Help vulnerable families build a brighter future

Aim

To support disadvantaged families struggling thought the cost of living crisis by offering support and financial advice

What we do 

The Family Haven is an independent, local charity in Gloucester helping parents and their pre-school children by providing a warm, caring and supportive day centre where assistance and encouragement is available to help them to improve the quality of their lives. Our vision is a society where appropriate help and support is available to all families who need it. 

The need we address 

The majority of the families we help are unable to access existing social services and public funds. Often let down by the system, they are homeless, in unsuitable accommodation, victims of domestic violence or migrants/refugees. All are stuck in the poverty loop and isolated with little support. In many cases our clients’ circumstances are compounded by a legacy of trauma, loneliness, mental health problems, and substance abuse. Around 25% of our parents suffer with poor mental health including severe anxiety, depression, OCD, PTSD and self-harm. Often they have nowhere else to turn.

One of the most important things The Family Haven does is bring people together. The families we help, are almost always those people who have slipped through the cracks in society. Unable to access existing services for a variety of reasons, they find themselves isolated and generally they have no means of support. At The Family Haven we break down those barriers. We provide a safe space for people to make friends and those friends become a community of people who with our help, support one another. People who attend our centre become empowered to move towards a better future. Some of our many success stories includes parents who have gained the confidence to go on to study and take roles such as social workers, nurses, nursery nurses, yoga teachers and more.

Why we need your help

We seek to secure funding to support disadvantaged families struggling through the cost of living crisis and we need your help so we can deliver the practical and emotional support families in crisis need.  We will deliver personal development classes, covering a wide range of topics, including financial advice, information regarding benefits, English classes and help with CV’s and training. 

Through this project, we help the parents not only to be more independent and self-assured, but we aim to empower them through support to make the decisions which can benefit their life. 

We will also work with partner organisations to ensure the widest possible reach within the community. We had built good relationships with other organisations who will be able to offer bespoke financial advice and one to one support. 

Impact 

The project will benefit 60 - 80 families per year and we hope to achieve the following outcomes: 

• Our clients will have higher self-esteem. They will gain confidence to take the first steps to taking control of their chaotic lives and become more financially independent 
• They will learn how to engage with others and other services they would not access when they first arrived at The Family Haven. 
• Our clients will learn more about themselves. They will find and appreciate their hidden strengths. 
• They will learn how to deal with anxiety and develop coping strategies. 
• Our clients will have improved motivation. They will have improved communication and listening skills. 

This project successfully funded on 23rd December 2022