Reach drop-in – a place to be yourself
Communications Officer, Eli Regan, visits the Reach drop-in, a service for those with statutory homeless duty within Manchester City Council, and experiences a camaraderie between staff and service users.
Meditative colouring books, a brew, a biscuit, and an intellectual conversation.
These are features of the Reach drop-in, a service run by Manchester Women’s Aid, every Friday which helps service users access support with housing, advice about domestic abuse and many other networks through domestic abuse workers and a series of wellbeing activities.
The women here are energetic, intelligent, and switched-on.
There’s a workshop being led by a Community Development Officer from the Greater Manchester Mental Health Foundation Trust about mindfulness and how the women could incorporate it into their lives.
Most of all, there’s lively conversation. The women talk about connecting the dots about their lives and becoming aware that not only some of their romantic relationships have been abusive, but some of their family ones.
Conversations cover neuroscience, the synergy between maths and astrology, finding ways of incorporating mindfulness through cooking, walking and exercise.
There’s talk about music: favourites include Nina Simone, Simply Red, Afrobeat music. Perspectives here are eclectic.
We talk about maternal mental health and improving wellbeing through exercise.
It’s not that their realities don’t have real problems: housing, abusive relationships, low income, and multiple disadvantages, but that this is a temporary reprieve from all that with laughter, camaraderie, and talking about “life’s plot twists” as one woman eloquently puts it.
Life’s plot twist has gathered these different women of all ages, backgrounds and experiences to contribute to something bigger than themselves – to connect, grow in confidence and navigate a complex system that at every turn can let them down.
One of the domestic abuse workers, Maisie says: “The best thing about the drop-in is its relaxed nature. It's way less structured than support sessions so they get to come and just be themselves, meet other women and have fun. They can access the domestic abuse/housing support as and when they need it, but they can also just come to switch off and not think about things for a while - it works really well.”
It’s a sentiment, that a service user echoes: “The drop-in is a place in which I can be myself and have a safe place to be creative and meet other inspirational women who have overcome adversity.”
Another woman says: “this is the most relaxed I’ve felt all week.”
Business Support Officer Sophie says: “It has been fantastic to see how many of our regular attendees have grown in confidence over the past few months, more frequently sharing their stories, supporting one another, and recognising their own strengths.”
Reach Project Manager Claire adds: “The housing clinic gives service users an opportunity to get registered and seek housing or to apply for benefits and Nawar’s support and guidance with this has been invaluable.”
The Reach project is supportive, connected and vital and the women appreciate their workers and the difference they make in their lives. I think the feeling is mutual – there’s a feeling that learning and collaboration happens across service users and professionals.
