their individual experiences of anger. Instead, we assist participants to understand that anger is a natural response to difficult situations which may need to be changed. During workshops for example, we discuss the differences between anger, conflict, and violence.

Not specifically. While AVP workshops might attract people who have in the past used violence to solve problems and who now wish to change their lives, AVP is open to all people who wish to learn creative and nonviolent ways to resolve conflict. In a typical workshop, there are usually people from a variety of backgrounds. This diversity usually adds richness to the workshop where skills and experiences are shared.

Please note AVP workshops do not address issues relating to domestic abuse.

1. Attend 2 x Level 1 workshops as a participant.
2. Attend 1 x Level 2 workshop as a participant.
3. Attend our specialist T4F –Training for Facilitators programme.

Yes. All volunteers are required to complete a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check or, in Scotland, Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) check. However, a positive disclosure does not mean you cannot volunteer with us. Where a DBS/PVG comes back with an entry, a panel of trustees will assess the outcome of the background check against the volunteer position sought to be filled.

We encourage people with previous criminal convictions to discuss the possibility of volunteering with us. Please contact us if you have any concerns.

Did you know you could turn your Nectar points into a donation for AVPB? Don’t let idle points expire for nothing. Visit our Crowdfunder page and click on ‘Donate using Nectar Points’ for more information.

You can download a copy of our safeguarding policy here.

Contact us here.