NEW DAWN AWARDS CEREMONY AT TONTEG COMMUNITY CENTRE
12 TH DECEMBER, 2006

Cymdeithas Tai Hafan held its New Dawn award ceremony at Tonteg Community Centre recently.

The New Dawn Lifelong Learning Project is funded by the European Social Fund and DELLS to work with disadvantaged women of all ages, across 7 local authority areas, by developing and delivering training programmes which aid personal development, and enhances employability. New Dawn has so far supported over 200 learners who accumulatively have gained over 360 Open College Network Credits. Through the support of New Dawn, 26 learners have built up the confidence to access mainstream education and 14 have gained employment.

Learners are given training in topics ranging from general home safety, coping on a low income, confidence building; coping with stress and anger; healthy relationships to diet and exercise and much more.

The project activities take place in various venues including the homes of the learners. They can receive training in groups or on a one-to-one basis when appropriate so that the individual needs of each learner are met. This is a tailor-made bespoke training programme which ensures access to all service users, no matter how vulnerable they feel.

Many of the people supported have been unemployed for a long time and often have difficulties with their mental health or with misuse of drugs or alcohol. New Dawn lets them learn at their own pace and with staff they feel comfortable with and with whom they have built up a relationship of trust.

Cathy Davies, Tai Hafan's Chief Executive said:

“ We are very grateful to the European Social Fund for their support for this project and to DELLS for the match-funding. We very much hope that the pilot of Learning Community Accounts for which DELLS are funding us will lead to sustainable funding in the long term.”

NEW DAWN AWARDS CEREMONY AT WELLINGTON COMMUNITY CENTRE, RHYL

12 TH DECEMBER, 2006

Cymdeithas Tai Hafan held its New Dawn award ceremony at the Wellington Community Centre in Rhyl recently.

The New Dawn Lifelong Learning Project is funded by the European Social Fund and DELLS to work with disadvantaged women of all ages, across 7 local authority areas, by developing and delivering training programmes which aid personal development, and enhances employability. New Dawn has so far supported over 200 learners who accumulatively have gained over 360 Open College Network Credits. Through the support of New Dawn, 26 learners have built up the confidence to access mainstream education and 14 have gained employment.

Learners are given training in topics ranging from general home safety, coping on a low income, confidence building; coping with stress and anger; healthy relationships to diet and exercise and much more.

The project activities take place in various venues including the homes of the learners. They can receive training in groups or on a one-to-one basis when appropriate so that the individual needs of each learner are met. This is a tailor-made bespoke training programme which ensures access to all service users, no matter how vulnerable they feel.

Many of the people supported have been unemployed for a long time and often have difficulties with their mental health or with misuse of drugs or alcohol. New Dawn lets them learn at their own pace and with staff they feel comfortable with and with whom they have built up a relationship of trust.

Cathy Davies, Tai Hafan's Chief Executive said:

“ We are very grateful to the European Social Fund for their support for this project and to DELLS for the match-funding. We very much hope that the pilot of Learning Community Accounts for which DELLS are funding us will lead to sustainable funding in the long term.”

NEW DAWN AWARDS CEREMONY AT CAERBERIS MANOR, BUILTH WELLS

12 TH DECEMBER, 2006

Cymdeithas Tai Hafan held its New Dawn award ceremony at the Caerberis Manor in Builth Wells recently.

The New Dawn Lifelong Learning Project is funded by the European Social Fund and DELLS to work with disadvantaged women of all ages, across 7 local authority areas, by developing and delivering training programmes which aid personal development, and enhances employability. New Dawn has so far supported over 200 learners who accumulatively have gained over 360 Open College Network Credits. Through the support of New Dawn, 26 learners have built up the confidence to access mainstream education and 14 have gained employment.

Learners are given training in topics ranging from general home safety, coping on a low income, confidence building; coping with stress and anger; healthy relationships to diet and exercise and much more.

The project activities take place in various venues including the homes of the learners. They can receive training in groups or on a one-to-one basis when appropriate so that the individual needs of each learner are met. This is a tailor-made bespoke training programme which ensures access to all service users, no matter how vulnerable they feel.

Many of the people supported have been unemployed for a long time and often have difficulties with their mental health or with misuse of drugs or alcohol. New Dawn lets them learn at their own pace and with staff they feel comfortable with and with whom they have built up a relationship of trust.

