Manningham Housing Association responds to black and Asian women and their children whose lives have been affected by violence and abuse within the home/family environment through the services offered by our supported housing project, the Black Women Support Project. We do this in an enabling and empowering manner so that the women can make informed choices and have access to relevant and appropriate services as required.

At the Black Women Support Project, we are committed to: Providing a range of services in order that black women and children experiencing violence can have access to personal support, as requested and directed by themselves to recover from their experiences and rebuild their lives. Ensuring our support services are effectively delivered by women who understand the nature of oppression that black women and their children face and actively encourage other supportive organisations to do the same. Ensuring that our services are developed appropriately in a non-discriminatory way with commitment to equality and diversity applied to all policies and procedures. Ensuring that black and Asian women and children have their voices heard by advocating in an empowering way on their behalf, in order that they receive appropriate support from the key agencies. Being completely accountable to our residents and other service users, and developing/reviewing our services through ongoing monitoring and user evaluation to achieve high standards. Recognising that oppression of women within the family environment occurs across cultures and national boundaries we will develop and build links with women's groups locally, nationally and internationally. Recognising that through achieving high standards we can lead by example and therefore encouraging best practice standards with external organisations, locally and nationally. Promoting awareness of how black women and children experience violence and of their respective support needs. Encouraging best practice standards and responses to black and Asian women and children experiencing violence. Minimising violence against women and children generally and in particular black women and children. Facilitating social policy changes in order that statutory responsibilities to black women and children experiencing violence/abuse are effective.

Culturally-sensitive Services The services we provide include: Safe emergencey temporary accommodation with support services for women with children, facing difficult, critical or life-threatening situations Resettlement support for residents, once they are ready to move-on into permanent independent housing. Outreach support for women with children who choose not to leave their homes or have already left the abusive environment but did not come through our supported housing project, and are vulnerable or isolated and at risk. Support for children through play therapy and individual support. Our Philosophy Right to live free from violence All women and children, regardless of their race, sexuality, disability, social, cultural, religious, class or caste background have a right to live free from violence, abuse, and intimidation; and also free from the threat of violence and abuse. Right to accessible effective support services Black and Asian women and their children experiencing violence have a right to accessible effective support services and safe emergency temporary accommodation appropriately developed to meet their needs, in order that they can be safe to recover from their experiences and rebuild their lives. Support for those who remain in their home Black and Asian women and children who choose not to or cannot leave the abusive environment are also entitled to support. Acknowledging children's independent needs Children have independent needs from their mothers which should be addressed also. Acknowledging violence can take many forms Violence in the home can take many forms including physical, sexual, emotional, psychological abuse. In addition ‘culture’, ‘religion’ and ‘tradition’ can be used to control and oppress women and restrict their access to support. The nature of violence and oppression that Black and Asian women face can be from known men/partners/family/community members either individually or collectively In addition to violence in the home or family environment, Black and Asian women can face oppression from wider society in the form of institutional/state racism and racism from individuals generally. Non-prescriptive, pre-determined responses Responses to Black and Asian women and children should not be prescribed by racial or gender based ‘stereotypes’ but as they individually present and define their own needs. For more information, please click here.

Manningham Housing Association, a specialist housing association providing accomodation for large families and diverse minority communities in Bradford and Keighley, West Yorkshire, promotes tenant involvement and regeneration of local communities in addition to providing development of new homes and services to meet the housing and support needs for the community.
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