A collaborative approach to support Black, Asian, minority ethnic and refugee women and girls in Manchester, dealing with crisis, accessing help and support, developing aspirations and achieving dreams. 
Aim:
BAMER Women and Girls will be inspired to raise their aspirations, realise their dreams and live the lives they want to.
Outcomes:
1. BAME Women and Girls will have access to appropriate support at the right time: crisis intervention, practical and emotional, confidence and self-esteem building and self-development
2. BAME Women and Girls will be able to identify their goals, plan to address their needs and achieve their goals
3. BAME Women and Girls will be inspired by other women, including other Maya Project participants, volunteers, workers and supporters
4. BAME Women and Girls will have improved skills, knowledge, employability or entrepreneurship
Actions and processes to achieve project outcomes:
• Service delivery partners will have improved links across the project partnership through the development of the project, its structures and cross referral pathways
• Service delivery partners will develop stronger and wider links with a range of external agencies including voluntary and statutory services for better pathways and specialist support
Pathway:
Crisis --- Support --- Rebuild --- Development --- Inspiration
The five elements of support (the Maya pathway) can be accessed at any point and exited at any point the participant feels appropriate.
A women might come to Maya because of a crisis issue such as domestic violence and receive immediate support such as safe accommodation, then be supported to access longer term housing, develop social networks, build confidence and skills and may then complete her Maya journey. She may continue through a further range of support, learn new skills and get a job or set up a business and possibly go on to be a ‘Maya Champion’ – an inspiring advocate for other women. Each woman will shape her own journey with the project supported by staff and volunteers, specialist input where required (e.g. mental health etc) and a network of activities and services across the service delivery partners.
The Manchester Maya Project is a partnership of eight organisations: Saheli, Ananna, Wai Yin Society, Himmat, Women’s Voices, Wonderfully Made Women, CDMUK and Bauer Academy working together to support BAMER women and girls.
The project is funded by the Big Lottery Women and Girls Fund.