Community Corner
The Mamahood Space CiC - Our regular spotlight on a grassroots VCSE organisation in the perinatal mental health sector
What is the name of your organisation and when did you set up?
The Mamahood Space was set up in January of 2023
Where are you based?
Wolverhampton and Birmingham
What services do you offer and who do you support?
Maternal mental health support, creative journal workshops, family workshops, Mamas' coffee morning. I support Moms going through motherhood. Whether it be a Mom-to-be or a seasoned Mom, we all need the help in some way. My motto is to "Leave No Mama Behind".
What prompted you to set up in the first place?
I felt that there was a need to create a mamahood group as I had just moved to a new city and needed to form a connection with my community. In pregnancy, it became apparent that I needed to do something for myself whilst looking after my children. I knew that moms had similar issues, surrounding anxiety and depression. I wanted to help combat the isolation and loneliness in the motherhood journey.
Do you run or plan to develop any services that reflect specific needs within your community?
Yes, The Mamahood Space is continuously evolving to reflect the specific needs of the community. We currently run a variety of services, including arts, crafts, and wellbeing activities, with a special focus on moms and families. In response to the specific needs of dads, we are planning a dedicated coffee morning for them as part of our upcoming initiatives.
Additionally, we're working on projects like a "Mamahood Book", an exhibition which will highlight diverse motherhood experiences, including themes like different cultural approaches to parenting. We're all about exploring the vast amount of creative ways to support mamahood through arts-based initiatives and continuing to develop more family-friendly events. Our goal is to adapt and create services that foster community connection and address the real needs of parents and families in our area.
What do you find most rewarding about running your organisation?
That Moms always say thank you for setting up the space as it is definitely needed. The familiar faces of mama and child. It brings me joy.
What have you found to be the benefits of being involved in the Hearts and Minds Community?
That every grassroot organisation is given support. I especially like the training modules as they have helped me gain momentum when feeling down about the running of the groups. I liked the checking in to see how I'm doing etc. It really helped me to keep motivated.
If you could go back and give yourself one piece of advice when starting up, what would it be?
Remember that the journey can be very slow. But slow progress is still progress. Believe in yourself and it will all happen.
If you could give all parents a super-power what would that be and why?
To have a super clean house every day!
Is there anything about your service that makes it stand out from the crowd or offers something a little bit different?
I've been told that the small groups that I run are great, as it makes moms feel comfortable rather than attending a busy group and feeling overwhelmed.
What keeps you going when things get tough?
My children and my motivation / determination
What issues do you feel are currently most important to address within our sector?
Maternal mental health, anxiety and depression, loneliness in motherhood, cultural differences and inclusivity.
Anything you’d like to tell us about your service or organisation? Any recent wins or things to celebrate?
That The Mamahood Space is growing and I can see the difference in myself and other moms. The sweet messages I get are worthwhile. I'm proud of what I've been able to develop.
Thank you to Alisha for sharing these insights on behalf of The Mamahood Space CiC. You can find out more about the organisation by visiting https://www.themamahoodspace.com/ or contacting themamahoodspace@gmail.com