Sift (previously Self Injury Support)

Who we are

Sift (previously Self injury Support) is a national charity that offers confidential, non-directive and non-judgmental emotional support to people who are affected by self-harm.

Our listening services are available Monday to Friday via phone, text and email (check our website for opening times). 

Our culture and values

Our vision

Is a world where anyone who self-harms can access support and care without judgement.

Our mission

To improve support and knowledge around self-harm by providing trauma-informed, compassionate support to people who self-harm and those who care for them.

How We Do This

- Offering safe spaces where we listen and never judge, and demonstrating the impact of this support;

- Creating experience-led tools and information on topics clients tell us they want to know about;

- Promoting better models of support through training health and social care workers of the future;

- Working with researchers and policy makers to make sure what people tell us they want is put into practice.

What We Do To Make This Happen

- We run a UK-wide multi-channel support service for people affected by self-harm, trauma and abuse;

- We develop up-to-date, reliable and free information and self help tools for anyone to use;

- We run training and consultancy to share knowledge and expertise with a wide range of staff, especially in health, social care and education;

- We partner with other organisations and researchers to find out directly from those with lived experience of self-harm find helpful in their lives. 

Our values

These are the values that ensure we never lose sight of what we are trying to achieve:

Empathy: We meet people with compassion, listening without judgement and valuing their experiences as they are.

Collaboration: We work alongside individuals, communities and professionals to create lasting change.

Courage: We challenge stigma, confront difficult issues and push for systems that genuinely support those who self-harm.

Inclusivity: We strive to create services that are accessible and relevant to all, especially those who are often unheard or excluded.

Respect: We believe everyone deserves dignity, choice and autonomy, regardless of their experiences with self-harm.

Equality, diversity and inclusion policy

We are committed to being a successful, caring and welcoming place for all employees. We want to create a supportive and inclusive environment where our employees can reach their full potential, without prejudice and discrimination. We are committed to a culture where respect and understanding is fostered and the diversity of people's backgrounds and circumstances will be positively valued.

Equality of opportunity, valuing diversity and compliance with the law is to the benefit of all individuals as we seek to develop the skills and abilities of our people. While specific responsibility for eliminating discrimination and providing equality of opportunity lies with managers and supervisors, individuals at all levels have a responsibility to treat others with dignity and respect.

Through this policy and procedure and the training and development of managers and staff, the organisation will do all it can to promote good practice in this area to eliminate discrimination and harassment as far as is reasonably possible. We will also continue to work towards our dedicated goal of encouraging and promoting equality and diversity within the workforce.

The policy aims to achieve equality by removing any potential discrimination in the way that our employees are treated by fellow employees or by us, including:

- people with disabilities

- people of different sexual orientations

- transgendered and transsexual people

- people of different races

- people on the grounds of their sex

- those of faith and of no faith

- in relation to their age

- in relation to their social class or medical condition

- people who work part-time

- those who are married or in a civil partnership

- women who are pregnant, have recently given birth or are breastfeeding.

Discrimination can be either direct or indirect discrimination. Some of the above are protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010 and discrimination is prohibited unless there is a legal exception under the Equality Act.

For a full copy of our Equal Opportunities policy, please contact us at [email protected].