Response: Windsor Women’s Centre provides support and opportunities for women and their families
Windsor Women’s Centre is to be a non-sectarian place for learning and growing, through education and personal development. Windsor Women’s Centre helps women gain skills, knowledge and confidence to make better lives for themselves and their families and have a stronger voice in the wider community. To achieve its goals, Windsor Women’s Centre undertakes a wide range of activities, supporting 500 people of all ages and background each week. Windsor Women’s Centre also pilots projects. Women and their children are the focus of the charity’s activities, however services for men are also offered. Activities include:
- Training and education programmes: courses include study for GCSEs, martial arts, aromatherapy and cookery. In 2005, the programme had a total of198 students. The Multi-Cultural Group provides support for 28 immigrant women.
- Child care and after schools projects: 211 children use the day care facilities every week. Special support is given to children with behavioural problems.
- Advice and information: 50 men and women use the advice centre every week, which helps people with issues related to housing and benefits, and signposts people to other agencies that can help them.
- Influencing policy and statutory provision: Windsor Women’s Centre actively networks and partners with other charities and statutory agencies in order to influence policy and local regeneration. Windsor Women’s Centre also regularly writes position papers on government policy.
Windsor Women’s Centre has an annual budget of around £350,000 and a staff of 19.