Cathy Davies, Tai Hafan's Chief Executive said:

“ We are very grateful to the European Social Fund for their support for this project and to DELLS for the match-funding. We very much hope that the pilot of Learning Community Accounts for which DELLS are funding us will lead to sustainable funding in the long term.”

Allie, one of the participants said:-

“The project has helped me access skills I'd long forgotten. I used to be an alternative healer but have suffered from depression and lack of motivation. The one-to-one learning gave me back my confidence to learn and to believe that I could once again use my skills in the work environment.”

SPECTRUM SCHOOLS PROGRAMME VISITS LAMPETER COMPREHENSIVE

16 th NOVEMBER, 2006

Rosalyn James, Cymdeithas Tai Hafan's Schools Laison Officer recently brought the Spectrum programme to Lampeter Comprehensive.

Spectrum aims to inform and raise awareness amongst children, young people and teachers about domestic violence and provide them with better understanding of the effects on children and young people who have lived in a violent home.

Spectrum is suitable for Key Stage 3 and covers themes such as belonging, family, relationships and conflict resolution. Rosalyn has also been helping teachers deliver the Spectrum effectively to pupils.

The project is sponsored by Comic Relief and therefore all sessions and visits are free.

On her visit to Lampeter Comprehensive, Rosalyn said:

“Year 7 listened very attentively to today's subject of Belonging, one of the subjects covered in the Spectrum pack. Sometimes children find it difficult to express themselves to their parents, teachers or other adults and, after the talk, we give them the tools to help them do this, be it the confidence to confide in other adults or their teachers or by giving them contact telephone numbers for organisations who can help them anonymously.”

Cathy Davies, Chief Executive of Cymdeithas Tai Hafan said:-

“Much of the material in the Spectrum pack comes from the real life experiences of the children and young people of our tenants who have talked about their feelings of isolation and stigmatisation because of their experiences of having to leave their homes following domestic abuse and violence.

The pack is one measure to help in raising awareness and hopefully begin to change attitudes and therefore prevent future violence.”

Should any school in Wales be interested in learning more about the Spectrum Programme, please contact Cymdeithas Tai Hafan on 01267 2255555.

POSITIVE PARTNERSHIPS IN PARTICIPATION

Cymdeithas Tai Hafan walked away with first prize in the Engaging Hard to Reach Groups category, at the 2006 TPAS Cymru Participation Awards held on Tuesday,
13 th June at the North Wales Conference Centre, Llandudno. The Participation Awards, also known as the Participation Oscars celebrates and recognises the work of tenants and landlords in their communities who work together to make improvements to services and neighbourhoods.

Cymdeithas Tai Hafan tenants set up The ‘What Women Want' group in the Spring of 2005. The women chose the name because it speaks volumes about what the group wanted to achieve. ‘What Women Want' wanted to demonstrate to other tenants, service users and Tai Hafan that by participating they could develop and contribute to their communities and change how they are sometimes perceived within them. Their aim was to become the driving force in the sharing of ideas and development of Tai Hafan's participation policy. Through their energy, enthusiasm and belief in the process of participation they have acquired skills and self-determination which has helped achieve changes in their own communities and for the future of vulnerable women who will be supported by Tai Hafan.

The main sponsors of the event were Wales & West Housing Association. Anne Hinchey, Chief Executive, commented that:

“We are proud to be the ongoing sponsors of these awards. The day is about showcasing all that is excellent in resident participation across the whole of Wales . The nominations covered a range of activities and issues and it was wonderful that the hard work of so many people in making a difference to both people's lives and the communities they live in was able to be recognised.”

The Awards present an opportunity for Tenants and Landlords to be recognised for projects and participation efforts, and to share good practice across Wales . They are nominated by people in the communities where they operate. The judging of nominations is carried out by an independent panel of professionals working in the field of Housing.

This year TPAS Cymru received almost 50 nominations from all over Wales . The submissions were of a high standard and they truly captured the attention of the judges, not only in terms of the written material and detailed explanation of projects but for the imaginative range of participation projects and initiatives being undertaken in the Principality.

John Drysdale, Director, TPAS Cymru said:

“Winners of TPAS Cymru Participation Awards are always hugely pleased to have their effort and their achievements recognised. And they are right to be proud because their work is having a real beneficial impact in their communities.

