Having been awarded £500,000 in National Lottery Funding, enough to financially support the organisation for the next three years, POW Nottingham has announced its reopening. As a safe space in Nottingham, they support the rights of sex workers and those at risk of being exploited. We chatted to CEO Helen West about their impact, vision and the value of specialist services for those in the sex industry.
What does POW mean to you as a charity?
POW provides people with safety, dignity and choice. What matters most to me is that POW creates a safe place for people to belong whilst supporting their journey forwards.
Tell us about the services you provide – who accesses your service and why?
POW provides trauma-informed, holistic support to people involved in the sex industry, many of whom face multiple forms of disadvantage and marginalisation. With support from partner organisations, POW provides both drop-in sessions on site as well as outreach services across the city, ensuring service availability in an environment that suits the individual. We provide practical help, advocacy, health and wellbeing support, and a safe space where they can access trusted advice without judgement.
Our role is to ensure they can access support in a way that is flexible, compassionate and responsive to their individual circumstances.
You were temporarily closed before receiving Lottery funding - can you talk a bit about this period of the service. Why did you close and what was the bidding process for funding?
To ensure the future viability of the organisation, POW’s board took the difficult decision to temporarily suspend its operations to focus on understanding its funding and staffing strategy.
Whilst difficult decisions were made during this time, these were necessary to protect the long-term future of the service. Alongside this work, we developed a new organisational strategy and submitted a ‘National Lottery Reaching Communities’ funding application; the funding process was highly competitive and required us to demonstrate both community need and organisational readiness. It also gave us an opportunity to clearly articulate our impact, vision and the value of specialist services like POW. We were pleased to announce the awarding of this funding earlier in the year and we look forward to announcing the resuming of full POW operations before the end of the year.
Statistics show you were able to deliver over 20,000 condoms to on and off-street workers in the space of one year. What other provisions will the recent funding provide to your service users?
Funding enables us to continue to deliver the practical resources that many people rely on to stay as safe as possible, including sexual health and harm-reduction supplies. It also supports wider wellbeing services by helping us rebuild capacity and strengthen our staff team.
Specialist organisations like POW provide services that many people would otherwise struggle to access. Our work reaches communities who can be overlooked, excluded or reluctant to engage with mainstream services
Importantly, the funding is not only about responding to immediate needs, it allows us to invest in longer-term support that helps people build confidence, increase their safety, improve their wellbeing and access opportunities that lead to greater independence and choice.
As you drive change into the sex industry, how do you deal with the stereotypes that surround this line of work?
Stereotypes can prevent people from seeking support and make it harder for them to access services, housing, healthcare and justice.
At POW, we focus on listening to people's lived experiences rather than making assumptions about them. Our approach is non-judgemental, trauma-informed and rooted in respect. At the centre of POW’s strategy is our model of empowerment, which will form the basis of everything we do, including participating and leading in wider conversations on sex work in the UK and supporting plans to improve conditions nationwide.
Can you tell us how POW caters to students and what advice would you give to a younger person seeking help here?
Like many specialist organisations, we support adults from a wide range of backgrounds, including younger adults and students where appropriate.
We recognise that younger people may be worried about being misunderstood or judged, but our advice to any young person considering contacting POW would be simple: please reach out. You do not have to deal with difficulties or challenges alone.
Your website shares that POW hosts events and workshops, with examples from the past such as decorating bakes and self-defence classes. Who are these events aimed at, and how do they help within the community?
Our events and workshops are designed to bring people together in a safe, supportive and welcoming environment. They help reduce social isolation, encourage confidence and give people opportunities to learn new skills and build positive relationships. For many people, attending an informal event can be the first step towards building trust, accessing support and becoming part of a supportive community network.
How important is it that POW gets the recognition and support it deserves?
Specialist organisations like POW provide services that many people would otherwise struggle to access. Our work reaches communities who can be overlooked, excluded or reluctant to engage with mainstream services.
Recognition and support are vital for the future of the organisation and the support required by individuals in the area – we are grateful for the partnerships, organisations and stakeholders who continue to raise our profile and support the work of POW.
Providing a safe and open service is vital for people who feel they cannot report incidents to the police. Do you often deal with people coming to your help for this reason?
Many people who access our services have had difficult experiences and may have concerns about how they will be treated when reporting incidents through traditional channels.
POW provides a safe space where people can talk openly about their experience and explore options without fear of judgement. Whilst we encourage people to access appropriate support and reporting mechanisms where they feel able to do so, our role is to ensure they are informed, supported and empowered to make decisions that are right for them.
POW Nottingham is situated at 16 Independent St, Radford, Nottingham NG7 3LN. Get in contact via 01115 924 9992 or email admin@pow-advice.co.uk.
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