Course to support single mothers

A FREE eight-week program about helping single mothers is coming to Ballarat.

Run by the Council of Single Mothers and their Children, the Bloom course aims to provide tailored career, health, and wellbeing support, with online and monthly in-person meetings.

The catch-ups are often one-on-one with facilitator Erika Williams who said she wants to create safe, accessible environments where women can build their confidence.

“I created Bloom for single mothers who sometimes sit outside what might be other models,” she said.

“We know at this current time with the cost-of-living and the housing crisis many mums are feeling insecure and very concerned about their futures and their children’s futures.

At Bloom’s core is flexibility, to ensure single mums with barriers can participate.

“It’s really important single mothers know this is a program written by single mothers for single mothers,” said Ms Williams.

“The program is extremely flexible because things in the wider system often aren’t tailored to each person’s needs and single mothers are often faced with challenges like sick children, having appointments or having to pick up children from school.

“They can tell me what hours in a week they are free, and I can match their needs.

“It also creates a trusting relationship as to some degree I’m putting their needs first rather than our organisation’s needs.”

Ms Williams said the program has led to profound shifts for participants.

“From a wholistic, wellbeing point of view… some mums have not been able to find time in their lives to think about who they are as a woman and outside their children,” she said.

“I’ve had a lot of women who’ve felt gratitude for being the centre of their universe for a couple of months.”

The local program starts on Wednesday 4 October. Contact 0423 189 340 or [email protected].