Who we are
Learn about our services and what we do.
Fife Gingerbread is a grassroots organisation that has been supporting families in Fife since 1987.
/ OUR VISION
Creating better todays and brighter tomorrows for lone parents and families in need.
We will achieve our vision by supporting families in Fife to flourish, developing scalable solutions to tackle child poverty across Scotland and amplifying parents’ voices for lasting change.
Our aim is simple: to provide accessible, approachable and non-judgemental support, to families. We are the only voluntary sector organisation in Fife with charitable status that has lone parent families as the primary focus. Based in Glenrothes, we cover are Fife wide, offering holistic support through our projects.
Our staff and volunteers work at the pace and timescale that is right for the parent to overcome barriers such as low income, isolation, trauma and poor mental health. All of our work is grounded in tackling child poverty.
It is a privilege to get to know families and meet their children. With this privilege comes responsibility. A responsibility to not only deliver excellent family support services, but also to champion change. Systems change is embedded in our approach. Fife Gingerbread listen and understand the complexity of the issues affecting families with an upstream mindset embedded in our practice. We will not only deliver excellent family support, we will also develop scalable solutions to tackling child poverty in Scotland and amplify the voice of parents. Campaigning for change in partnership with the families we support.
/ OUR APPROACH
Throughout all our work and projects our ethos to family support is simple:
Engage – we will connect with families through 1:1 support and home visits to understand their strengths, challenges they are facing and their priorities. This is all centered around building relationships trust and listening.
Support – designing support for families is a collaborative process (using Outcome Star) to agree an action plan with a whole family approach. We will empower parents to build confidence, self belief and resilience. Support will include 1:1 support, groups, family learning, advocacy and connecting with other specialist organisations.
Progress – as families move forwards we will support them to connect with their communities, participate in training and reduce reliance on targeted services. Empowering parents with the coping skills, resilience and skills to create a safe happy home for their family.
/ OUR HISTORY
‘Gingerbread’ was formed in London in 1970 by a mother looking for a specific support group for lone parents.
This start-up soon gained national interest, leading to Gingerbread being formed throughout the UK, including Gingerbread Scotland in 1985.
Two years later (1987) ‘Fife Federation of Gingerbread’ was established, changing to Fife Gingerbread in 2002- an autonomous organisation.
Over the past two decades, changes to financial support
and the needs of families in Fife have meant we have adapted
our approach, and in 2014 we widened our constitution to include vulnerable and disadvantaged families, whilst maintaining
specialist support for lone parents.
We are a valued part of the third sector in Fife. Our staff and volunteers, past and present, have made a positive impact on the lives of many families in Fife. We hope to continue our vital work for many years to come.