The service

 

The Women's Project offers a 1-2-1 mentoring service for women involved in the criminal justice system to support them in settling positively in the community and reducing offending behaviours. We provide a person-centered approach in tailoring our support to address individual needs.
 

The service is voluntary and so is suitable for women who want to engage in making positive choices in their lives.

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Our clients

 

The Women's Project is designed to support any woman who is preparing for release from prison, or has recently been released, back to Sussex, and who wants to engage with mentoring support, subject to a full risk assessment, and dependent on our capacity.

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Our Volunteer Key Workers

 

We partner our clients with one of our volunteer key workers who support them to become self-reliant and capable of navigating life after prison. 
 

The key workers act as the link between prison and the community, and other agencies, and offer: 
 

• one-to-one support, inside and outside prison to empower clients to maintain a non-offending lifestyle, based on the Nine Pathways to rehabilitation; 

• consistent support tailored to the individual and their circumstances – as a person, not as someone who has offended

• someone to meet clients at the prison gate on release day and support them in travelling to and attending first appointments if they need it

• practical support in setting up and attending community meetings and appointments

• signposting to professional specialist community agencies who can address a client’s specific needs

• an objective, listening ear from a person who empowers clients to make the right choices 

• support on release through a person-centred, professional relationship that clients can trust and rely on

• a link to a network of professional agencies that are experts in their field

• a voice in how they live their lives and access services (advocacy)

 

​How the Women's Project makes a difference...

 

We give our clients the chance to access tailored support that meets their core needs, and helps reduce reoffending.

 

We do this by:

 

• providing support to learn and engage with life skills that increase self-esteem and independence that will enable clients to make different choices

• helping them find their voice and to use it to be heard and listened to

• showing our clients options for life on the outside – and the impact they will make

• offering consistent and ongoing support in prison and through into the community

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Testimonials

 

Client: "I have never been offered a meeting to discuss permanent accommodation before, that's because you’re supporting me"

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Probation: “This client is a challenging person to work with and most agencies have a 'zero tolerance' towards her. I am impressed that your key worker has seen past this and built an amazing rapport.”