Support groups for women

An opportunity to make new friends, learn new skills and generally have a good time.

Our all-female groups are a great way to socialise and be yourself.

Improve your self-esteem and feel inspired
Increase your overall sense of wellbeing
Share experiences, and enjoy activities, crafts and chit chat with peers

We have all-female social support groups that give women a time out from their everyday problems and issues that affect them.

Run on a weekly basis, the relaxed and informal setting of our meetings means that group members enjoy a safe environment where they can 'escape' for a couple of hours to share and learn new creative skills; try out techniques to improve the health and wellbeing; meet up with friends; give structure to their week and 'sound off'.

We currently run three groups:

Time Out for Women
Somali Women's Wellbeing Group

Group members continually report that they look forward to coming along to the weekly groups as they are a fun place to lift their spirits. They also say that it makes them feel good to share their skills and have them appreciated and valued by the other members.

Groups are very much 'owned' by the members as they devise their own ground rules, structure of meetings and regularly plan the weekly content of the sessions together.

"During a very stressful time when I didn't know where to turn, who to talk to or where to go next. Time Out for Women enabled me to get some 'me time'. Without this support and other services at Wellspring I really don't know what I would have done."

Josephine

Who can benefit from our support groups?

What will I get out of it?

People continue to give a wide range of the positive outcomes from being a member of a support group. Some of the most common are:

When someone doesn't know many - or any - other people who are going through what they are, they can feel isolated and stigmatised. The group helps people with a problem or illness feel less alone and more understood.
A lot of the ladies feel empowered to work to solve their own problems.
Members can share information, keeping one another up to date on news of interest to them.
Among people who are experiencing similar problems, there is a unique emotional identification that is different from the type of support that you get from professionals.
Members act as role models for each other. Seeing others who are contending with the same adversity and making progress in their lives is inspiring and encouraging.
A support group is a safe place for someone who needs to talk about intensely personal issues, experiences, struggles, and thoughts...if they want to.
Talking to a counsellor or doctor can be very intimidating for some people, because those relationships tend to place more power with the professional. In a support group, members are equals; this can make people feel much more comfortable opening up about their problems.
Talking to others in support groups reduces anxiety, improves self-esteem, and helps members' sense of wellbeing overall.

Somali Women's Wellbeing Group

The group meets on Wednesdays from 1.30pm – 3.30pm, and a free crèche is available (priority is given to those in most need). The group brings women together to chat and to sew.

For more information and to book a place, contact Safiya

0117 304 1431

Time Out for Women

The Time Out group meets every Thursday from 10.15 am – 12 .15 pm.

Together, the group plans activities, ranging from arts through to complementary therapies and cooking. It is a very informal group with the main aim being to have fun and relax.