Latest News

20th June

WRDA announce Belfast Community Facilitator Programme

The Women’s Resource and Development Agency (WRDA) are pleased to announce a second Community Facilitator Programme will be running in September 2011, to coincide with the Cookstown based programme announced last month, and will be open to women living in the Belfast area.  The programme trains local women to be Community Facilitators (Peer Educators), who can develop training materials and deliver training in their communities.

The programme provides an opportunity for women to:

• Gain an NVQ Level 3 (no prior experience necessary)
• Develop skills and confidence to facilitate group sessions
• Learn how to develop training materials and deliver them in a group setting
• Enhance their employment opportunities

If you are interested in either the Belfast or Cookstown Community Facilitator Programme and would like to know more, please contact Sadhbh Branton on 028 9023 0212 or email sadhbh.branton@wrda.net

6th June

Bailey Review Targets Child Sexualisation

The Bailey Review into child sexualisation, released on Monday 6th June, has received strong backing from the government for its various proposals to combat the targeting of children by businesses and the media.

Amongst the recommendations in the “Letting Children be Children” report are proposals for ratings for music videos, no billboards near children's schools and for so-called "lads mags" to have covered sleeves. A website for parents to complain about sexualised images is also proposed.

Prime Minister David Cameron said the report marked "a giant step forward for protecting childhood and making Britain more family-friendly" while Reg Bailey, chief executive of Mothers' Union who wrote it, said that regulators, businesses and broadcasters "should do more to connect with parents".
"It's not enough for them to work out what is acceptable from what people complain about afterwards," he said.

The report comes as the British Retail Consortium also launched new guidelines into age appropriate clothing for young girls. Nine stores - Asda, Debenhams, Argos, John Lewis, Next, Marks & Spencer, Peacocks, Sainsbury's and Tesco are amongst the businesses who have signed up.

Community Direct has responded to this by adapting the award winning “Let’s Talk”- Parent / Teen Communication Programme to reflect these changes and growing concerns from parents.  Ailish Cullen, Marketing and Business Development Worker for Community said “Children and young people today are not only exposed to increasing amounts of hyper-sexualised images, they are also sold the idea that they have to look ‘sexy’ and ‘hot’. As such they are facing pressures that children in the past simply did not have to face.  Our programme helps parents to discover how they can raise their children’s self-esteem so that they have the resilience to deal with this increased pressure’.

Download the “Letting Children be Children” Report.

For more information on Community Directs “Let’s Talk” Programme or any other training, please contact Ailish Cullen on 028 9023 0212 or email ailish.cullen@wrda.net

Community Facilitator Programme Recruitment Begins

The Women’s Resource and Development Agency (WRDA) are currently recruiting for their next Community Facilitator Programme which is due to commence in September 2011 and is open to women living in Cookstown and surrounding areas.  The programme trains local women to be Community Facilitators (Peer Educators), who can develop training materials and deliver training in their communities.

The programme provides an opportunity for women to:

• Gain an NVQ Level 3 (no prior experience necessary)
• Develop skills and confidence to facilitate group sessions
• Learn how to develop training materials and deliver them in a group setting
• Enhance their employment opportunities

If you are interested in the programme and would like to know more, please contact Sadhbh Branton on 028 9023 0212 or email sadhbh.branton@wrda.net
 

29th March

Women Lead the Way For Social Economy Businesses

Could a social economy business help sustain your group?  That is the question women from Belfast considered at an event organised by the Women’s Centres Regional Partnership (WCRP) in St Luke’s Hall on Tuesday, 29th March.

A range of speakers spoke at the event to explain how a social economy business actually works and to demystify this commonly used term.  Women heard about how social enterprise can be used to support community groups and charities to help sustain projects and services that benefit people in Belfast and beyond.

As the austerity cuts in funding continue to be implemented, starting and running a social enterprise business could prove valuable to ensure that vital services continue.

Margaret Ward, Chair, Women’s Centres Regional Partnership (WCRP) and Director of Community Direct comments,

“The community based women’s sector has already made a valuable contribution to the Northern Ireland economy and to the lives of women and their families. The event showcased a number of organisations whose social economy enterprises are helping to sustain their work while also providing significant employment opportunities. Women are running organisations providing childcare, outside catering, community facilitation, plumbing and carpentry services. These examples show that women can be innovative and entrepreneurial. 26% of social enterprises could be described as ‘women-led’ – almost twice as many compared to small businesses.”

A number of successful social economy businesses are already up and running in Belfast and at the conference, some of these groups explained their reasons for setting up, why they chose a social economy business model and the challenges faced and benefits for the local community.

Anne Graham, Director of Social Economy Network, offered support to new ventures, “Successful social economy organisations have a unique contribution to make to the Northern Ireland economy in regenerating disadvantaged communities and areas. Many people have good business ideas but lack confidence or know-how. People may be put off by the current uncertain economic climate, but new businesses can thrive even when economic conditions are tough.”