When one becomes two: Double your Impact

Here's the full updated report:

Project Report – Cribs International

Reporting Period: Dec 2025– May 2026

Thank you.

Before anything else, we want to say thank you. Your support over the past five months has made everything in this report possible.

Housing

At the heart of everything Cribs does is housing — safe, stable accommodation for people who have often lost everything. Over the past five months, we have continued to provide a home for some of the most vulnerable refugees and asylum seekers in our community.

We are delighted to report that three people have moved on from our housing into greater independence — a moment we always celebrate, because it means our work is doing what it is meant to do.

At the same time, we have welcomed three new arrivals into our housing, each with their own story and their own set of needs. We are proud to be walking alongside them as they begin to rebuild their lives.

Casework Support

Good housing is only part of the picture. Our residents need consistent, skilled support to navigate the complex systems around asylum, benefits, healthcare and employment.

It is with mixed feelings that we say goodbye to a long-standing member of the Cribs team, who has given so much to our residents over the years. We are deeply grateful for their dedication and the difference they have made to so many lives.

We are not currently in a position to grow the team, but we are pleased to share that a new caseworker will be joining us shortly. We look forward to welcoming them and to continuing to provide the consistent, compassionate support our residents depend on.

Improving Our Services

We are committed to making Cribs work better — for the people we serve and for the volunteers and donors who make it possible.

We are currently upgrading our website to make it easier for both service users and supporters to access what they need quickly and simply.

We are also improving access to our Free Shop — a vital resource for our residents. The booking system is being redesigned to make it less labour intensive to manage and, crucially, fairer for everyone who needs to use it.

Looking Ahead

The need does not slow down, but neither do we. With new team capacity on the way and improved systems coming online, we are well placed to continue and grow our work in the months ahead.

Thank you, again, for making this possible. Every donation you have made has helped keep a roof over someone's head and kept hope alive.

The Cribs International Team

It's been a while since our last update - and what a busy time it's been at CRIBS! As summer came to a close, families began settling into new routines and the start of the school term brought plenty of preparation work at CRIBS.

Our Case Managers supported families to register their children in schools - with four in primary school, three in kindergarten and eight starting nursery. Thanks to generous donations from community groups we were also able to provide school supplies to families across the wider CRIBS community. In total, 53 families received essential items to help children start the new school year feeling confident and ready to learn. 

We've also recently welcomed new babies into the CRIBS community! Two babies were born in October. S gave birth to her second boy and had a smooth recovery from her C-section, while her eldest has been proudly stepping into his new role as a big brother! A gave birth to a baby girl following a very speedy labour! Both mums are living in the same CRIBS flat, exclusively breastfeeding and doing well with the support of their Case Manager and the wider CRIBS community.

CRIBS mothers attended the community space and participated in activities, including language classes and specialist workshops aimed at improving wellbeing and increasing confidence and skills. At the end of September, we partnered with Women’s Healthcare On the Move to deliver a well-attended session on reproductive health and contraception. In October we had a lovely Yoga class offered by Yoga & Sport with Refugees and in December, Action for Women joined us for a workshop on Positive Parenting. Other sessions included a weaving workshop, a self-care session, and a practical support session on how to access key services in Athens independently.

Our casework team has continued to provide person-centred wraparound support for expectant and new mothers navigating complex and unfamiliar systems. Case managers liaised with lawyers regarding their asylum cases and identified training opportunities to support mothers in developing new skills and pathways to future employment and stability. They have also supported some families to complete the necessary administrative processes in order to access health care, the local job market and open bank accounts.

In this period, several mothers have made great strides toward independence, accessing training opportunities, looking for employment, or finding stable housing beyond CRIBS. One mother completed a training programme in hotel housekeeping through a partner organisation we referred her to, and she is now actively seeking employment. Another mother completed a chef training and is now looking for employment.

Two mothers have also successfully moved into independent housing after receiving their moving on grants and securing accommodation on their own. One of them remains in touch with our casework team for support with medical appointments and vaccinations. We have welcomed one new family, a mother and her eight-month-old child, and we are currently reviewing referrals for the second available space, with priority given to families with health concerns and survivors of gender-based violence.

Last week we had our festive End-of-the-Year party in our Community Space and distributed presents generously donated by local supporters. As we look ahead to 2026, we are deeply grateful for your support - none of this would be possible without you!