Background & History & Services: : WEB Is a Community Based Service Provider That Supports

Background & History & Services: : WEB Is a Community Based Service Provider That Supports

Background & History & Services: : WEB is a community based service provider that supports women and girls (since 1993) and men and boys (since 2010) with complex needs who may be isolated, victimised, discriminated against, have low self-esteem and lack hope; a significant number of these being as a result of crimes such as domestic/societal violence, abuse, bullying, hate crime and other criminal activity. Approximately 75-80% of our referrals are health related including poor physical/mental/emotional health and alcohol/substance misuse. WEB welcomes men and women from the age of 18 up. We also provide 2 weekly young women's group for girls (YWG) aged 9-18, and a weekly group for boys aged 9-13. WEB’s aims are to provide a high quality service to such women men and children which:

  • Provides time, space and flexible support to help them regain confidence and self-esteem
  • Opportunities to explore personal choices to support their personal growth.
  • Promote opportunities for personal growth and skills development to enable them to get more from life.

Established in 1993 the Centre started when local women met in each other’s homes for mutual support so is very much a project that is “user-grown”. Now constituted as both a registered charity and company limited by guarantee (March 1995). WEB operates a “service user-led” ethos and this is a significant factor in making WEB unique, along with our consistent emphasis on quality which was recognised by WEB receiving 'The Queen's Award' for voluntary services in 2007, (WEB currently has 14 Awards in total) As a result of this service user input over the last 24years we have developed the following services:-

  • Mini Training (Confidence/esteem building)
  • Sunshine Prescriptions: (variety of art/craft/social outings)
  • 1:1 support, advice in relation to family, health, relationships
  • Signposting/referrals in relation to benefits/housing/safety/safeguarding
  • Holistic Therapies – relaxation, reflexology aromatherapy and Indian head massage.
  • Volunteer training and development (extensive training, inc emotional boundaries)
  • Wide variety of ‘Free’ training courses for women and children(inc P2MP programmes)
  • 1-1 Therapeutic Counselling and 1-1 listening service. (men & women)
  • Pathways 2M Powerment for Men (30hr prog: confidence, self esteem, anger management & behaviour modification programmes based on NLP & Coaching techniques)
  • 2 Weekly Young Women’s Group (9-18)
  • Information, leaflets and signposting
  • Outreach Training (Self Defence/Confidence Building/Dance/Drama)
  • NEET Training (not in education/employment/training for 14-16yr olds)

WEB Social Enterprise Ltd was set up in March 2008 in preparation to support future sustainability of WEB via developing a ‘trading arm’ in which we could bring income in from our training, counselling and therapeutic services. WEB focuses on quality over quantity and has had great success rate in our contracted work; getting NEET training participants to participate in our 18week training programme (min 80%attendance) with ultimate aim to return to mainstream education, with 94% achieving minimum of 8 accredited AQA units. WEB delivers training to pupils/parents/staff within primary & secondary schools, within the community to businesses, voluntary sector, alternative education providers, and hostels. Training Programmes consist of: Personal development training, Confidence building, Anger management, Domestic Violence Awareness training, Safeguarding, Emotional Boundaries Training, Staff/Volunteer Development, Presentation skills, Train the Trainer. Mixture of accredited and non accredited training.

Services for Men & Boys: Recent funding from the Big Lottery will support us to continue our services over the next 3 years (2012-15) whilst also expanding parts of our services to reach men and boys. The services we will be delivering to men and boys are a variety of confidence and anger management training, holistic therapies, and therapeutic counselling service via ‘satellite services’. The service will be open for boys aged 9-16 and men from the ages of 16 upwards. WEB will also be recruiting and training male volunteers for project delivery.

Research An independent evaluation of WEB services by Liverpool University, Department of Sociology, (Fowler, 2005), shows that over half of the participating agencies felt the Centre to be ‘unique with no other organisation in the Wirral offering a similar range of activities to local women and their dependents’.

