Women's Aid Federation Northern Ireland

What Women's Aid Federation Northern Ireland does

Women's Aid Federation Northern Ireland is a registered charity (Charity No: XN 45049) and the lead voluntary organisation in Northern Ireland addressing domestic abuse. It coordinates a federation of eight geographically distributed local Women's Aid groups covering all council areas of the region, delivering emergency refuge accommodation, community-based support, a webchat service, and referral pathways into a 24-hour helpline managed by Nexus NI. In 2024/25 the wider service footprint recorded 8,393 referrals, accommodated 523 women and 364 children in refuges, supported 5,810 women in the community, and served survivors speaking 55 languages.

The federation's underlying technology is non-proprietary; service delivery relies on a distributed operational model, web-based intake (webchat and online safety planning resources), and standard digital communications channels. Programme outputs are predominantly human-led and trauma-informed. Notable portfolio offerings include the You and Me, Mum programme (running since 2007), its 2026 successor You and Me, Together, the BECAUSE training programme for youth practitioners, the SAY (Social Action Youth) project, the Fair Game sport-based prevention programme, the Unlocking Safety Initiative with Queen's University Belfast, and the Comic Relief-funded Hear Her Voice advocacy project. Multilingual leaflets are published in 15 languages.

The organisation operates as a charity with no paying customers. Income is derived from charitable donations, statutory grants (notably The Executive Office's End VAWG Change Fund), and corporate partnerships (Progressive Building Society, Allstate Northern Ireland, Comic Relief), with services provided free of charge to survivors. Strategic direction is shaped by public-sector commissioning priorities, corporate philanthropy, and grant cycles, rather than commercial pricing dynamics.

Name

Women's Aid Federation Northern Ireland

Legal name

Women's Aid Federation Northern Ireland

Website

https://womensaidni.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Women's Aid Federation Northern Ireland is a registered charity coordinating eight local Women's Aid groups across Northern Ireland to deliver refuge accommodation, community support, specialist training, and prevention programmes for women and children affected by domestic abuse.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Domestic Abuse Support Services

NAICS

Community Housing Services (62422), Temporary Shelters (624221), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Human Rights Organizations (813311)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Domestic Violence & Abuse Support Services (BPAGAEAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Gender Equality & Women’s Rights Advocacy (BPAGAFAD), Housing Assistance & Homeless Services (BPAGAEAB)

Keywords

• Domestic abuse support
• Refuge accommodation services
• Survivor advocacy programmes
• Specialist training programmes
• Violence prevention education

Headquarters

HQ city

Belfast

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Charitable funding and donations: As a charity, Women's Aid Federation NI relies on charitable donations, grants from government bodies and foundations, corporate partnerships, and fundraising activities to fund its services for women and children affected by domestic abuse.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Women's Aid Federation Northern Ireland is the lead voluntary organisation in Northern Ireland addressing domestic abuse. It provides emergency refuge accommodation, community-based support, helpline and webchat access, specialist training for professionals, prevention education programmes, and survivor-led advocacy for women and children affected by domestic abuse, delivered through a coordinated network of eight local Women's Aid groups.

Product overview

Women's Aid Federation Northern Ireland is a charitable organization providing domestic abuse support services across Northern Ireland through a network of eight local Women's Aid groups. The organization offers emergency accommodation (refuge) services for women and children, a webchat service, and a 24-hour helpline referral. Its programme portfolio includes therapeutic support programmes (You and Me, Mum since 2007, and You and Me, Together as its successor programme), youth-focused initiatives (SAY Project, BECAUSE training for youth practitioners), and prevention programmes (Fair Game using sports engagement, Unlocking Safety Initiative for nursing students). The organization also runs the Hear Her Voice advocacy project and publishes multilingual resources, research reports, and annual statistics.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Hear Her Voice: A Comic Relief-funded project that captures the lived experience of domestic abuse survivors through eBooks, voice recordings, photography, creative writing, and artwork.
• You and Me, Mum
• You and Me, Together
• BECAUSE Training Programme
• SAY Project (Social Action Youth)

Products and services

• Emergency Accommodation (Refuge Services) Emergency refuge accommodation for women and children escaping domestic abuse, with 523 women and 364 children staying in emergency accommodation in 2024/25.
• Webchat Service
• Local Women's Aid Groups
• 24-Hour Domestic & Sexual Abuse Helpline
• BECAUSE Training Programme Specialist training for youth practitioners working with young people to build capacity to respond to domestic abuse and help end violence against women and girls (VAWG).
• Unlocking Safety Initiative Training programme for student nurses at Queen's University Belfast on domestic abuse and violence against women and girls, equipping future nurses with skills to recognise abuse and respond to disclosures.
• You and Me, Mum Programme 10-week self-help programme for mothers supporting children who have lived with domestic abuse, helping mothers understand the impact of domestic abuse on parenting and children.
• You and Me, Together Programme 12-session trauma-informed programme for mothers developed as a continuation of You and Me, Mum, helping mothers explore experiences of domestic abuse and its impact on their relationship with children.
• Hear Her Voice Project Comic Relief funded project that captures the lived experience of domestic abuse survivors through creative writing, photography, audio recordings, eBooks, and artwork, aiming to create meaningful social and legislative change.
• SAY (Social Action Youth) Project Youth engagement project providing a platform for young people aged 12-18 who are survivors of domestic abuse to share their voices in safe and creative ways, with results informing programmes like Fair Game.
• Fair Game Programme Six-week programme using sport (football) to engage young people and promote respect, equality and healthier relationships, running in 13 local football clubs and one post-primary school.
• Multilingual Information Leaflets
• Safety Planning Resources
• Stay Safe Online
• Your Rights

