Herstory
The Women’s
Centre began as an outcome of the United Nations International Decade
for Women. A series of Community Forums were set up and an identified
need was a Women’s Centre. The Lower Hutt City Council were instrumental
in setting up the Centre in response to this identified need. Social
Welfare and the Labour Department all helped initially, but as funding
criteria changed Lottery Welfare became the main place where we received
funding.
The Women’s
Centre has been operating since 1987 and in Knights Road since 1990.
The
House
The Women’s
Centre is situated in Knights Road and consists of a standard domestic
dwelling in a residential area that is well served by public transport
- vital because many women do not have their own transport. Women’s
Centre has responsibility to pay all insurance, rates and maintenance
of the house.
It is
important that the house retains the appearance of a welcoming home.
The centre of the house, as in many homes, is the kitchen, where a
cup of tea is always available. We have three rooms available for
workshops, meetings, counselling and massage. In addition, we have
an two offices , two toilets, a hallway for the display of pamphlets
and notices, and we have converted the garage to a creche.
The Lower
Hutt Women’s Centre Incorporated owns the house in Knights Road
with a mortgage with Prometheus Ethical Finance and have a fund raising
campaign to pay off Capital.
Details
on how we operate
The Women’s
Centre is for all women. All services, facilities and workshops are
available on a self selection basis. This is important in that women
need to choose to come. We don’t target at a specific age range,
our facilities are used by women from new born babies to any age.
The Women’s
Centre provides support, encouragement and education in a safe environment
for women. A primary aim of the centre is to provide a good environment
for communication and relationship development. Communication and
human connection is a key factor in growth and development, support
and education services and in women developing good relationships
with family, children and the wider community.
We run
a continuous range of self help groups and courses e.g., Assertiveness,
Self Esteem, Anger Management, Stress Management, Meditation, Self
Esteem for Teenage Girls, Teenage Girls Support Group, Parenting Skills,
Women’s Support Group, Self Defence. We also run a full range
of developmental and education courses/workshops which include spirituality,
creativity, self expression, health and art. Speakers on many topics
include birth, writing, unions, publishing and women’s lives.
The centre
fills a special role in that it can be quite anonymous, women can
talk, they don’t need to fit a criteria, they don’t need
assessing, they don’t need to pay. This service is used daily
and is essential for the Lower Hutt community.The centre provides
drop-in facilities. All women from all cultures and ages are welcomed
at the centre. The drop-in facilities provided are a meeting place
for women, time out space and a friendly environment for a chat and
support.
We have
therapeutic massage based at the centre, two qualified counsellors
working part time and a homeopath working two days a month.
We have
a library open to members. Information files open to all women on
topics ranging from menopause to menstruation to rape, immunisation
and cot death.
Since
1995 under a Ministry of Health contract we have been providing support
services, self esteem, drop-in facilities for women mental health
consumers. These women can and do use all the facilities we provide.
We believe
women need specific services for women only to work on issues of self
esteem, assertiveness and parenting skills.
Women
only because;
