Loughborough Women’s Group E n g a g e E d u c a t e E m p o w e r INFORMATION BOOKLET 2013 1 | P a g e Building Communities in Coldharbour LOUGHBOROUGH WOMEN’S GROUP INFORMATION BOOKLET 2013 LIST OF CONTENTS Section Subject Page(s) One Introduction 3 - 4 Two Planning Team 5 Three Activities - Facilitators - Achievements 6 - 7 Four Loughborough Women’s Group Road Show 8 Five Other Key Local Groups and Service Providers 9 - 12 Six Acknowledgements and Thanks 13 Appendices: (available separately) 1. ‘Women’s Talk’ Questionnaire and Membership Forms. 2. Event Sign in Sheets and Crèche Attendance Sheets. 3. Event Evaluation Feedback Forms. 4. Community Consultation Questionnaires. 5. LWG Road Show Booking Form. 2 | P a g e Building Communities in Coldharbour LOUGHBOROUGH WOMEN’S GROUP INFORMATION BOOKLET 2013 LOUGHBOROUGH WOMEN’S GROUP engage - educate - empower Introduction The London Community Foundation (LCF) - formerly The Capital Community Foundation, is an independent charity focused on social action in London. Our aim is to make it easier for Londoners to bring about positive change. We do this by encouraging philanthropy and supporting community-based social action at the grassroots, primarily through grant funding and pathfinder initiatives. The Foundation has been grant-making in Lambeth for more than 15 years, and during this time we have established strong links with local organizations, groups and individuals. Building Communities in Coldharbour (BCC) is an innovative and exciting pathfinder initiative, funded mainly by J. P. Morgan as part of their ‘place based’ programme, focused on areas which experience high levels of social and economic disadvantage. Background information This project has come out from a conversation between Cynthia Roomes - the BCC Community Development Manager and a local resident, and Segen Ghebrekidan, also a local resident. We were talking about the need for more connections between service providers and local women, and wanting to increase capacity building and communications which focus on the specific needs and aspirations women. Several other women have mentioned that there is a need for women to get together more, and there are many women who would want to take part in women only projects and activities. So we decided and agreed to work together to create more opportunities for local women by founding Loughborough Women’s Group (LWG) which was launched in September 2012, funded by the BCC Community Challenge Fund. Based on the success of the pilot project, LWG was awarded with 6 months continuation funding in July 2013. Our main aim To establish an exciting project focused on improving the educational social and economic prospects of local women, and raising their levels of confidence and self esteem. Loughborough Women’s Group will provide opportunities: to learn new skills and develop your abilities to meet new people and local service providers to improve your social and economic prospects to create a vibrant women’s network. 3 | P a g e Loughborough Women’s Group will enable service providers: to find out what matters most to local women to define and respond to local priorities to deliver effective projects activities and services for local women to create a vibrant women’s network. Defining the LWG Ethos We are passionate, we listen, we communicate, and we love how that connects us to our heritage, our culture, and one another. We bring creative energy and commitment to help women achieve their potential. We are enthusiastic about making space for the happiness and contentment of women, and our vision for the future is to be sustainable in what we do. April 2013 The LWG Project We delivered a 3 month pilot project from February to May 2013 based on feedback from local women. We have learnt what their priorities are, and have provided a holistic programme of activities and support in response to their stated preferences and needs. The LWG project is on- going, having secured continuation funding from the BCC programme which will take us through to January 2014, and we are fundraising and looking at ways of generating income so that the LWG project is sustainable. What Loughborough Women’s Group has delivered Decoupatch Paper Craft Needle Work and other Handicrafts Jewellery Making Basketry and Caning Knitting and Crochet Yoga For Well Being Classes Listening Skills Workshop Money Management Advice and Training Healthy Lifestyles and Wellness Events Physical Activity Support Group Project Development and Fundraising Advice on Enterprise and Self Employment Access to free crèche and childcare. 