The AFRUCA Phoenix project for young women and girls at risk of exploitation delivers a range of prevention and early intervention activities to support our service users. We employ an Empowerment Approach to work with young women/girls to address intersecting issues affecting them and their well-being that puts them at risks of abuse, coercive control, gang manipulation, grooming, exploitation. These intersecting issues include trauma from childhood/ongoing abuse, poverty and deprivation, patriarchy/cultural/religious practices, generational struggles and identity issues that could lead to disconnect from family, increase vulnerabilities outside the home and problems at school. We provide both 1-2-1 and group approaches in our work with young people.

We are grateful to the Home Office via Manchester City Council for supporting our work over the past two years, We are now exploring new funding for this project in Manchester and for expansion across London.

We deliver the following activities:

1. Direct one-to-one work with young people. We support them to address vulnerabilities or issues leading to vulnerability and work with others to implement safeguarding processes to ensure their well-being and protection.

2. Provide one-to-one support and mentoring for service users by our Young Women and Girls Intervention Worker.

3.  Provision of group activities for young people each year.  Our activities include a Young Women's Forum one Saturday a month at a suitable/safe location.

Central to our work is a multi-agency approach working closely with local statutory agencies like Manchester Complex Safeguarding, AP Task Force, the police and other agencies involved with young persons. This approach enables referrals into our service and vice versa.  Our approach also includes community education and awareness to increase knowledge of young girls exploitation, and attending relevant policy meetings, working groups, delivering workshops and group events to share learning from and promote these issues.