Saathi House

Saathi House - Over 40 years of community social action. Saathi House is committed to engaging with residents in North Birmingham through social advocacy, training and opportunity; with a strong focus on community arts and social empowerment. Saathi House was established in 1977 in response to the emerging problems of immigration and new arrivals into the Ladywood area of Birmingham (in particular Aston, Lozells and Perry Barr). It is one of the longest standing charity organisations in Aston. Formerly known as the St James Language Project, Saathi House has developed into a well-loved community centre at the heart of Aston serving the whole community. Over the last four decades it has become a trusted and well respected organisation "Saathi" means friendly companion, and reflects the ethos of the centre, a place where local people meet to complement each other. Saathi House was founded to address inequalities faced by women and empower them to lead independent lives. A lot has changed since the 70s, but unfortunately gender inequality persists. Women are at a greater risk of poverty than men, make up the vast majority of domestic violence victims (at least 1 in 4 women will experience some form of domestic violence in their lives) and are more likely to experience mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. The organisation has evolved in many ways over the years, setting up a wide range of classes and employing community workers to tackle the needs of local women and develop youth work. However, its central goal has never changed with the project aiming to better education and social well-being and fostering community cohesion and encouraging BAME women to participate in education, entrepreneurship and civic society. Saathi House's key objectives are: personal development; health & wellbeing and sports. Its target audience has always primarily been women and young people.