Women’s Centres launch new prospectus supporting isolated NI women - 25/08/09
An innovative new training and education prospectus launched today will help tackle the problems of isolation and unemployment affecting women in disadvantaged areas throughout Northern Ireland.
The Women’s Centre’s Regional Partnership (WCRP) launched the ‘Women’s Community Based Training and Education Prospectus for 2009-2010’ in Belfast’s Clifton House, a unique package of over 400 classes and courses aimed at improving the lives of local women and their families.
Welcoming people to the event Margaret Logue, Chair of the WCRP said “The new prospectus highlights the range of programmes provided by the 27 women’s organisations located in socially and economically disadvantaged areas across Northern Ireland.”
The courses, which range from GCSE’s and ICT, to Arts and Health, Aromatherapy, Stress Management and Plumbing, offer local women, families and communities the chance to develop skills, boost their self-esteem and improve their lifestyle.
This year the Prospectus also features courses designed specifically to reach those women who do not engage in learning, learners who have historically been marginalized and who have been hard for educational institutions to reach.
These programmes, run through the WRCP’s Women’s Learning Partnership project which is funded with a grant of £994, 000 from the Big Lottery Fund’s Live and Learn programme, consist of a broad range of both accredited and non-accredited tailored courses, targeted specifically at ‘hard to reach women’.
The courses will work with women who feel isolated and excluded and who may have a low level of self confidence. All courses will be delivered in an encouraging, welcoming and supportive learning environment giving them the opportunity to develop their skills and knowledge resulting in increased confidence and higher self esteem.
As well as running the courses, the women’s centres and organisations will also support the women involved by offering them childcare support, one-to-one mentoring, and outreach support, all aimed at making the idea of education and learning a more realistic option for women not currently accessing learning opportunities.
The impact of training delivered to women in a women’s centre was highlighted very clearly by women who have engaged in learning using this route. Donna Pollin who attended Shankill Women’s Centre, in Belfast, said: “I could not have achieved the GCSE in IT, had not been for the help and support I have obtained from Roberta and everyone at the Shankill Women’s Centre.”
Vera Henderson from First Steps, in Dungannon, also added: “Try the women centres and once you have been on a training course and experience the friendliness of everyone, you will be hooked!”
Breidge Gadd, Big Lottery Fund NI Chair, said: “The grants awarded from the Live and Learn programme mark a major investment by the Big Lottery Fund into creating partnerships to run innovative projects to boost the learning and health of people in Northern Ireland’s most disadvantaged communities.
“The Women’s Centre’s Regional Partnership’s (WCRP) Learning Partnership project will provide opportunities women throughout Northern Ireland to learn together and improve their health and well-being in the years to come.
Geraldine Campbell, NI Big Lottery Committee speaking at the event
WCRP Education PROSPECTUS 2009 -2010
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