Tenant participation is now established and recognised as essential to good running of housing and communities. But practices and resources still vary widely across Wales – some good and sometimes bad. The Participation Awards enable TPAS to find good examples and worthwhile lessons and to share them so that standards are raised throughout Wales . It's great to be able to celebrate success!”

CYMDEITHAS TAI HAFAN LAUNCHES NEW DAWN PROJECT AT BARRY YMCA
13 th February 2006

Cymdeithas Tai Hafan's Barry office was one of the first organisations to hold a launch at the newly refurbished Barry YMCA which now accommodates Community Learning. The launch was to celebrate the organisation's New Dawn Lifelong Learning Project, funded by the Welsh European Funding Office and elwa.

New Dawn is an accredited training programme which has been developed specifically to complement the work Tai Hafan does to support women and their children, encouraging people to recognise and develop skills they may already have but are not confident of. It is pioneering in the way it measures progress of participants and can recognise improvements in ‘soft skills' which are an essential precursor to full social inclusion and directly affects the ability of a person to engage in mainstream education and/or employment.

The New Dawn project works with disadvantaged women of all ages, and is funded by the European Social Fund to work in 4 local authority areas – Vale of Glamorgan, Flintshire, Wrexham and Powys - by developing and delivering training programmes which aid personal development, and enhance their employability.

Disadvantaged women of all ages are given training in topics ranging from basic DIY and general home safety, coping on a low income, confidence building; coping with stress and anger; healthy relationships to diet and exercise, and much more.

To capitalise on the Valentine's Day theme of loving and supporting each other, participants took part in creating a mural, making Valentine cards and enjoyed pampering sessions of massage and manicures.

Cathy Davies , Tai Hafan's Chief Executive said: “ We are delighted to have received funding for our lifelong learning project New Dawn. It's over five years since Tai Hafan recognised the need to enable our service users to return to employment or access training and education which led us to set up our in-house learning programme for the women we support and which helps them to rebuild their confidence and to build up their personal skills in the short term and hopefully to get a job in the longer term.

Many of the people we support have been unemployed for a long time and often have difficulties with their mental health or with misuse of drugs or alcohol – New Dawn lets them learn at their own pace and with staff they feel comfortable with and with whom they have built up a relationship of trust”.

CYMDEITHAS TAI HAFAN LAUNCHES ONLINE SHOP AND SUPPORT PORTAL

10 th February 2006

Cymdeithas Tai Hafan is launching its online shop and support portal to try and raise much needed funds for the organisation.

Tai Hafan is a charitable housing association providing housing and support services to women. It is the only housing association in Wales to offer a person-centred approach to the provision of housing and support services to women, by women.

By following the link www.itallhelps.com/taihafan/ customers can choose from over 50,000 products from over 400 online stores, many of which are high street names like amazon.co.uk, Mothercare, Dixons and BT. CTH will then receive a donation from the retailers.

NEW PRIVATE SECTOR SUPPORT WORKER FOR RHYL YOUNG WOMEN'S PROJECT

25 TH JANUARY 2006

Rhyl Young Women's Project have received funding from the Cymorth Grant 2006-09 to employ a Private Sector Support Worker for three years.

Employing a Private Sector Worker is a cultural shift for Social Supported Housing in that as an organization Tai Hafan are actively developing partnerships with the private sector to locate move on housing for its tenants due to the shortage in social housing.

The role of the Worker will be to develop and maintain excellent working links with the private sector and to inform and educate private landlords of housing vulnerable young women with children. The work will prevent the breakdown of tenancies and work along side the Local Authority Homelessness Team in order to provide a proactive and integrated prevention and support service to young women and their children.

The worker will be working in partnership with Denbighshire County Council.

Katie Owen-Gant, Cymdeithas Tai Hafan's Regional Manager for North East Wales said:-

“We hope to reduce the usage of temporary housing such as B&B's. Tai Hafan and Denbighshire County Council are taking a pro-active prevention approach to homelessness. Now that the funding has been agreed, we can actively search for the right person for the job which will start in April 2006.”


For more information on Tai Hafan please telephone 01267 225555. For more information on the press release please contact Jennifer Hobbs-Roberts of Commedia on 0845 130 1508.

Editor's Information

Tai Hafan is a charitable housing association providing housing and support services to women with a variety of needs. It is the only housing association in Britain to offer a person-centred approach to the provision of housing and support services to women, by women.