20 April 2021
Every day people are carrying out good deeds so we decided to celebrate the great work that charities, community groups and campaigners do with a regular feature on Tuesdays, to tie-in with #CharityTuesday on social media.
This week, we caught up with Anawim Birmingham’s Centre for Women to find out more.
Where are you based and what geographical areas do you support people in?
Anawim supports women from around the West Midlands at our centre in Balsall Heath, Birmingham, and with our helpline and live chat, we’re able to reach women based all over the UK.
How do you support people?
Anawim provides holistic, trauma-informed support to help women to address the root causes of issues. Women can attend our Drop-in service, no appointment necessary, where they can receive advice and support with housing, finances and relationships, as well as access to food, sanitary products and other basic essentials. Once a woman has been assigned a caseworker, she can begin to attend one-to-one counselling sessions, as well as various therapeutic courses and activities. For women who are leaving prison, our in-house residency provides a safe and secure space for women to stay while they integrate back into the community. Women are also given the opportunity to take up volunteer positions; these include peer mentoring, which gives women the chance to support other women who may have similar experiences, and roles at our centre, such as shop assistant in our Donations Hub.
How did you come to be founded?
Anawim was founded by two pioneering nuns, Sister Magdalene Matthews and Sister Maisie Nevin, who moved into a red light district in Balsall Heath – at the time described as ‘Britain’s busiest cul-de-sac’. They decided to open their home as a drop in centre to women in the local community who were involved in sex work and vulnerable to exploitation. The Sisters were struck by the difference it made for women to have a safe space, a warm drink and a listening ear. A place they could go without fear of judgement, to meet other women who cared deeply about their wellbeing. Motivated by unconditional love, an appreciation of the value of every woman, and a commitment to helping people to live life to the full, the Sisters’ mission continues to inspire us. 30 years later, Anawim is an independent charity that works in close partnership with a number of agencies, including Probation, Social Care, health and education providers, employers, the criminal justice system and the wider community. And while our roots are founded in the Christian faith, we welcome women from all religions and none, and from every possible background and community.
How many people do you have working at the charity?
73.
How can people support you?
There are lots of ways people can support Anawim. Firstly, donations enable us to keep our doors open and continue providing life-changing services for women who are in vital need of support. We are always extremely grateful for any amount that can be spared, but we understand not everyone is in a position to do this. People can also choose to donate items to Anawim, these will either be sold in our Donations Hub, or given directly to our women as and when they are needed. In addition, Anawim has an amazing community of passionate volunteers. Any time spared, whether it’s to run courses, support women or work in our centre, is hugely beneficial to the running of our centre and is greatly appreciated. Finally, we are always seeking to form new partnerships and explore new opportunities to reach the women who need us. Lots of information about how people can get involved can be found on our website.
Have you faced any challenges along the way?
Funding is an ongoing challenge. Anawim is funded predominately through trusts and foundations, which can be very competitive. This also leads to a pressure to constantly find new sources of funding. In addition, Covid-19 has added to the ever-growing needs of women and has placed increasing demand on our organisation. This paired with sometimes limited resources can pose challenges for staff who want to help as many women as possible. However, in spite of the challenges we face, we are absolutely determined to keep Anawim’s doors open and continue providing the best possible services we can for our women.
Do you have any events coming up and where can people find out about these events?
Lockdown has of course meant that we’ve had to put a hold on in-person events. We hope that as things start to ease this will change soon enough and we look forward to new possibilities to engage with our local and wider communities. Information about any upcoming events that we are either hosting or taking part will be published on our social media channels; Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
Is there any advice you could give to other agencies?
Anawim has always tried to maintain a client-centred approach, meaning our services are tailored around what our women actually need. By demonstrating a genuine interest in what our women think and feel about Anawim, we have been able to build a strong relationship between staff and clients and provide a service that is accessible for our women. In addition, Anawim has recently developed its organisational values. By articulating what matters most to us, we have gained a renewed sense of identity which has allowed us to more clearly understand our aims and objectives for the future.
You can find out more about Anawim Birmingham’s Centre for Women on their website or via Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn.
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