Supporting & Empowering Women Experiencing Homelessness
Our Power Up! group was set up to support and empower women who are experiencing homelessness. The monthly groups are a safe space where women can access peer support, make friends, and learn new skills.
The sessions are co-produced and planned based on our members’ needs and wants. Previous examples of sessions have included building healthy relationships, top tips for being a woman in employment, women’s health and confidence building. We have also learned new skills such as henna art and sewing, and have celebrated events including International Women’s Day and Black History Month.
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Impact of Lifelines' Support
The Lifelines funding has allowed us to enhance what we are able to offer through Power Up!, and introduce a new aspect to our programme; Power Up! Parents. Through Power Up! Parents, mothers who were previously unable to attend sessions because of a lack of available childcare are now able to attend thanks to the creche attached to the sessions. This has removed a barrier to joining the group sessions for a number of women. We have received brilliant feedback in response to this, with one mother telling us she ‘didn’t know how much she needed’ the groups.
Recent sessions have included poetry, arts and crafts, and cross-stitch, and coming up we have a visit to the Botanical Gardens, and a guest speaker from the University of Birmingham coming to discuss homelessness and period poverty with Power Up! members.