What do we do at Gateway Women’s Centre?
Gateway is different to other services – they support quietly
We’re often asked what we do at Gateway, and if we’re open! The pandemic hasn’t stopped us from offering essential emotional, practical and spiritual support for women going through life challenges. Although we haven’t been able tomeet women at the centre itself (partly due to covid, partly due to building works), we are still offering vital one to one support, mainly over the phone, Zoom and email. Women tell us our one to one support is an invaluable lifeline – the skilled team provide a listening ear, a sounding board for ideas, or a source of information. As one woman said, “After talking to you, I don't feel so alone.”
We’ve also been offering a range of group activities in local venues and online via Zoom. Many of the women tell us that Gateway group activities are the only time they can relax and take time out from the stressors of home life - they give women a real boost of encouragement and confidence, as well as a sense of community.
Many women contact us because a friend has recommended Gateway to them, or a worker has heard about us. These recommendations could be because Gateway is flexible, trauma-informed, sensitive, professional and compassionate. One woman told us “Gateway is different to other services – they support quietly”.
Because of the demand for Gateway’s services, we unfortunately have a waiting list of several months to start using our services. However, we are accepting referrals, and women can join our waiting list (referral forms here: https://www.offthefence.org.uk/need-help-gateway ). Women and referrers can also contact us first to get more information about our services, to see if Gateway might be useful for them.
We recognise that demand for support delivered ‘by women, for women’ is going to continue. We often say we ‘fill the gaps’ in other service provision in the city, and we notice that the level of need related to mental health, relationships, domestic abuse, disabilities, poverty, debt, housing and isolation is huge. We’ll continue to walk alongside women for as long as they need us to, offering opportunities that support them to manage and move forward in their lives.
Please get in touch if you’d like more information: gateway@offthefence.org.uk.
