39 years and going strong!

2019

Full strategic review with survey and stakeholder engagement; new Business Plan 2019 – Looking backwards Looking forwards
First central Government grant with £277k over three years from Ministry of Justice to support victims / survivors of sexual violence and abuse

2018

Work with 16 and 17 year old girls starts with grants from Children in Need and the Pilgrim Trust in partnership with Getaway Girls and The Market Place
Diversity and Inclusivity Award from the Maternal Maternity Alliance
New grants from The Bromley Trust to support development work and Comic Relief for work with women over 50 and the vulnerably housed at risk of violence

2017

Working from over six community venues as well as the city centre reaching more isolated women
A Service User led Theory of Change for CSA with Basis and Getaway Girls produced with grant from Centre of Expertise on child sexual abuse
New brief three session support offered by drop in, phone and email

2016

Founder WomensLivesLeeds – a partnership of 11 local women and girl’s organisations working together to empower and support women and girls across Leeds using a £2m grant from The National Lottery Community Fund.

2015

Hosted city wide workshop Child Sexual Abuse – The Challenge for mental health services?
Working with higher number of women than ever before; with more complexity.
Income reaches £300,000 for first time in history.
30th Anniversary Event held June 9th

2014

New collaboration with Home Start considering with service users a new service for women / families who have experience of repeat removals of babies / infants into care –funded by Leeds North CCG
Therapy Group for women with learning disabilities moves to weekly from monthly, offered for up to four years

2013

Supported by Solace starts specialised work with refugees and asylum seekers funded by Comic Relief.
Improves accessibility for LBGT women and expands General Service capacity with 3-year grant from Henry Smith Charity.
Service expanded to work with over 140 women weekly.

2012

Winners of British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy ‘Outstanding Research Project Award’.
Launches WomenSpace funded by Leeds North CCG to work with women who regularly and severely self harm – in partnership with Leeds Survivor Led Crisis Service, the Personality Disorder Network, and Community Links supported by Leeds Hospitals Acute Liaison Psychiatry / Self Harm Team.
Establishes MumsTalk Counselling service with three year grant from Tudor Trust to work with vulnerable mothers.

2011

Receives Jimbo’s Fund grant for work with women from postcodes LS9, 14 and 15.
Gypsy and Traveller Exchange support pilot therapeutic work in communities.
Application for registration as a charity with objectives to work with women and girls (and their families) across West Yorkshire.
Awards for All grant replaces defunct telephone and IT systems.

2010

Leeds City Council Adult Social Care service review finds “clear evidence that WCTS is providing high quality support to its client group… and is highly regarded by clients an stakeholders alike.”

2009

‘Listen to me’ project end with event: Listening to Women City–Wide Developing a Culturally Sensitive Counselling Service.

2008

Pace setters grant secured to support two BME trainee counsellors.

2007

CAMHS and Leeds City Council Therapeutic Social Wok Team collaborate with WCTS on 12 month ‘Mother’s with children in mind’ project.

2006

Offers monthly group therapy to women with learning disabilities.
Volunteering England funds development of community counselling services partnership with local community organisations Touchstone, Leeds Women’s Aid and Leeds Housing Concern.

2005

Service expanded to work with around 100 women at any one time.

2004

Substantial increase of group therapy provision.

2000

Receipt of MISG funds for minority ethnic therapist offering services in language other than English.

1999

Receipt to joint finance funds for two 3-year courses ‘Professional Training on the Impact of Race on mental Health’ receipt of counsel funding for 1-year Sexual Abuse project.

1998

Delivery of ‘The Impact of Race on Mental Health Services’ joint funded Report.

1997

WCTS featured in December edition of Harper’s and Queen as one of 12 reputable national therapy agencies.

1996

External consultancy on and clinical supervision for sexual abuse work starts.
Community Chest funds enable time–limited experience group for black female professionals.

1995

Commencement of Young Women’s Project.
Major refurbishment of premises providing extra counselling room.

1994

Receipt of Joint finance to host workshops on same and cross-cultural counselling issues.

1993

Gill Martin 1993. ‘Psychotherapy with abused women in a women’s agency’ was published in the Journal of Social Work Practice, Vol 7 No 2.

1992

Drop in service offered to Black women.

1991

Short term counselling (three to six months) offered.

1990

Drop in Service begins.
One year ‘Working with Women’ course receives accreditation from Leeds Metropolitan University.
Group work programme expanded.

1989

Group therapies for women with eating disorders starts.

1988

Training sponsored to Masters degree level.
Receipt of joint finance funds for Sexual abuse project.

1987

WCTS hosts second national conference on feminism and psychotherapy.

1986

Training course commences.
WCTS’s first publication in Women in Mind book Finding Our Own Solutions.

1985

Urban Aid and West Yorkshire County Council funding.
Move to current premises in Oxford Chambers.
WCTS’s services restricted to Leeds Metropolitan District.
Registered as Industrial and provident Society with charitable objectives.

1984

Mental Health Foundation grant awarded for women’s Self help project.

1983

Move to Leeds with Leeds Social Services Funding; workshop programme coordinator appointed.

1982

WCTS is funded in Bradford by West Yorkshire County Council offering individual, group therapy and ‘Fat is a Feminist Issue’ worksh