POW – Challenging Perceptions

Members of the staff teams from both Wendover House and Hillside House attended an Open Day with the local charity POW (Prostitute Outreach Work) in Nottingham on the 06.03.19, the event was both shocking and rewarding as the we learnt more about the services POW provides and issues within the city. POW operates a project called RAiSE which Homes2Inspire which complete intervention work with young girls who are at risk of child exploitation aged 15-25, the project was started when it was identified that 80% of individual involved in sex work were care leavers, the aim is that the benefit of early intervention will see this figure reduced in future years.

While visiting the POW project the staff were able to see the many different projects the service providers such as intervention work and exit plans, drug rehabilitation, employability skills training, health checks and sexual health screen. In addition to supporting young girls and women with their basic needs such as clothing, toiletries, sanitary items and food. The project also visits individuals at home and places of work, and has a van so it can complete direct work individuals who are working directly on the streets. There is still a social stigma attached the prostitution were society views them as out of site and out of mind, which can make it hard for them to access support services.

Homes2Inspire completed a collection of toiletries and sanitary products to donate to POW. You can learn more about POW amazing work and donation using the following link: http://pow-advice.co.uk/