Ross-shire, Caithness &Sutherland & Lochaber Women’s Aid have launched a new project funded by the Big Lottery Fund. The new project aims to raise awareness amongst the Eastern European community of services available and to provide support within this community to help combat homelessness as a result of domestic abuse.

The project seeks to ensure women are better supported to sustain tenancies and cope with the practical and emotional issues of being affected by domestic abuse.

The outcomes for the project are:

• More women with experience of domestic abuse will have access to information and support in relation to their housing options;
• Women with experience of domestic abuse will have increased access to practical support and advocacy;
• Women with experience of domestic abuse will have equal access to emotional support.

This project is specifically focused on working with women from Eastern European communities in the Highlands. This project recognizes the specific barriers that women from Eastern European communities face. It aims to increase the number of women from Eastern European countries who are able to access appropriate services which are sensitive to their cultural and language requirements.

Eastern European Women Support Workers contact numbers:

• Ewelina (Polish) Easter Ross & Caithness & Sutherland: 07467918503
• Justyna (Polish) Ross-shire: 07848023282
• Mihaela (Romanian) Lochaber: 07850831842

While each project worker covers a specific area if their additional language skills are required in another area then this will be arranged.