4 | P a g e Loughborough Women’s Group Planning Team Cynthia A. Roomes: Local resident and Community Development Manager Co-founder of Loughborough Women’s Group A local resident with more than 30 years experience in community and youth work, much of that experience was gained working in Lambeth, with grass roots groups, social enterprises and public sector organizations. Cynthia wrote the original LWG proposal in collaboration with Segen Ghebrekidan, and is responsible for project managing and overall coordination of LWG. E: [email protected] M: 07730 219 085 Segen Ghebrekidan: Local resident and member of LETRA Co-founder of Loughborough Women’s Group Segen is a local resident, and has been volunteering in the community for a number of years and has extensive experience in community outreach, connecting people organizations and services which address the needs of local people. She also provides translation service, and is an active member of a number of grass roots groups and organizations. E: [email protected] M: 07778 841 896 Jean Springer: Local resident and member of LETRA LWG Administrator Jean is a local resident, and has been active in the community for more than 30 years, including voluntary work with senior citizens, and decades of input to the Loughborough Community Centre. Jean has skills in ICT, research, community outreach, finance and book keeping, along with an array of skills and abilities in arts and crafts, and is responsible for the on-going administration of LWG. E: [email protected] M: 07538 822 096 Candice James: Pre School Manager Loughborough Community Centre Loughborough Community Centre (LCC) is a registered charity that puts community cohesion at the heart of its ethos, established by local Loughborough Estate tenants in response to the Brixton riots (1981) and the high concentration of poverty in the area. LCC is the newly established provider of the One O’clock Club service, which sits alongside their existing Pre-school and early years provision. They successfully bid for the contract and the lease to manage the Max Roach site over the next 7 years. LCC nurture two resident led proposals funded by a Community Challenge Fund grant: Arts & Crafts for Senior Citizens in the Loughborough Centre, and the Loughborough Women’s Group. LCC coordinates LWG childcare and crèche provision, and provides operational support to help underpin the running of the LWG project, including community engagement, partnership working, and collaborative approach to fundraising and income generation. E: [email protected] M: 07538 822088 T: 020 7737 2472 5 | P a g e Loughborough Women’s Group Activities - Facilitators - Achievements Decoupatch Paper Craft Facilitated by Jean Springer, the Decoupatch Workshop is a paper based craft which can be used on furniture, glass, ornaments. Decoupatch can also be used to create greeting cards and calendars, recycling old and worn out household items, and encourages creativity. This activity is an extension of the Community Challenge Fund arts and craft sessions for Loughborough Senior Citizens Group, it is therapeutic, calming, and works well with older people, children and young people alike. Needle Work and Handicrafts Facilitated by Paulette Houslin who has been delivering crafts workshops as part of the LWG Saturday Club, including project work which enables women to complete a craft item for themselves, their friends and family, or event their home. Paulette will be introducing sessions to repair items, making soft furnishings, curtains, and is also keen to involve girls and young women. She also specialises in health and well being activities. Jewellery Making Facilitated by Segen Ghebrekidan who is the co-founder of LWG. This is a new activity in the second phase of the LWG project, involving making items of jewellery like bracelets, necklaces and earrings, for your self, or as gifts for friends and families. Segen is also working on food growing and cookery projects, and is looking to introduce a food share scheme to Loughborough estate. Basketry and Caning Facilitated by Mitzi Fowlin as part of the Tuesday term time sessions, and the LWG Saturday Club. These practical workshops involve the traditional handicraft of caning and basketry to make useful household and decorative items such as place mats, book marks, linen baskets, plant pot holders etc. Mitzi also specialises in knitting and crochet, is an avid food grower, and keen on poetry and literature. Mitzi delivers basketry workshops on Mondays in Angell Town estate, and is a recipient of an enterprise start up grant from UnLtd’s Star People Programme. She believes that the LWG project is a much needed positive local initiative, which helps to break down barriers by providing an opportunity to meet people, to network, and exchange information and positive energy. Yoga For Well Being Classes Facilitated by Maria Moran as part of the LWG Saturday Club an extension of the resident led Community Challenge Fund project she is delivering at The Loughborough Centre 7pm – 8pm on Friday evenings. Maria’s Yoga Classes involve gentle exercise, breathing, stretching, and relaxing, this activity is good for the overall well being of the mind body and soul. Listening Skills Course Facilitated by Ceridwen Buckmaster who has delivered 2 courses of small group work around listening and communicating, she has a developed certificated 10 week formal course.