Alana House – Women’s Community Project in Reading

Alana House is one of PACT’s successful community projects alongside the BB4K and Recovery Toolkit programmes.

Alana House has a main base in Reading but also covers West Berkshire, Bracknell, Wokingham, Maidenhead and Windsor. For more information about services and support outside of Reading see our Building Family Bridges page.

Alana House aims to:

• Address the individual barriers to employment, education and training
• Divert women from custody by addressing the causes of crime and therefore reducing the impact of the impact on the community
• Empower women to reflect on their lives and make a plan to address their needs, increasing their independence and facilitating their access to mainstream services
• Provide opportunities to access benefit and welfare advice, NHS sexual health treatment, housing and specialist drug and alcohol advice, in one safe place

Alana House is the only community project of its kind in the local area and its need is evidenced by the growing number of referrals received year on year from a range of professionals and practitioners who come into contact with vulnerable women in the area.

To see how our work at Alana House provides value for money and social impact please read the Social Return on Investment report conducted by Baker Tilly.

Alana House Reading is a holistic hub where women can access support from different agencies in a friendly, safe, trauma-informed environment. Agencies we work closely with include IRiS drug and alcohol service, CommuniCare, which provides welfare rights advice, and Reading Borough Council which runs parenting classes.

The Alana House team work with a variety of other partnership-agencies to provide a diverse programme of activities, which are reviewed on a quarterly basis.

Download our current What’s On leaflet

We run regular themed open sessions where women can take part in activities which encourage self-reflection, and which also provide opportunities to meet professionals from partner organisations that can also offer support. They are also a chance for relaxation and to try something new!

Open sessions run on:

• Monday 12pm – 2pm: Love Me, Love Life
• Wednesday 12.30pm – 2.30pm: Employment, education and training themed
• Thursday 12.30pm – 2.30pm: Emotional, health and well-being themed

Alana House Reading also provides a crèche facility, accommodating children up to the age of five years. The crèche provides children with somewhere stimulating and safe to play and be cared for whilst their mother utilises the other facilities at Alana House. It is staffed by qualified NVQ early years practitioners who work with each child on an individual basis. Currently, the crèche is open on Wednesday and is free of charge for women registered with Alana House. Please call in advance to check opening hours and availability.

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Originally Published:  Alana House