Our purpose
To work with socially isolated and disadvantaged women:

• to ensure that they are able to make the most of the opportunities available to them
• to encourage them to grow in self-confidence and self-esteem
• to help them to resolve their problems and raise their aspirations, both for themselves and their children
• to support them to achieve their social and economic potential.

For more information visit our website at www.herefordwomen.co.uk 


Address    1a St Owen Street, Hereford, HR1 2JB (next to the Shirehall) 

Directions   (click the link)  http://www.multimap.com/s/gwuter8V

Hours of opening
Monday to Friday
• 10.00am to 3.00pm for centre activities and courses
• 9.00am to 5.00pm for telephone enquiries
Open day Wednesday – drop-in anytime from 10 am to 1pm. Come for coffee and a chat and to have a look round.

We aim to work in partnership with Herefordshire people and organisations to ensure that what we offer meets local need. We are also receptive to new ideas. Please do not hesitate to contact us; we want to hear what you have to say. 

How do we work
The Hereford Womens Project is based on a model of change which shows that the capacity to solve problems effectively can be overwhelmed by imbalances between three key elements.

The Model of Change

Anyones ability to function effectively will be weakened by eg lack of self-esteem, low confidence, substance abuse, eating disorders and critically mental illness. Demands may include eg an abusive partner or childcare issues and access to resources will be affected by eg poverty, isolation, homelessness and unemployment.

Dealing with any one of these issues is difficult, but when they coincide and interact, then the impact can be overwhelming.

We aim to empower women to take control of their lives offering a personalised programme of support and community learning so that they can break out of the


cycle of deprivation in which they are so often otherwise trapped. Partnership working is key to ensuring that women are able to access all the resources and help that they need and that opportunities are available for them to move into mainstream provision when the time is right.


What we offer
• A safe, women only environment
• Individual assessments with professionally trained staff
• Planning and review sessions
• Advice sessions, signposting and referral to counselling support
• Personal support in the form of coaching and mentoring
• Practical support addressing transport and childcare issues and internet access
• Referral to specialist advice covering debt management, financial planning, benefits impact reports, information and advice on disability issues and advocacy support.
• Referral to specialist advice on housing issues
• Referral to specialist advice to support women to progress in to work, training, further education or voluntary work as appropriate
• Support to access mainstream statutory services and other provision
• Help to access mainstream educational facilities, job taster sessions, apprenticeships, volunteering and employment opportunities

Courses and educational programmes are particularly important and the Centre runs a rolling programme of courses including:

• Personal skills development including assertion, confidence building, self esteem and motivation, anger management, understanding personal relationships or domestic abuse, facing change, parenting skills
• Basic skills including ESOL, Literacy and Numeracy
• Generic work skills including ICT and job skills covering problem solving, presentation, communication skills and time management
• General Adult Education including health and well-being, arts and crafts.
New course programmes are published termly, details on the website at www.herefordwomen.co.uk

Much course provision offers learners the opportunity to gain National Open College Network units of credit at Entry level, levels 1 or 2. Support is available to ensure women can cover travel, child and other costs where appropriate.


How to refer
• Telephone :07855 553312 to request a referral form or email admin@herefordwomen.co.uk
• Complete a referral form online via the website at www.herefordwomen.co.uk  (available soon)
• Attend our Wednesday drop-in session anytime from 10 am to 1pm

• Please accompany the woman you are referring to the first interview if possible.

• Please share key information with the woman’s consent
• Please continue to support the woman you are referring if possible, our work is reliant on effective partnership working and cross agency support

Women with widely varying needs and circumstances can benefit from the Centre, but the following guidelines may assist referrers to use its facilities to best advantage:
• much of our provision is group based, and to make best use of it, those referred need to be able to function in a small group and have sufficient confidence to contribute to the group
• the Centre has slender resources, and women who cannot take responsibility for arriving at the right time on the right day, or being available as planned when transport arrives, will have wasted provision that another woman might have taken up.
• Women with convictions against children cannot be accepted.
• Women who are aggressive may discourage other users, most of whom lack confidence and have been victims of violence.

The Hereford Womens project has been a collaboration between Herefordshire Council Adult and Community Learning, The Asha Centre and the LSC, the organisation that exists to make England better skilled and more competitive