Crossroads Derbyshire is a domestic abuse service supporting adults and children across the High Peak and Derbyshire Dales. Our specialist domestic abuse refuge, The Harmony Project, supports young women aged 16-24 and their children. We provide emergency accommodation and ongoing support to up to 22 young women and 16 children each year.

The Harmony Project provides holistic support to young women who have been forced to flee their homes as a result of abuse. Our support is designed to create 'Change that Lasts', providing education and tools to support vulnerable young women to be equipped to move on to a safe and sustainable future. Support includes:

- safety advice 

- access to legal support or support to report to police

- help with debts and rent arrears

- help to access benefits 

- help to set up bank accounts 

- budgeting advice eg cooking on a budget 

- support to secure long-term housing (including supported housing, social housing or private rents)

- references for future tenancies

- access to education, training and volunteering

- support with parenting, working with social services and early help teams

- support with mental health and access to GP / midwife etc.

- hands-on experience such as household tasks, gardening, cooking etc.

- self-esteem building sessions and wellbeing support

- fun outings and trips for women and their children. 

An essential part of successfully supporting vulnerable women is to create a welcoming and comfortable environment at The Harmony Project. In 2019 our building was refurbished to better meet the needs of younger women. The building is shown in the video attached. We have seen a marked improvement in engagement rates since then, and if women feel able to stay at the project rather than return to abusive relationships they are then able to benefit from our holistic support including our financial inclusion work. 

Feedback from the women at the project tells us that it is now time to improve the garden. In particular the installation of an outside garden room to be used for sessions including one to one budgeting and debt sessions will help women to open up and talk to us about what their needs are and how we can help. 

 We would like to transform the outdoor space at the Harmony Project. We want to create a homely atmosphere in our garden space where our residents can feel welcome and comfortable.

We would like to involve our residents in planning, planting and tending the garden. Activities like planting, weeding and watering can be therapeutic and recreational for adults and children who have endured trauma. The garden expands the living space of our refuge, and is used by our children’s worker to hold activities for children while mum attends counselling or group work, or searches for jobs and affordable housing.

Our priority is to install an outdoor room / summer house with lighting and heating. This would be used to deliver confidential counselling sessions, one-to-one support, activities and a quiet space for the young women in the project.

We would like to replace some of the damaged equipment and AstroTurf, and also install interactive and sensory equipment to our garden, restructure the outdoor space, and provide toys and activities for babies and toddlers.

To transform the garden at our refuge into a multifunctional space for young women and their children we would need:

• An outdoor room to be used for counselling, support sessions and craft activities
• Sensory garden plants and raised beds
• Replacement of damaged AstroTurf
• Outdoor play items suitable for babies