Mission & Philosophy

Our Mission

To provide a safe and welcoming place for women, meeting them at their point of need and supporting them in rebuilding their lives.

Lou’s Place is a women’s refuge that provides a wide range of services, facilities and inspiration to women in need, fostering their dignity, growth and self-worth through acceptance and respect.

We do this through a grass roots approach that relies on a small professional staff supported by over 50 volunteers, without whom the doors could not remain open.

Our Philosophy and Our Model

Our philosophy

• At Lou’s Place we believe that women in need benefit most from a welcoming environment that feels like a good home and, above all, offers safety.

• We believe that creating a safe place is fundamental to establishing trust, and trust is essential to rebuilding lives.

• We believe in meeting the women who visit Lou’s at their point of need.  Since each woman finds herself in a different place and proceeds at a different rate, we do not offer a single service for everyone. 

Our model

stems directly from our philosophy.

• We are a daytime drop-in centre and refuge for women.
• We offer women who visit Lou’s the opportunity to participate in a wide variety of activity-based services.  Find out about our services
• We rely critically  on the provision of pro bono services and the work of volunteers, who not only allow us to offer a wide range of classes and services on site but who also create and maintain the nurturing, home-like environment that makes Lou’s Place unique.  Find out more about volunteering.
• In other words, to make the model work, the whole community must be involved.