Background
to the
Research
- The P & R Programme was
set up in 1995 to provide funding for actions to assist in the peace
process in NI. One of the strategic objectives of the programme is to
'promote social inclusion of those who are at the margins of social
and economic life'.
- TWN is funded as a Sectoral
Partner under the Sub-Programme Employment for the measure 'Boosting
Growth and Retraining for Peace'. The overall aim of the employment
Sub-Programme is to promote growth and employment, support the redirection
of redundant skills, reinforce the efforts to assist the long-term unemployed
and provide support programmes for marginalized groups, including women.
- TWN is a non-profit making
organisation which aims:
- To advance, promote, develop
and co-ordinate provision of accessible, high quality vocational and
prevocational education and training for women in NI leading to sustainable
employment;
- To facilitate vertical and
horizontal integration of women in the labour market;
- To provide a range of services
to members and promote good practice in training for women;
- To encourage and empower
women to take up leadership roles and become involved in decision making
in public and professional life.
- TWN's decision to commission
this report was made in order to get an accurate overview of the gender
breakdown in one allocation of the P&R Programme.
Research Approach
- Analysis of the application database and
analysis of monitoring information for projects that have an impact
on women.
- Desk research on the role of women in the
economy and public life.
- Interviews with key representatives and
case studies of selected women's training projects.
Main
Findings
- The P & R programme has had a significant
impact on women's development over the last three years. In total 35,886
participants have attended women's P & R Programme training courses
since 1996.
- The majority of the projects (71%) have
been cross community, although Catholics have participated more than
Protestants to date.
- The programme has met its objective of
targeting training in TSN areas, with 66% of the projects being located
in "designated areas". Analysis of the TSN areas in NI, and the spread
of the project, highlights that there are still many locations (particularly
rural) where there has been no women's training funded under the P &
R Programme.
- The results from the P & R Programme training
courses to date highlight that over 50% of participants have gone on
to further/higher education and training, on completion of their programme.
- At a strategic level, the need exists
for a more co-ordinated approach to be developed by the Intermediary
Funding Bodies, Sectoral Partners and Government bodies to meet the
needs of women.
Recommendations
- A large number of TSN areas in NI have
no women's training projects. There is a role for TWN to encourage and
support women's groups in accessing funding to deliver training in these
areas.
- Lack of core funding makes it difficult
for women's groups to plan ahead. They focus on the short term as the
project funding basis does not lend it self to long-term planning. This
makes it difficult for the organisers and the participants to plan projects/programmes
beyond the present year. It is recommended that TWN examine the impact
this has on the viability of projects.
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