Ormlie Young Mums Funding Boost

3rd August 2011

Ormlie Young Mums, the Thurso based project which currently provides a wide range of support and advice to thirty three young mothers in and around the town, is about to extend its services to East Caithness thanks to a successful funding package applied for by Pentland Housing Association from the Wider Role Fund.

Help and advice sessions will run in the Wick Family Centre every Friday from the 19th August between 1.00-3.00pm covering Health and Wellbeing, Fitness, Child Development, Knowing Your Rights, Housing Issues, Employment and Further Education and Confidence and Skill Building.

Partners involved in the expansion of the project are: Pentland Housing Association, The Highland Council and the NHS (through Social Work, Youth Development, Drug and Alcohol Team, Midwives, Health Visitors and Child Care Partnership), CASWA (Caithness and Sutherland Women's Aid), and the Northern Constabulary.

The target age group is young mothers between the ages 16-25, plus even younger mums, should there be any, who would also be very much encouraged to come along. Project coordinator, Ms Claire Clark, once a young mum herself, but now enjoying a leadership role says, 'Our aim is to ask all our clients to look forward from their present situation to where they would like to be in five years time. This could start with the smallest of steps, like learning the very basics of child care, but could expand in to the personal learning and achievement goals which could have life-long benefit for mother and child.'

Pentland Housing Association's subsidiary company Pentland Community Enterprises Ltd New Enterprise Manager, Miss Joanna Johnston, who progressed the funding bid, commented: 'It's been very rewarding to work with Claire Clark, she is very passionate about Ormlie Young Mums and dedicated to providing a much needed service in Caithness. Pentland Housing Association is delighted to be involved in the expansion of this project. '