Women's Advisory Group - part of the NRPF Womens Network

 

Co-production is such a vital part of our work. In 2022 we embarked on a 3-year-long project, led by Womens Aid in partnership with Central England Law Centre, Refugee Migrant Centre, Roshni and the British Red Cross, working together until Jan 2025 to tackle issues faced by women who have No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) and experience or are at risk of experiencing domestic abuse.

 

Our role in the partnership is actively receiving guidance and consultation from the women the partnership work with, to ensure that our services are well-adapted to their needs and experiences. We will also work with the network to address the structural issues that mean women are stuck in destitution and statelessness. 

 

Funded by the Smallwood Trust, we have established an advisory group for women with no recourse to public funds (NPRF) and who have experienced destitution. The advisory group is co-ordinated by us, but is led and managed by women with lived experience of domestic abuse and immigration law.

 

In the future these women will act as Community Champions, educating and informing existing networks for women in refuge, ensuring that women's voices are heard. We aim to nurture equity in each of these women's contributions, paying attention to power imbalances around nationality, age, education, confidence, mental health, and status. There will also be a training and skills development programme, co-developed with all the women who participate in the project, to encourage them to spread awareness in their communities about the work they are doing.

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Contact da.nrpf@baobabwomen.co.uk for more information on this project. 

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Women’s NRPF Network

 

Mission Statement 

 

Women with No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF), who are experiencing Domestic Abuse, are protected from destitution and homelessness. Women are supported to achieve economic stability and wellbeing through accessing a cohesive range of services that can meet their diverse needs and ambitions. 

Partners and Stakeholders will be better informed, embedding best practice from a rights-based approach across Birmingham. 
 

Values and Principles 

 

1. Providing services that are led by the needs and desires of the women. 

2. Listening to, believing in and validating women’s experiences of abuse. 

3. Working in collaboration. 

4. Centring ongoing learning to develop and improve practice responses. 

5. Focusing on systemic change.

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