An Interim Evaluation of the Impact of the Peace and Reconciliation Programme on Women's Training, Development and Subsequent Employability in Northern Ireland

Author(s): Training for Women Network Ltd
Document Type: Report
Year: 1999
Publisher: Training for Women Network Ltd
Place of Publication: Belfast
Subject Area(s): Employment, Training
Client Group(s) : Women

Abbreviations: P & R Programme - Special Support Programme for Peace and Reconciliation, NI - Northern Ireland, TWN - Training for Women Network, TSN - Targeting Social Need

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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