WE ARE A REFLECTION OF OUR COMMUNITY...
Our dedication to changing the lives of women doesn't start and stop at business and personal development. For years we have been working side by side our communities to create impact and inspire positive change, but there is still work to be done.
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We are always making new connections and links and looking out for people who are ready to roll their sleeves up and get stuck in. If you want to get involved with any of our projects, please get in touch. We'd love to hear from you!
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As well as our amazing projects we also offer key services for business and marketing, training room hire, studio hire, workspace hire and coaching and mentoring.
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2022 PROJECTS
Womanhood: Dance Project
We use dance as an expressive art form to depict the joys, the rage, the pain, the sensuality, and the burdens of being a woman in today’s society.This project aim build the confidence and self-esteem of our users as we explore their hidden depths. So, whether they were an experienced dancer or a beginner this project was all centred around movement and it's ability to heal, restore, express and support women in regaining their power.
Womanhood: Dance Project
We worked with women from various walks of life to flex their creative muscles, let their imagination flow and spiralling thoughts to paper in this light and friendly creative writing workshop.
We encouraged women through spoken & written word, to explore the joys, the rage, the pain, the sensuality, and of being a woman. To define, celebrate, and express their womanhood.
2021 PROJECTS
Money Awareness Project
So many women have struggled with job losses whilst lock-down after lockdown has seen a significant rise in on-line spending. Women tell us they are drowning under debt and finances are “out of control”. The money club will support us all to review our income and expenditure, practice budgeting and thrift, manage debt and create an affordable savings plan.
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As women we deserve to live a life without financial worries.
Job Club
The Shakti Job Club can help you with local employment support when you need it. You will receive individualised support and you will be a part of a women-only tribe where you’ll build your skills and confidence to navigate the workplace. Over the next 12 months we will offer a delightful and engaging menu of work related skills, including confidence building, understanding your unique selling points (USP), the importance of networking & allies, understanding your learning styles, dressing for success, communication & team building skills.
Bun & Say Cheese
Women's Marketing Project
​Shakti is dedicated to helping the most vulnerable in the community and during lockdown and one of those groups were our elders, who told us they were lonely, isolated and sometimes living in fear of the world around them. This project was dedicated to supporting our elders (men and women) in North West Birmingham who were worried about the future and afraid for their safety and that of their loved ones. So we've found a way to bridge the gap. We are offered activity packs, food parcels which we delivered safely to their door, as well as one-to-one telephone counselling. This project was highly-valued by more than fifty elders, who enjoyed hot nutritious food but more so the knowledge that their community cared.
During the lockdown many valuable organisations closed down their doors, including women's organisations dedicated to supporting women in all areas and stages of their lives. Eventhough, this was the case many new organisations emerged.
We were determined to know who was still out there and how we could help by shining a light on their amazing work.
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During the course of this project we:
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Identified almost 200 organisations
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Created the women2women consortium Established the 202 club
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Offered mentoring and marketing support to a further 20 organisations.
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Offered free bid writing workshops to 103 organisations
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Provided 17 women with our confidence building workshops
Although this project has come to an end if you know of any women's organisations interested in being interviewed please email us we would love to talk to them.
Women Walking on Water
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Water has so many benefits, not just for the skin and the body but for the soul too. It nourishes us in so many ways. When we feel overwhelmed, we might light some candles, run a nice hot bath and soak away our sorrows. Well, we have launched a project all about water and wellbeing, aimed to get women walking and talking around Birmingham’s beautiful canals and to write creatively about water and its healing properties. Due to the new lockdown restrictions, we have been unable to gather to do our weekly group walks, but that doesn’t mean we won’t walk. So, join our Facebook community page where we will be sending in pictures of our individual walks.​
Weekly Coffee Mornings
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Open to all women, our weekly Coffee Mornings are a safe space for women to talk, share, laugh and just be themselves. It takes place online and is usually hosted by our wonderful facilitator, Claudette, but is currently hosted by Danielle. Once lockdown eases, we will be hosting the coffee mornings in-person at our beautiful venue on Newhall Street. To register to receive the weekly Zoom links, please email hello@shaktiwomen.com and if you are't familiar with Zoom, someone will give you a call to assist.​
2020 PROJECTS
Lockdown Diaries
Since March 2020 we have been collecting your stories. The fears, the armpit beards (we know!), the losses and the triumphs that so many women have dealt with, as well as the new discoveries we have made about ourselves in this period of intense self-refection. If you have a poem, piece of prose, or anything to share, we want to hear it. Send it to womanlywords@shaktiwomen.com.
