The Centre for Youth & Criminal Justice (CYCJ) and the University of Strathclyde were commissioned by the Robertson Trust in 2015 to undertake an exploration of the development of women’s spaces.
The Robertson Trust initially conducted research into existing women’s centres in England and Northern Ireland. They found that, whilst a joined up model of delivery could support women in the criminal justice system, there was a risk of further stigmatising them within their communities by adopting an approach that focussed on their offending. It was suggested that a more holistic approach, which provided support to women experiencing tough times within a wider community setting, could provide better results.
Two thematic summaries present findings on the development of Heart and Soul, a women’s initiative in Cumnock, and Kairos, a developing women’s space in Johnstone, to understand how they have progressed and the critical factors required to support such an approach.