There are many ways that Anawim supports you to move forward with your life in the community as you approach the final stages of your journey with us.
This includes offering you valuable opportunities to do courses, gain new skills or complete peer support, volunteering or work experience to help you to realise your potential.
Our aim is to empower you to develop yourself further so you can become more financially independent and in control of making informed, positive decisions as you progress towards reaching your life goals, hopes and ambitions.
Support throughout your journey
We support you every step of the way to help you complete your journey with us in full, whether it is to reach your final counselling session or help you to reintegrate back into the community.
We are here to give you the opportunities and equip you with what you need to move forward with your life. That can be from realising your own strengths to gaining skills that will make you attractive to a potential employer.
Access to free courses and skills support
There are many pathways to accessing support here at Anawim but no matter how you come to us, we aim to be open and welcoming to provide a safe-space to access free drop-in courses and activities. These range from creative, mindful activities and crafts to a mental heath support and a Citizen’s Advice drop-in to enable you to gain skills and confidence beyond your initial need of our service.
For an up to date list of events and activities click here.
We can also support you to develop your skills and experience to become an Anawim Champion – read further to find out more.
Volunteering
Many of the women supported by Anawim give something back by volunteering with us. Volunteering not only allows you to find out what it’s like to do certain jobs but also equips you with useful workplace skills and experience to add to your CV.
You can opt to take on additional responsibilities – such as cleaning, catering or working in our centre – as part of our Women’s Development Initiative. This prepares you for a future job by giving you hands-on experience and the chance to learn business skills. You can even work towards completing a relevant qualification.
On top of that, volunteering has its own rewards that can enrich your life. That could be making you feel more positive, feeling like you are an essential part of a team or being more confident about yourself and your abilities. You can find out more about volunteering at Anawim here.
Becoming a Champion
Anawim’s Champions are women who were once in need of our help and now supporting other women with us. They do everything from helping to run the charity shop to sorting through the donations and getting involved in projects on the early intervention and criminal justice teams. This work builds up confidence as our Champions can gain skills that help them with their long-term prospects.
Many women working with us choose to share their stories and experiences at events, with the media or with other local organisations, as hearing about lived experience is crucial for changes to be made in the women’s sector. Sometimes it’s to help others understand how difficult it is to overcome so many challenges, sometimes it is to support Anawim’s mission to reach more women who need support, and occasionally it’s to influence key people in local authority and government, to help bring about real change for women in Birmingham.
We fully support every single one of our women who choose to share their personal journeys in a way that feels comfortable and safe.
“I do one-to-one sessions and refer women to courses at the centre such as for English, which can improve their confidence and educational qualifications which will open doors to job opportunities,” explains an Anawim co-ordinator.
“But I also support women to develop by becoming a Champion. I am currently supporting eight champions at our shop. Becoming a Champion gives women with an offending history an opportunity to develop their skills, confidence and experience to re-enter into education and the workforce.”