Decision details

The Home Office announced a VAWG Specialist By-and-For services fund in December 2022. Organisations were eligible to bid in which provided specialist services to victims and survivors of Violence against Women and Girls – so those which provide and deliver by specialist services working within their communities and whose services are designed to meet their specific needs.

The Consortium is led by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) with partners that are delivery providers of by and for services across Greater Manchester. The funding will be awarded to 6 organisations to deliver the Consortium Hub model.

The partners are:

• Safety4Sisters – Black led organisation established in 2009 to address the exclusion of migrant women (particularly those with no recourse to public funds NRPF) from the most basic rights of safety and protection.
• NESTAC - Based in and works with Black and minoritized communities, particularly refugees and asylum seekers. A specialist provider of services around FGM, honour-based abuse and domestic servitude.
• Olive Pathway – Black survivor led organisation working with Black and minoritized communities to combat GBV and VAWG.
• Saheli – Specialist refuge providing support to women from Black, Asian, and other minoritized communities.
• Rochdale Women’s Welfare Association – Community organisation that supports Black African/Caribbean & Global Majority people of colour who are marginalised from accessing resources.
• GMIAU – Voluntary organisation that supports people subject to immigration control, offering free legal advice, representation and support services seeking asylum, refugees, children and vulnerable adults.

GMCA acted as the lead bidder on behalf of Consortium partners to provide the capacity and capability to lead and manage the bid. The Consortium partners developed the proposal outline. They are all organisations who have extensive expertise in supporting victims and survivors from black and minoritised communities and are leading organisations across Greater Manchester working within their communities. GMCA are working in partnership with them and supporting the bid as support for black and minoritised communities across Greater Manchester is both an identified priority within the GBV Strategy and a recognised gap in terms of service provision.

The HUB will be operated by the 6 organisations, and will provide services for Black, Asian, and other minoritized women and girls across Greater Manchester, including migrant women with no recourse to public funds (NRPF). Some of these women will have been subjected to domestic abuse, gender-based violence, forced marriage, immigration abuse, FGM, honour-based violence and modern slavery. This is a priority within the GM Gender Based Violence Strategy and this project will enable more victims and survivors across Greater Manchester to access appropriate services and the support that they need.

The HUB will deliver; culturally sensitive, trauma Informed counselling; culturally Sensitive, trauma informed psychosexual support; specialist help Line; specialist advocacy & support; interpretation; immigration advice; housing support/emergency accommodation, including specialist refuges; support to access police and the criminal justice system; peer support; group therapy; specialist groups for wellbeing, recovery; crisis intervention;

safeguarding referrals, risk assessments and referrals into MARAC and training and support to other professionals. The Home Office have agreed to the proposed delivery model.

Funding is confirmed until 31st March 2025

The GMCA is seeking to award £682,600 over 2 years to 6 organisations to deliver the Consortium HUB model. This will provide services for Black, Asian and other minoritised women and girls across Greater Manchester, including migrant women with no recourse to public funds (NRPF).

• £325,800 will be awarded to 6 organisations in financial year 2023/24

• £356,800 will be awarded to 6 organisations in financial year 2024/25

These funding amounts will themselves be funded via a grant agreement between the Home Office & GMCA specifically intended to deliver the Consortium HUB model to support Black, Asian and other minoritised women and girls across Greater Manchester, including migrant women with no recourse to public funds (NRPF).