Charities unite to help women - Royal Gazette

Fiona McWhirter

Published Feb 24, 2019 at 5:14 pm (Updated Feb 24, 2019 at 5:14 pm)

Collaborative space: Executive director of the Women’s Resource Centre Elaine Butterfield and chairwoman of Habitat for Humanity of Bermuda Sheelagh Cooper celebrate their new location for women’s support services (Photograph by Fiona McWhirter)
Elaine Butterfield, the executive director of the Women's Resource Centre, and Sheelagh Cooper, the chairwoman of Habitat for Humanity of Bermuda at an open house to celebrate their new collaborative space for women's services (Photograph by Fiona McWhirter).
Combining resources: (left to right) Stacey Pitcher, Women’s Resource Centre treasurer; Alison Morrison, WRC governance chairwoman; Elaine Butterfield, the executive director of the WRC; Sheelagh Cooper, the chairwoman of Habitat for Humanity of Bermuda; Akilah Swan, Habitat board member; Hewvonnie Brown, project manager and board member of Habitat, celebrate their new collaborative space for women’s support services (Photograph by Fiona McWhirter).

A team of women have banded together to offer a range of support services in a single location in Hamilton.

Habitat for Humanity of Bermuda and the Women’s Resource Centre will be joined by a family law expert and counsellor at their shared premises on Hamilton’s Church Street.

The organisations wanted to create an environment where they can work together to provide support services for women.

They hosted an open house event earlier this month.

Women from all walks of life were expected to use the service and people who can volunteer time and expertise will also be welcomed.

Elaine Butterfield, the WRC executive director, said: “Our new location allows us to fulfil our vision, through our network of partnerships, to be a central hub for women’s services in Bermuda, and to magnify the impact of our programme efforts.

“Our network of partnerships includes in-house partners in the delivery of counselling, family legal services, Habitat for Humanity and external community partnerships.

“Our programmes assist women and their families in vulnerable situations including financial, social, employment, legal and health.”

She said that included professionals who needed support through problems in life and clients who would benefit from an action plan to help cope with difficulties.

Sheelagh Cooper, the chairwoman of Bermuda’s branch of Habitat, said: “Habitat for Humanity brings a key resource to the partnership as increasing numbers of women are experiencing the challenges faced by the high cost of living coupled with low wages, leaving too many of them homeless.

“Habitat is able to restore homes that were once derelict, providing an increased range of affordable housing for these women.

“We are very pleased to be a part of this wonderful collaborative, serving women and their families.”

Ms Cooper said the addition of legal services at the charities’ hub on the second floor of Sofia House will be a great help from a human rights perspective and a counsellor would also be a valuable asset.

She added: “The women who access, for example, services of the WRC or Habitat, arrive with multiple issues that they face, and often it may involve relationships that are not particularly healthy.

“Those relationships have a tendency to reduce their ability to make decisions that are in their long-term best interests, so assistance with that will be a large part of what a counsellor would offer.”

The WRC said other agencies and services have been given a guided tour of the new office.

The Centre said the venue was chosen because of its “accessibility, brightness and airiness, which allows for an atmosphere of comfort, safety and models dignity”.

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