Cambridge Women’s Resources Centre (CWRC) is a welcoming and accessible space empowering women to reach their full potential and create positive changes for themselves, their families and the communities they live in. The Centre provides a host of holistic services, specialised information, emotional and practical support and advice on challenging day-to-day issues through one-to-one sessions and group workshops in Cambridge and Peterborough.

Training
The Centre helps women gain experience, learn new skills and develop confidence in order to enter into employment and enterprise through accredited training courses, art and craft workshops and community learning. CWRC’s volunteer programme is an essential contribution to the work of the Centre enabling women to network, socialise, share skills, and build confidence and self-esteem. Learners find that the training programme is a good introduction to formal learning and the classes help them to overcome common barriers in accessing educational opportunities, for example with language skills, childcare needs, unemployment, cultural needs, health issues including mental health, learning and physical disabilities, low levels of confidence and non-achievement in mainstream education.

CWRC also offers careers guidance activities for women entering or returning to work including volunteer led sessions with expert business professionals who can help with a range of issues from writing or improving a CV to developing interview techniques and time management. The popular Future Options programme provides an introduction to volunteering, which can often be the first step back into work for many women.

Drop-in Facilities
Located in Central Cambridge at the heart of the Mill Road area, the Centre and its services are accessible to all women in the community with disabled access and links to public transport routes. The safe and welcoming drop-in facilities provide a calm and peaceful environment where visitors can relax in the coffee room, loan books from the library and make use of the free Internet facilities for job search activities, accessing Home Link and communicating with family and friends. Furthermore, an onsite crèche provides high-quality OFSTED registered childcare.

The Dawn Project
The Dawn Project is an initiative delivered by Cambridge Women’s Resources Centre for women in Cambridge and Peterborough who are or have been in the criminal justice system, or who are at risk of offending. Working closely with the Probation Service the project supports women with a range of complex needs through a personalised and coordinated multi-layered approach. The project supports women with accommodation, skills, health, anxiety, stress, anger, drugs and alcohol, finance and benefits, children, attitudes, domestic violence and sex working. The Centre has seen a decrease in reoffending rates with women making constructive changes for the better, leading to improved social cohesion, social interaction and quality of relationships.

Cambridge Women’s Resources Centre encourages and facilitates a sense of friendship and companionship, free of prejudice and discrimination, in an uplifting environment.