Women often have a range of issues in their lives including violence and abuse, financial, employment and legal issues, but it can be hard for them to access the support they need across multiple agencies and there is a lack of joined-up, holistic, women-centred services. Many groups and organisations are doing good work with and for women, but many are small and are not well-connected or supported.
With partners across England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, the Labyrinth Project aims to support women’s centres, women’s groups and networks to help them, and the women they support, to emerge stronger from the damage that the COVID-19 pandemic is having on women’s lives.
The Labyrinth Project is funded through the Tampon Tax by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). Led by Solace Women’s Aid, it is a partnership of organisations working in 9 local areas in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland alongside national training and advocacy organisations including Rights of Women, Surviving Economic Abuse and Working Chance.
Labyrinth intends to contribute to system change for women by building capacity and forging stronger networks of support and shared learning locally and nationally. The work is starting by mapping the support currently available in local areas, building networks and increasing the influence of the women’s sector on local strategy and decision making.
The Empowering Women Fund is the Labyrinth Project's grants scheme, providing funding to support women’s organisations to develop innovative ways of empowering women in their local area and build the capacity of small organisations.
A Women’s Centre of Excellence is being developed through the Project to support and sustain the women’s sector into the future.
DMSS is Labyrinth’s learning and evaluation partner.