Development Manager Rosie Robinson spoke to us about a busy year and the changing face of Leeds Women's Aid.

What brought about all the changes?

This last year has been one of radical change at LWA in terms of development and growth. It was a transformation that came about from feedback from women and children who use our services as well as staff. It also came from the need to change.

All of our refuges were seriously run down, old and institutionalised. All facilities were shared and we found that people would only use us when absolutely desperate, and then they would stay only a short time. We had a high rate of voids which was problematic in terms of fundraising as we had no way of proving what we were doing was essential. In effect we were failing the women who came to us.

Then, two years ago the board of trustees made the decision to appoint a Development Manager, with the remit of moulding a service that would reflect the aspirations of its users. I am now two years into that three year post and the change and improvement in the service has been dramatic.

What changes have been made?

From April 2002 we were able to offer 24 hour staff cover in all of our refuges. This had two primary effects. The first was that because the women felt safer and more supported by having 24 hour access to staff they started to stay longer. The other was out increased ability to deal with women with more pronounced needs such as mental health or substance abuse issues. This became possible through partnership working with other organisations such as the advice Voluntary Sector Mental Health Forum, the Drugs Action Team for Leeds, the West Leeds Community Drug Service and also establishing regular visits from a medical consultant and a psychiatrist to support and assist with women who self harm. Of course, expanding in these areas also meant setting up the relevant training and policy support for staff.

In January to March this year, we also opened up three new safe houses. This was radical departure from the traditional ‘refuge’. The houses are rented from a housing association, and furnished and equipped by us, for women and children. In April we returned our smallest refuge back to the Housing Association in exchange for 4 more safe houses. One, with good facilities to suit a disabled woman, or woman with disabled child. Between April and December we will increase this number to seventeen.

Like all the refuges they 24 access to staff and is secure, but it means that we are able to offer a real alternative for some of the groups of women who traditionally have not responded well to the larger communal refuges. Women such as travellers, lesbians or those from ethnic minorities. This also allows for women with older male children who cannot normally be accommodated in a traditional refuge setting.

How are you meeting the cost of change?

In March the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister set aside £17m to fund new refuges for women fleeing violence and a national freephone helpline. We applied for part of those funds to re-model one existing refuge into 10 self-contained flats of 1,2,3 and 4 bedrooms, but were originally turned down on the basis that we were an existing service. We lobbied for the money on the basis that the service we were proposing was such a radical change as to constitute a new service, and were eventually successful in securing 90% funding. It is up to us to fundraise for that additional 10%.

Finally, most importantly, is it working?

The feedback from the women and children using our services has been incredibly positive. The houses are clean, furnished and safe- everything a home should be. We have been full for months now, and turnover is low, showing women are staying longer and not returning to abusive partners. Demand for our service has increased by 35% in the last year and I do not think this represents a rise in domestic violence, but rather, at last that we are offering a valid and viable choice of services for the women and children who seek our assistance.