2 Recent pieces of Independant research (2011) undertaken by Liverpool John Moore’s University Dept of Sociology, by (Johnson 2011) & (Cowell 2011) verify the benefits of participating in WEB Sunshine Prescriptions/Activities, and the impact on confidence/self esteem from accessing WEB’s training programmes.

WEB CULTURE, ETHOS & AWARDS:

WEB operates a “service user-led” ethos and this is a significant factor in making WEB unique, along with our consistent emphasis on quality which was recognised by WEB receiving 'The Queen's Award' for Voluntary Service one of only 2 organisations across Merseyside to have received the Award that year out of 253 nominations.

AWARDS

  • Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service 2007Probably one of WEB’s biggest accolades, this award is the highest honour that can be bestowed upon groups of this kind and is equivalent in status to the MBE.
  • MPA Community Safety Awards 2011WEB was acknowledged for the supportive and preventative services that we provide to women and girls.
  • MPA Community Safety Awards 2012This award was in recognition of the development of WEB’s training delivery: Pathways 2M Powerment programme for NEET young people designed by Centre Manager.
  • MPA Legacy Awards 2012 Award for sustainability/support/preventative services
  • Wirral Investment Network Awards (WiN) 2012WEB was named Best Social Enterprise at the annual Wirral Business Awards.
  • Merseyside Social Enterprise North West Awards 2012These awards honoured the leading not-for- profit organisations that are making a real economic, social or environmental difference in their communities and WEB was named Runner-Up in the Growth category.
  • Morgan Foundation Awards 2012Entrepreneur Award for Charity or Social Enterprise making Best Social Contribution (turnover under £150k)
  • SEN North West Awards 2013WEB was shortlisted in Best Small Social Enterprise category and Centre Manager, Bernie King was named ‘Employee of the Year-North West 2013’.
  • Women of the Year Awards 2013 WEB was shortlisted in the ‘Group’ category and was named ‘Runner Up of Women’s Group of the Year 2013’
  • Wirral Business Awards 2014: WEB CM named runner up for Business Person of Year Award
  • NIACE Adult Learner Awards 2015: WEB CM named runner up for Tutor of the Year Award 2015
  • Wirral Business Awards 2015: WEB’s New Apprentice was shortlisted to final 3 Apprentice of the Year
  • Wirral 3rd Sector Business Awards 2015: WEB named runner up in Project of the Year Category
  • Wirral Connect 2016: WEB awarded Carer Connections Award for 2016

Unique Atmosphere

Another unique factor of WEB’s services is the understanding; acceptance and welcome that all service users/new volunteers receive from WEB staff, volunteers and trustees; along with non judgemental attitude, and respect. Both partner organisations, other professionals and service users all state that they have felt completely welcomed and respected from the minute they have walked through our doors. We believe that our ‘homely atmosphere’ knocking on front door of a house to welcoming homely interior is important in breaking down barriers to accessibility for many of our service users. WEB believes in up-skilling its service users, staff and volunteers in order to enhance their personal and professional development to enable them to get the most out of life. WEB believes that each individual is ‘their own best expert’ on their wants and needs, and that with the correct support, encouragement, time and training they will be encouraged to ‘problem solve and find solutions’ to their individual situations. WEB has ground rules in place that discourage gossip or negative talk, but encourages positive attitude, positive role models who can encourage others on their journey to empowerment and change.

Volunteering Opportunities

A major part of our work at WEB is up-skilling local people to volunteer within their own community in a variety of ways. WEB has a comprehensive package of training that supports all volunteer’s personal and professional development. Volunteering Opportunities at WEB includes the following:

  • Fundraising
  • Drop-In Support Worker
  • Open Day Events/Presentations
  • 1:1 Listening Service
  • Counselling Volunteer (Final Year Diploma Students)
  • Work Placements (Student Social Workers/Nursing/Health)
  • Administration/Office Support
  • IT/Website/Marketing
  • Gardening & Maintenence
  • Training Facilitators
  • Holistic Therapies
  • Youth Support Work
  • Bookwork/Accountancy
  • Statistical/Evaluation Work/Research

●Charity No: 1045403 Company No: 3036531

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