In April we’ll be welcoming four homeless women with no recourse to public funds into one of our Tyneside flats, which has just been refurbished with a brand new kitchen.
Our CEO, Karen, gained a sneak preview of the work, when Accommodation manager, Helen, and our Repairs and Maintenance Officer, Mike, gave her a tour.
In the video below, Karen explains why it’s so important for migrant women to have female-only accommodation.
Karen says women’s needs are often overlooked in the asylum system.
“Many women seeking asylum have experienced gender-based violence so women who’ve survived these experiences often need accommodation where they feel physically and emotionally safe. Safety is the foundation of recovery and for many women, this is not achievable in male-dominated or mixed gender settings where their past trauma may be triggered.”
Action Foundation is a member of the North East Women’s Homelessness Alliance whose mission is to end women’s homelessness in our region for good.
As we open the door of our new women-only flat to the first intake of residents, we take an important step towards centring the unique accommodation needs of female migrants.
Our Accommodation Support Workers Manager, Rachel Stafford, has written a fascinating blog about refugee women’s homelessness that you can read here.
