Somali Women's Support
Thursdays 10.30am – 4.00pm, Fridays 10.30am – 4.00pm
Cost: Free for Centre members, membership costs £12 a year (£8 for renewals). New members are very welcome.
At West Hampstead Women’s Centre we run a weekly drop-in session for Somali women run by a Somali worker. The Somali worker translates and advocates on the behalf of the Somali women with various organisations. She also helps Arabic speaking women.
We provide crisis support and help with issues such as immigration, housing, welfare, fuel poverty, domestic violence and other issues.
We also provide workshops for Somali women and skill based courses, such as NVQ diplomas in Health and Social Care (subject to funding, call the Centre for up-to-date information).
To find out more contact our Somali worker by email, phone 0207 328 7389 or drop in.
The Somali Women’s Project continues to develop well and a large proportion of the Centre’s BAME users are Somali and Arab women.
Many Somali and Arab women participate in a range of skills classes including English, Maths, and sewing to equip them with basic skills, to enable them to qualify for vocational training and enjoy themselves while learning a practical skill. We have also run accredited ‘home-based childcare’ training for the women to provide them with flexible employment opportunities that accommodate caring responsibilities, as well as certified ‘First Aid’ training. The majority of women attending this training were Somali. This gives marginalised women a valuable opportunity to qualify for an area of employment that accommodates family responsibilities.
Our dedicated Somali women’s advocacy and support service continues to stabilise the lives of Somali and Arab women by enabling them to resolve complex problems related to welfare benefits, housing, debt and children’s education. The Somali worker also negotiates with mainstream agencies on clients’ behalf. In addition, she attended training run by ‘Moneytalk Camden North’ in order to provide money advice and budgeting guidance to WHWC’s clients.
Women from all of our support groups attend our regular events, classes and volunteer programmes which helps to bridge communities, reduce isolation and build strong friendships.