Gender-Informed Support
This week marked an exciting milestone at The Purfleet Trust as we launched our new weekly Women’s Day alongside an enhanced gender-informed approach to supporting women experiencing homelessness and disadvantage.
At The Purfleet Trust, we are committed to ensuring everyone who accesses our services receives support that reflects their individual needs and experiences. Our weekly programme includes dedicated Women’s Days, dedicated Men’s Days and mixed-gender sessions, giving people the opportunity to engage in an environment where they feel safe, comfortable and supported. While many activities are open to everyone, these dedicated sessions allow us to tailor support to the different experiences and challenges our clients may face.
Over a third of our clients our women, so we launched our Women’s Days in recognition that women often experience homelessness differently to men. Many have experienced trauma, domestic abuse, exploitation, poor mental health or other complex challenges that require support tailored to their individual experiences. By providing gender-informed services, we aim to create a safe, welcoming environment where women feel heard, valued and empowered to take positive steps forward.
The first session was a fantastic success, with our clients taking part in biscuit baking, sewing crafts and press-on nail workshops. While these activities offer an enjoyable way to spend time together, they also help to build confidence, encourage creativity and connect with others in a supportive setting.
Just as importantly, we ended the day by listening to the women who attended. They shared their ideas for future workshops and activities, helping to shape a programme that reflects their interests, aspirations and individual needs.
At The Purfleet Trust, we know that addressing homelessness is about far more than providing someone with a bed for the night. Long-term change comes from supporting people to rebuild confidence, develop practical skills and access opportunities that enable them to live independently.
Our Women’s Day is an important part of that journey. By creating dedicated spaces where women can learn, connect and grow, we hope to provide the support they need to overcome barriers and move towards brighter, more independent futures.
We’re incredibly encouraged by the positive response to our first session and look forward to sharing more updates as the programme develops in the weeks and months ahead.
