Single Parent Action Network (SPAN)

Who are SPAN UK?

The Single Parent Action Network (SPAN) is a national multi-racial organisation run by single parents working to improve the living conditions for one parent families in the UK and in Europe. It is made up of groups and individual members. SPAN involves single parents at every level of decision-making.

What Problems do Single Parents Face?

Single parents face problems discrimination, social isolation, unemployment and housing problems. The lack of resources, childcare provisions and opportunities bear down on single parents. By single parents uniting together we can change discriminatory policies and attitudes, which reduce one-parent families to poverty and isolation.

What does SPAN hope to achieve in the long run?

Our Aims are to give a voice to one-parent families, give support to set up self-help groups and on an individual level, empower single parents to take control of their lives. At an organisational level, we aim to link up with other one-parent groups and exchange information, ideas and good practice. We also want to work with organisations and decision-making bodies (in UK and Europe) to improve those policies that affect one-parent families

What Projects have SPAN developed?

We have started a number of projects to improve the opportunities of single parents such as a mentoring scheme where one to one on-going guidance and support is available to a single parent ,from another single parent - mentor. We have a study centre with an ICT Suite (Information Communication Technology) and courses, which have included Survive the Summer Holidays, Harmony Singing, Live Life to the Full and Fun with IT.

We have Kathie Vallin, the new IT Training and development worker, on hand to help members develop IT skills in Microsoft Office packages (Word, Excel, Access, Outlook). We are hoping to develop links with Learning Direct, to provide ECDL courses (European Computer Driving Licence). With such training Childcare can be booked in our onsite crèche, giving single parents the opportunity to get on, developing much needed skills they may wish to use in employment, further education or just for the sake of learning new things!

What else do you offer?

We also offer members access to our UK wide network, information and signposting and a newsletter and websites (see links below). Single parents can communicate at online community sharing ideas and advice on topics such as health, parenting, money and other relevant topics at www.singleparents.org.

We have a development office to help groups in networking, small grants funding, training and other beneficial activities. We lobby and raise public awareness, on behalf of single parents, on issues such as poverty and childcare and policies affecting single parents.

Who Funds the work of SPAN UK?

Various organisations have funded us, continental, national and local funders, such as Bristol City Council, Dept. for Education and Skills, the Community Fund, Equipe dp, Esmee Fairbairn Foundation, EU European Social Fund, New Opportunities Fund, Oxfam, Surestart Easton and Information IAG Network-Bristol.

Contact Details:

Tel. 9514231
email: info@spanuk.org.uk
web: www.spanuk.org.uk & www.spanstudy.org.uk

If your group would like to be profiled in a future Voscur newsletter or on our website, please contact Darron Thevarajah at the Voscur office Tel. 909 9949, or email: darron@voscur.org