This pioneering programme led by Advance provides vital support for young women and girls who have experienced or who are at risk of domestic abuse. We intervene at the earliest opportunity to help them escape harm and fulfil their aspirations.
This vital work, funded by the Mayor of London’s Violence Reduction Unit (VRU), builds on Advance’s existing work with young women and girls in London, which has highlighted the critical importance of supporting young women and girl survivors at the earliest opportunity to help them lead safe and positive lives.
Working with our partners Chance UK, Working Chance and the Woman’s Trust, we will support young women and girls who identify as female or non-binary young people assigned female at birth between the ages of 9 to 25, through:
- one-to-one support,
- mentoring
- group work.
Aiming to build their trust, self-identity, and confidence, as well as the skills and ability to recognise when and where to go for support.
The service works in the in the London boroughs of Hammersmith & Fulham, Brent, Newham, Tower Hamlets, Hackney, Camden, Islington, and Westminster.
We work with young women and girls who are at risk of domestic abuse and have one or more other risk factors, including:
- Mental ill-health,
- Deprivation,
- Alcohol and drug use,
- Risk of becoming NEET (risk of/exclusion, low school attendance),
- Risk of exploitation and/or risk of contact with the criminal justice system.
To make a referral to the Maia & Lift service, please use our Case Consultation Request form
For more information on the Maia service, email maia@advancecharity.org.uk or call 0800 0590117
The Maia Service:
Advance leads on the Maia service, which supports young women and girls aged 13 to 25 with mentoring and support, both through group work and one-to-one sessions. We walk alongside young women and girls to build their trust, self-identity and confidence, and increase their skills and ability to recognise when and where to go for support.
Where appropriate, young women and girls within the programme will also be able to get employment support and advice from Working Chance, a charity supporting women with convictions to find jobs and careers, as well as mental health support from Woman’s Trust, a specialist charity providing free counselling and therapy for women who have experienced domestic abuse.
To make a referral to the Maia & Lift service, please use our Case Consultation Request form
Once completed, please send to maia@advancecharity.org.uk (non-secure) or maia@advance.cjsm.net. If returning a completed form to our non-secure email address, please ensure it is password-protected.
The Lift Programme:
Chance UK, which supports children to develop social and emotional skills, delivers the Lift programme, delivering mentoring to young women and girls from the age of nine to 25, in one-to-one sessions with professional youth workers and group work.
Marketing materials:
For more information on the Maia service, email maia@advancecharity.org.uk or call 0800 0590117
The partners:
Chance UK:
Offers gender responsive support to girls who have experienced some form of trauma and/or girls whom may vulnerable to a range of varying factors. This programme supports girls to understand what healthy relationships are, understand what consent is and to develop an awareness of what the signs of domestic abuse are.
Eligibility criteria:
- Girls aged between 9 &13 who live in or attend a school in one of the following London boroughs Camden, Hackney, Islington, Newham, Tower Hamlets, or Westminster and have been affected by domestic abuse, gang involvement
- Girls who are struggling with mental health and wellbeing, exhibiting early signs of anxiety or depression, including having experienced adverse childhood experiences (ACEs)
- Girls in a school transition period from primary to secondary school attendance and engagement have been/are a concern
- For girls affected by domestic abuse, or gang/familial/CJS involvement and are struggling with self-esteem, healthy relationships with family/friends
- Girls who are at risk of/have experienced exclusion, exhibiting behavioural difficulties, or known/suspected gang involvement.
Woman’s Trust:
Helps women understand and overcome their experiences, so they may rebuild their capacities in order to help and safeguard themselves and their children, make positive choices and live lives from violence and abuse.
- When the clients have been referred to us, we will contact the client to book their places into the workshops.
- There will be 36 workshops for women between the ages of 16 and 25
- The workshops will be split into 2 programmes. Each programme will be repeated twice.
- One programme will be a block of 9 workshops for women aged 16-18 (which will then be repeated to allow further women to access).
- Another programme of 9 workshops will be for 19-25-year-olds
Working Chance:
Bespoke employability support for women with convictions, including
- Career coaching
- Employability skills development (interview skills, CV writing)
- Soft skills
- development (organisation and time management, confidence building for interviews, effective communication and teamwork)
- Short and long term career goal setting and action planning
Eligibility criteria:
- Women aged 18+ with a conviction. Must have sufficient level of English to understand and engage one-to-one and in small groups.