Body Love: Girls Club
This year our workshops were on self-care. We danced, we designed, we had a playful photoshoot and we painted our portraits onto canvas. The four days of sessions were designed to encourage self-love and self-reflection. Follow @shaktigalz for motivational messages designed by and for ShaktiGalz.
Past Projects
2019 You Go Girls: Girls' Club
A summer of participation, activity, consultation and fun that included rock-climbing, outdoor games, yoga, meditation, and so much more, all designed to build confidence and raise aspirations.
2019 The Misogyny Trials
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We want to see more women writing and published. It began with creative writing workshops, it ended with 130 women, 10 plays, 3 sell-out performances, over 30,000 community engagements on-line and regional BBC radio coverage. You can help to support our artists and future creations by purchasing your copy of these powerful plays by women, for women from our 'Treats' page.
2018 Womanly Words & Girls Confidence & Aspirations
This year we are ran our second Womanly Words project that included workshops in creative writing, script writing, poetry and prose bringing our unique voices to life.
We ran our second second year of Girls Club, engaging with girls aged 8 - 12 and 13-16 over the Easter & Summer holidays. We covered body confidence, writing your future, social media and finding your mojo.
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2017 Girls Leadership Pilot
Our girls start out with so much potential but often they loose confidence through their school years. We want to help them identify their innate leadership potential and to begin the journey of nurturing their growth and development.
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2016 Bring a Book to Dinner
All year we asked women about their favourite stories and the ones they read to their daughters. As usual we wanted books with strong female characters. The year culminated with a celebration of our books over a delicious 4 course dinner.
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2015 Womanly Words.
This was a series of writing and spoken word workshops designed to encourage more women and girls to write. 245 women and girls participated in our workshops which included confidence building, script writing, poetry, storytelling and Spoken word. The project produced 100 copies of an anthology of poetry and included 20 new writers. Shakti Women also donated £250 to the best writer.
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2014 Books for Women and Girls.
This project evolved from the mentoring programme and raised over £700 for schools to purchase more books with powerful female characters. It culminated with an event Bring a Book to Dinner, where attendees shared discussions about their favourite empowering books.
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2013 Girls Mentoring project, Mosaic.
This project encouraged women to volunteer, train and mentor girls at primary schools across Birmingham.
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2012 Snowden Challenge.
This project was a challenge to 8 women to make the climb and overcome their fears.
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2011 Soup and Socks.
This project encouraged women across the city to donate soup and socks to the homeless.
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2010 Active Women.
A health programme to encourage more women to exercise and eat healthier food. Workshops including cooking, yoga, nutrition, raw food, fitness tasters and culminated in a 5 year weekly exercise programme for women at Edgbaston reservoir.
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2008 – Leadership & Peer Mentoring Programme for Women. This project identified and trained 21 women in the skills of leadership, empowering self and others.
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2007 – Your Time to Shine Talent Show.
This project identified 5 girls aged 16 – 19, and supported them to develop the skills of project management, marketing, financial management and team working. The girls in turn worked with the artists to improve confidence and their performances. The project was a huge success culmination in a show celebrating 20 young artists and attracting an audience of over 100 at the Mockingbird Theatre in Digbeth.
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