CAF Resilience Charities

About Women's Work

Women’s Work aims to improve the health and wellbeing of the most disadvantaged and vulnerable women in Derbyshire.

Their practical and emotional support raises the hopes, aspirations and life opportunities of women who often describe themselves as being “at rock bottom” – these women may be affected by drug and alcohol misuse, fleeing domestic abuse, and exploited through prostitution.

Like most organisations that took part in the CAF Resilience Programme, Women’s Work’s team of dedicated staff and volunteers were desperately worried that they could not meet increasing demand.

The work the charity does

The women supported by this award-winning charity have very complex lives – such as Kelly*, who was 35 when she was found sex working on the street. Kelly had a troubled childhood, scarred by abuse and instability. She left school early and became pregnant at the age of 16. Her child was removed from her care, which is when Kelly’s drug addiction set in.

When Kelly was found, she was in very poor health, so her Women’s Work project worker accompanied Kelly to hospital for numerous tests, which revealed she had terminal ovarian cancer.

Kelly’s project worker negotiated a pain-management regime with clinicians so that she could come off heroin, and arranged for her to be re-housed.

Sadly Kelly passed away three weeks after moving into her new home. Having been estranged from her family, and otherwise alone, Kelly was supported by Women’s Work until the very end.

Women's Work and CAF Resilience

Women’s Work found the early support received from CAF’s expert charity team helped them to identify and focus on their biggest challenges, building a path to organisational resilience.

CAF helped them to develop a tangible strategy that enables the charity to plan for the future, manage increased demand and diversify income so that they can do what they do best – helping the most vulnerable and disadvantaged women in Derbyshire.

*Names have been changed to protect the identity of the individuals involved.

CEO of Women's Work Derbyshire , Dionne Reid, speaks to us about taking part in the CAF Resilience programme.