Founder of Rivers LPC, Jeredyne Stanley, shares the story behind her organisation and explains how culturally and linguistically appropriate support is vital for the women in its community.
What’s the story behind Rivers LPC?
“Out of every woman is a river (life) waiting to flow”. I believe that women carry within them a life source that can flow into the community, through the nations, and ultimately affect the world. When they come together, women can influence significant change. Just as when rivers come together they can change a landscape.
In some parts of the world, being born a woman means your life path is already decided for you. You take your first step on the path the minute you take your first breath.
My advocacy for women is influenced by my lived experience and struggles of sexism, racism, xenophobia, and being a single mother. I am influenced by the path my life has taken. I am firm about the rationale that the river within me needs to be allowed to flow; as well at the rivers within other women.
What does Rivers do?
Rivers LPC was founded 11 years ago, as a result of the disappointment at the lack of support for local women in the wider community. Rivers’ model of advocacy is beneficiary-led. Rivers LPC is made up of women wisely chosen for their passion, dedication, and willingness to make a difference to another woman’s life. We are able to support each other as a team. We are also willing to be accountable to each other as we work together.
Rivers has built trust in the local community as we work proactively with local women. Hopefully, the river living in them can flow out and join the community and build it up.
Who do you support?
We work with all women, especially those who do not feel confident in approaching established institutions for support. Most of our clients are migrants. Some women we support for years, while others come to us intermittently or only need one-off advice. We support all women but most need more support than others. Some are broken, some are breaking and some are nearing breaking point. Rivers’ aim is to support, signpost and try to piece together the women’s wellbeing in a safe space. Therefore, Rivers does a lot of signposting and community integration. We fill a gap that other organisations do not prioritise. By the time women get to Rivers they have been victims of the system; a system that should protect all.
What kinds of support does Rivers LPC provide?
Our support is bespoke and tailored to the women we deal with. Cultural empathy sits at its heart and we take an informal approach. We have evolved over the years to provide informal, diversified approach to our support. This includes English classes, employability programmes, DV awareness, financial abuse, mentoring workshops, coffee mornings, community groups meetings, and cultural awareness programmes.
We appoint community champions who go out to the ethnic community they live in and promote Rivers’ services among their own people.
What are some of the specific issues facing women?
Women affected by No Recourse to Public Funds
This legislation has a worse impact on women with childcare needs. Having a conditional immigration status or being allowed to work but denied access to any form of public funds or assistance makes it difficult for women to find sustainable employment. They therefore have no independent income or savings.
Dorothy has been volunteering for a local charity for five years. She was offered leave to remain in August 2020, just after the first lockdown ended. As she is not entitled to benefits, Dorothy has to look for work at a time when there is hardly any work available. Dorothy has a family to look after.
Similar stories:
“I can’t get a job because they say I don’t have any experience in this country.” – Kate
“I’m not able to get a full-time job because I don’t have anywhere to leave my baby. I’m not entitled to free childcare hours that the government gives.”- Abigail
“I am entitled to work, but the Home Office has not released all my documents. My husband and I are struggling as tentative employers will not accept the information we have that I can be employed. We can barely afford anything else after our rent is paid.” – Zari
To get out of this situation, many women will settle for the type of jobs that can be easily accessed, usually flexible but with exploitive conditions.
One woman we support told us that by the time she has paid for rent and childcare, she hardly has anything left for food. Another explained:“even though I paid for healthcare when applying for my visas, it would have been helpful to have access to a fund that would help secure housing.”
Not having this type of support often means that the choice of housing and the neighbourhood these women live in is decided by economics and finances.
What are the common domestic issues with women on NRPB who have no work?
Some of the abuse that some women have experienced includes, but isn’t limited to…
- Having to give sex (to their spouse/partner) in exchange for money to buy nappies or clothes for the baby or children, to support the family, or before utilities are paid for
- Being banned from going out with friends
- Threats to call the police and make false accusations of violence or report anger issues
- Diagnosed with a mental illness rather than receiving support for anxiety
- Threats to withdraw support for the next visa application
- Personal property being stolen ; frightened of reporting theft as a crime
- Children being recruited by drug dealers because parents can’t afford to financially support their children.
Women and domestic violence
Many of our clients are living in a domestic abuse situation but are not aware. Others find the phrase ‘domestic abuse’ very distasteful.
Women will often come to us having been already socially and economically marginalised. They face pressure from their immediate communities which makes it more difficult for them to recognise abuse. Even when they do, they would prefer a different definition and may just want the abuse to stop. If support is to be given there is also the communication and cultural barrier to consider.
Even when some of these women know where to get help from, there may be a lack of culturally or linguistically appropriate support available. Some women need support from others who share the same culture and language as them.
This is an important factor in building a level of trust and understanding to help women navigate support services.
Living in fear during the COVID19 lockdown
“If I take the voucher and food parcel, will that be classed as benefits?” was the most asked question during the COVID19 lockdown.”
With the threat of a criminal record hovering over them if they accept ‘benefits’, many families with NRPB visas went hungry rather than seek or accept support from established charities.
This is because they may not be familiar with the difference between a charity, organisation and government.
How did you adapt your services during Covid-19?
We refocused our aims and goals during the pandemic. As Rivers already has the experience of having a culturally empathetic approach, we were able to focus on keeping women safe, providing food parcels, food vouchers, as well as hygiene packages. We also host digital skills workshops which have been a big help for the women we support.
Visit Rivers LPC’s website, follow them on Twitter, and join Jeredyne on LinkedIn.