Quantifiable outcome

• 8,393 referrals in 2024/25
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Irish Football Association FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 November 2025Partnership to deliver the Fair Game programme - a six-week programme using sport (football) to engage young people and promote respect, equality and healthier relationships. The programme runs in 13 local football clubs and one post-primary school across six council areas in Northern Ireland.
• Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 November 2025PSNI delivers one of the six sessions in the Fair Game programme based on their Power to Change Campaign, which urges men and boys to challenge attitudes and behaviours and safely intervene when they see inappropriate actions.
• Queen's University Belfast - School of Nursing & MidwiferycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 May 2025Queen's University Belfast is the first university in Northern Ireland to embed domestic abuse and violence against women training in its nursing degree. The Unlock Safety Initiative will be delivered annually to Years 1, 2 and 3 nursing students, reaching over 600 students annually.
• Royal College of NursingminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 May 2025The Royal College of Nursing collaborated in developing the Unlock Safety Initiative training programme for student nurses at Queen's University Belfast.
• National Women's Council (NWC) Republic of IrelandminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 November 2024NWC and Women's Aid Federation NI jointly published a North South Co-Operation report on tackling violence against women, spotlighting domestic abuse across the island of Ireland and making recommendations for an all-island response.
• Nexus NIminorOthersNexus NI manages the Freephone 24-hour Domestic & Sexual Abuse Helpline on behalf of Women's Aid and other organisations. Out of hours support contact: 0808 802 1414.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Women's Aid Federation of England: National umbrella federation for local Women's Aid groups in England, providing refuge, community support, training and advocacy on domestic abuse. Directly comparable as the sister federation operating under the same Women's Aid model in a different UK nation.
• Refuge (UK): UK-wide charity providing specialist domestic abuse support including refuge accommodation, helpline services, and advocacy. Directly comparable in service portfolio (refuges, helpline, training) and beneficiary group, though operating at a larger national scale.
• Nexus NI: Northern Ireland charity providing support services for those affected by sexual abuse and domestic abuse, operating the 24-hour Domestic & Sexual Abuse Helpline on behalf of Women's Aid NI. Highly comparable service portfolio and beneficiary base; formally a service contractor for the helpline.
• Women's Aid (Ireland): National federation of local Women's Aid groups in the Republic of Ireland providing refuge, support services, training and advocacy on domestic abuse. Directly comparable as the cross-border counterpart federation, and a recent joint publication partner with Women's Aid NI.
• Scottish Women's Aid: Federation coordinating local Women's Aid groups across Scotland, delivering refuge accommodation, community support and advocacy for women and children experiencing domestic abuse. Highly comparable structure to Women's Aid NI, operating in a different UK nation.

Emerging players

• Respect (UK): UK charity developing and implementing best practice on VAWG, including accreditation for perpetrator programmes and a phoneline for those worried about their own behaviour. Comparable in domestic abuse policy and training remit, especially for perpetrator intervention work.
• National Women's Council of Ireland: Representative body for women's organisations in Ireland, focused on gender equality advocacy and policy. Comparable in advocacy focus on violence against women; recent joint publication partner with Women's Aid NI on the North South Co-Operation report.
• Victim Support NI: Northern Ireland-based charity providing emotional and practical support to all victims of crime, including domestic abuse. Comparable in offering advocacy and emotional support services, though broader scope beyond DA specifically.

Others

• Samaritans (UK & Ireland): Large UK & Ireland charity providing 24/7 emotional support helpline for people in distress. Comparable in providing crisis-line infrastructure and a national volunteer-driven charity model, though focused on emotional support broadly rather than domestic abuse specifically.
• Women's Aid Federation of England - Training arm: The training and consultancy function of Women's Aid England delivering specialist domestic abuse training and CPD programmes to professionals. Comparable in training portfolio (BECAUSE, Unlocking Safety) and beneficiary audience of frontline professionals.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/WomensAidNI
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCPuHiTkzSNV200OVFHZr_sg
• Facebookfacebook.com/WomensAidNI
• Instagraminstagram.com/WomensAidNI
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/womensaidni

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Women's Aid Federation Northern Ireland