From computing courses to cookery, South Bank Women's Centre offers women hundreds of opportunities. Women's Editor Christen Pears reports

THE sign outside South Bank Women's Centre is uncompromising. In bold, black lettering it reads: "This is women only space. Men allowed by invitation only."

In an area of Middlesbrough that has suffered high unemployment rates and plummeting self-esteem over the last 20 years, the centre provides a lifeline for some of the residents and it's impossible to over-estimate just how important it is to some of them.

Linda Taggart, training, employment and advice co-ordinator, says: "It can be life-changing. Whether that is a woman doing a child care course that changes the way she looks after her own children or a woman who starts an educational course. Who knows where that may end up?"

In the main drop-in space, the walls give some indication of the huge range of activities that take place here. The noticeboards are covered with leaflets and posters advertising courses and classes. One wall serves as a miniature picture gallery for the art group's watercolours and there are newly-installed metal brackets for the punch bags used by martial arts students.

The centre has its roots in a self-esteem and confidence-building course for women that ran in the area during the 1980s. When the workshops finished, the organisers were inundated with enquiries about future projects and realised they had sowed the seeds of something bigger. A steering group was set up to find out what local women wanted and, in 1991, the centre moved into its first home, a small council house on a residential estate.

From a group of half a dozen women, it now has more than 600 on its database, ranging in age from ten to 80. It operates on a number of different levels; it's a drop-in centre where women can come in for a cup of tea and a chat but it also provides them with access to education and training opportunities.

Centre manager Sue Anderson is fond of quoting the black civil rights activist, Malcolm X. "He used to say that if you educate a man, you educate an individual. If you educate a woman, you educate the nation. I think that's very true. Women have an incredibly important role to play in society and we want to make sure they have the skills and opportunities they need to be able to do that."

Sue was voted Tees Valley Woman of Achievement 2000 for her work at the centre and she brims over with enthusiasm as she talks about her work.

"I think it's quite a special place because each of the women that comes in has a story to tell and is wanting to make a step in her life. You see people blossom and change their lives. It's absolutely wonderful and very rewarding, both for them and us."

The courses include Computing For The Terrified, aromatherapy, arts and crafts and martial arts, and the staff work closely with a number of colleges across the North-East. Other activities and groups include Wicked Women, a female empowerment group, and a combination of cookery and language classes for the Asian women living in the area.

Some of the women who use the centre are extremely focused; they know what they want and enrol on a particular course. Others are just looking for something new; they're often women whose children have just started school or those whose grown-up families have finally left home. It's a chance for them to have some time to themselves.

Linda says: "Even if she just wants to come in for a cuppa and put the children in the creche, it's a bit of breathing space. Because it's a women only space, they know it's a safe environment and, once they realise that, they often open up to us more. They might tell us about their ambitions or their problems, for example, if they're victims of domestic violence. And because we have links to so many organisations, we can put them in touch with people who can help. Others come here solely for the training."

She points out a photograph of one of the centre's star pupils, hung on the wall as an example to other women. Sarah Taylor enrolled on a word power course and later went on to college, where she is now training to be a teacher.

"She told me she would never have gone back into education if she hadn't come to the centre. It gave her the confidence to do what she wanted," explains Linda.

One of the most common barriers preventing women from working or entering education is a lack of adequate childcare. South Bank Women's Centre has its own, free creche. The walls are bright yellow and covered with children's paintings and at one end of the room, there's a mural featuring well-known cartoon character such as Mickey Mouse and Bambi.

"It's a fantastic thing for us to have," says Linda, looking around proudly. "It really helps people, even if they just want a break for a couple of hours. We actually had one woman who came in just a couple of days after she had her baby because she didn't want to miss any of her course."

There is a core group of members, many of whom have been involved from the start, but the centre isn't just for the women of South Bank, and attracts people from across Teesside. It is funded from a variety of sources, including the Single Regeneration Budget and National Lottery and there is a grass roots management committee, which gives the women a real say in what they want and how they would like to see things develop.

One of the most vocal groups is the Golden Girls, which caters for the over-50s. They set their own programme and enjoy regular outings. About a dozen of them are sitting in a circle, chatting about their next trip. They're a formidable bunch, who speak their minds and have a wicked sense of humour. As they talk about some of the activities they've undertaken in the past few years, they keep coming back to one thing - their trip to see The Full Monty at the cinema. "We like to enjoy ourselves and we know what we like," says one.

At the other end of the spectrum are the youngsters who use the centre. It has its own youth worker and there are special sessions for girls as young as ten and 12. As well as taking part in courses, they are encouraged to make friends, have fun and try new hobbies.

Sue says: "It's great to see people of all ages using the centre. Over the years, the women's movement has wanted equality. In some ways, we have achieved that, but in lots of other ways, we haven't. There are a lot of things we want to push forward to make sure we get a decent deal and we have to make sure that the younger generation is involved."