New Step For African Community. WHO WE ARE: A Refugee Community Organisation working across Greater Manchester, with 11 years of experience. OUR FOCUS:

New Step For African Community

WHO WE ARE:

A Refugee Community Organisation working across Greater Manchester, with 11 years of experience.

OUR FOCUS:

•COMMUNITY-LED PROJECTS DEVELOPMENT - Education: Bespoke trainings- Employment: Job Club

•VOLUNTEERING SCHEME

•CAMPAIGNING

•WELLBEING PROGRAMME


THE WELLBEING PROGRAMME

“SUPPORT OUR SISTERS” PROJECT(SOS)

“Dedicated to engaging FGM/C communities, using a holistic approach to positively change and improve life chances for young girls and women who went through FGM/C and those at risk of

FGM/C”.


SOS CLINICS (Psychosocial Support Services)- This is a confidential service -

•Women only Group / Individual Therapy

•Support to affected families

•Health and Wellbeing activities

•Referral and signposting to relevant agencies

•Referral to specialist services / Clinics for de-infibulation (reversal of Type III FGM) or other examinations

•Bilingual staff and volunteers available

•Partnership work with other agencies / services


SOS EDUCATION “To increase insight and understanding of FGM/C for lay community members and professionals who

are likely to come into contact with women who have, or are likely to be exposed to the practice”.

•FGM Awareness Training (Half day programme)

•FGM Awareness Training (Full day programme)

•Introduction to basic cultural counselling skills on FGM (2 full day programme)

•FGM Peer Mentor Counselling Training (3 full day programme)

•FGM Awareness Training for school staff and children (secondary school)

•Internships / Research and Policy Development / Publications


SOS Community Engagement Initiative“Our Voice, Our Future”

“Empower young girls and women of the FGM/C practising communities to renounce the practice and prevent abuse”.

•Become an FGM/C Community Ambassador

•Become an FGM/C Community Youth Advocate

•Raise awareness and campaign against FGM/C

•Hold Awareness-Raising events to tackle FGM/C


SOS Recent Achievements:

•3 year Pilot project (2012 – 2015): provision of psychosocial support (research results will be disseminated in June 2015)

•44 women seen for individual cultural counselling in the last 12 months

•63 women joined SOS women’s groups in the last 12 months

•Established 3 FGM Women's Groups in Manchester

•SOS Clinic based in St Mary’s Hospital

•Youth Advocates campaign: 12 youths each year

•FGM Awareness Training delivered to 33 agencies in Lancashire and Cheshire in the last 12 months


SOS Recent Achievements:

•Introduction of FGM Awareness Training at the University of Salford as an optional course

•New Community Initiative “Our Voice, Our Future”: 8 Community Ambassadors trained in July 2014

•2 publications on FGM and psychological impacts:International Journal of Mental health Nursing (Feb. 2014)

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/inm.12060/full &Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology (October, 2014) http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02646838.2014.949641

•Visit from International Development Minister Lynne Featherstone at NESTAC: http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/91921/government-minister-lynne-featherstone-praises-female-genital-mutilation-charity-on-visit-to-rochdale


‘The International Charter is calling for the eradication of FGM practice within a generation’.

“Yes, we can!”

THANK YOU!

NESTAC - Always Hope, Never Give Up!

To find out how you can get involved in SOS projects to tackle FGM and support the project

please visit us at:

www.nestac.org

or contact us at: [email protected] or call: 07862 279289


Documents

New Step For African Community. WHO WE ARE: A Refugee Community Organisation working across Greater Manchester, with 11 years of experience. OUR FOCUS: