Platform 51

Frequently asked questions

Below are answers to some of the questions we are often asked. If the answer to your question is not given here, please email us at info@platform51.org

What is Platform 51?

Platform 51 is a charity which supports girls and women as they take control of their lives.

Who do you work with?  

We work with girls and women of any age or background in England and Wales who need us.

Why do girls and women need support?

Girls and women today face problems that are often subtle or misunderstood. Despite shifts in attitude and changes in the law, women are often unheard, isolated and face discrimination. This is costly both to women and to society.

What sort of problems do they face?

Women in today’s society face extreme pressure: many are abused or isolated, others wrestle with poverty, discrimination, sexism sexual violence or racism. Many struggle to get the education they need. To cope, women may turn to drug or alcohol abuse, self-harm or suffer from eating disorders. Most women we work with lack confidence. Some come to us in crisis, while others just need to be treated like a human being.

What age of women do you work with?

We work with girls and women of all ages particularly when they face challenges in their lives. We sometimes work with men if it’ll make a difference to women.

What do you want to achieve?  

We want a world where women are in control of their own lives.

Where do you work?

Generally we run programmes from our women-only centres which are in some of most deprived areas of England and Wales. But we also work in schools, community centres, youth clubs, mother and baby units, prisons, online; anywhere, in fact, where we can make a difference.

So what do you actually do?

We do two things.  Firstly, we work face-to-face with women. Because each girl has different problems, what we do is different in each case. By taking part in courses, group activities and counselling, we help her to understand what is going on in her life. This usually inspires women to take the next step which might be finding the courage to say ‘no’, learning to speak English, applying to college, or having more confidence as a parent.

Secondly, we speak out on behalf of all women in England and Wales. We challenge inequality and negative stereotypes of women by influencing decision-makers and lobbying for changes in the law. Here's a few of the things we care about.

Didn't you used to be YWCA?

Yes. We changed our operating name to Platform 51 in 2010 because it more accurately represents who we are and what we do.

Why did you change your name?

Over the years we’ve evolved to reflect changes in society and the needs and expectations of women. Our original name no longer stood for who we are or what we do. So after 155 years, we decided to change it.

Why are you called Platform 51?

51% of people are female. girls and women use us as a platform to have their say and a place from where they can move into the next stage of their lives.

What happens if the proportion of females to males changes?

It doesn’t change, this is the natural balance. The proportion of females to males is always 51 to 49 in an average human population.

Are you still Christian?

No. We were founded by Christian women in 1855, but our work is no longer faith-based. We work with women of any or no faith.

Do you still have hostels ?

No. We sold them to social housing associations more than a decade ago. What women need from us has changed over the years so we have changed our work accordingly.

How are you funded ?

Most of our income comes from grants, government payments and investment income. But it’s not enough and we desperately need more funds to continue our work with all the women who need us.

Why do you have such large reserves ?

We only hold enough reserves to pay for between two and four months of expenditure (£3 million in March 2010), a similar level to most charities. We need this so we can maintain consistent services, as our income is unpredictable. Our total funds are larger because we also have endowments, but we cannot spend these. They are invested to provide income now and in the future.

Does YWCA still work in other countries?

Platform 51 is a member of World YWCA,a global network of women and girls working for justice, peace, health, human dignity and freedom. It founded in 1894 by four associations: Great Britain, Norway, Sweden, and the United States.