Date: 15/10/07
Organisation Name: The Women's Workshop, Cardiff
Project Description: This project takes as its starting point the fact
that the lamentably low representation of half the Welsh population in science,
engineering and technology is potentially catastrophic for the country’s future economic
and social future. By 2010, only 20 per cent of the Welsh workforce will be white,
able-bodied, full-time working men, meanwhile, as more families are headed by women, so
more children will be brought up by de-skilled, economically inactive or low paid adults.
In building the highly skilled, diverse workforce that Welsh business needs and to meet
future challenges of environmental sustainability and foster a stable society, it is
essential that we make use of the huge, largely untapped potential of women as scientists,
engineers, mathematicians, technologists and tradespeople.
Experience has taught us that boosting the role of women in SET is a complex,
multi-stranded and long term enterprise that cuts across many policy areas. It cannot be
undertaken from a standing start, but from a position of credibility and detailed
understanding of the issues.
This project would be a central source of expertise, data and information on Women in SET,
and would offer services to businesses, organizations and individual women in Wales.
The main objectives of the project would be:-
1. To support, enable and empower individual women to enter, progress in
or return to SET.
2. To influence employment practice and culture change in business and
education to improve women’s experience in SET.
3. To engage and advise influencers, intermediary bodies and education
providers within SET to promote equality practice.
4. The provision of information and data on Women in SET in Wales
The project would make use of (and build on) tried and tested products and strategies
developed in the lifespan of the JIVE partnership (Action 2, funded by EQUAL) which is due
to finish in December 2007. These include: -
• Bespoke gender equality training developed for use within FE
colleges,
the Careers Service and for SET employers (a different set of materials for each),
• a Cultural Analysis Tool (CAT) developed for SET employers.
• gender equality recognition kite marks for SET businesses and
organizations.
• the Swan Charter for HE SET departments.
• a course developed by the Open University specifically for women
Returners in SET, updated and offered as part of a package within this project.
This project represents a golden opportunity to create a dynamic partnership on gender
that integrates policy and action affecting every aspect of a woman’s economic life
journey from age 16. This is in recognition of the fact that there are powerful,
entrenched forces and pressures that push girls away from SET subjects, alienate them when
they are training and in work, and cause thousands of qualified women to leave and never
return. Examples of the potential scope areas include:
• School (therefore teacher training, in service training)
• Careers advice
• Apprenticeships
• Exam and employment choices
• Routes back to learning
• Student services
• Further Education
• Higher Education
• Universities ‘twinning’ with schools (cf recent Govt
announcement
• Pre-work mentoring for SET undergraduates and graduates
• Career break planning for mothers
• Integration of returners into the workplace
• Retention of women in SET into later life
• Leadership and mentoring
• Role models
Email Address: liz.fahy@womensworkshop.org.uk
Geographical Area of Operation: All Wales, and with focus on tailored
approaches to suit rural and urban Convergence Areas, and the East Wales Regional
Competitiveness and Employment Programme.
Geographical Area of Operation: The Women’s Workshop has grown in 23
years from being a grassroots trainer of disadvantaged inner city women to an organization
with Wales-wide, UK and international reach. The Women’s Workshop, Cardiff was set up as
a voluntary sector women’s IT training organization in 1984.
Since this it has evolved considerably, and now works on a Wales-wide basis and within
partnerships at UK and trans-national level. The Workshop ’s operations have spanned
ground-breaking training initiatives for women with mental heath issues, ESOL training,
training Wales’ first ever women digital aerial installers, basic skills initiatives,
holistic healthy living courses and Welsh. The Workshop was the first organization of its
type to provide free, onsite childcare. While remaining an innovator and centre for
excellence in delivering frontline women’s education, we are
now Wales’ sole core partner in the central government-funded UK
Resource Centre for Women in Science, Engineering and Technology, and since 2001 have been
designated the Wales Resource Centre for Women in SET. Our remit is to address the
under-representation of women in SET highlighted in the influential Greenfield Report. Our
work as the Wales Centre for Women in SET, both in policy and practice, has brought about
significant change in Welsh gender de-segregation, and has put Wales on the European stage
on conference platforms in Holland, France, Italy, Spain and Latvia. The partnerships we
have forged along the way with employers, training providers, trade unions, equality
bodies, women’s networks and sector skills councils mean we are in a unique position as
an existing, natural focus for gender action in Wales and as a forcing house of
innovative, effective ideas.
Organisation Core Business: The Women’s Workshop, Cardiff, UK Resource
Centre for Women in SET, Open University, Careers Wales Companies, Women in SET
established organizations e.g. WES (Women’s Engineering Society), WAMT (Women in Manual
Trades), Sector Skills Councils
Who will be involved in delivering the project: Women 16+, Intermediaries
and Influencers - Sector Skills Councils, Trade Unions, Career professionals, teachers,
lecturers PhD supervisors, STEM enrichment professionals, SET Companies
Spatial area/s to be covered by the project: All
What might the outputs(activity measures): 1. To
influence employment practice and culture change in
business, organisations, training and education, to improve women’s employment in SET
Changing recruitment practice, Outputs:- Recruitment Practice Pack + recruitment training.
Taster Days and Work Experience,
Outputs: Workplacements, Taster days, Visits. Modelling and showcasing best practice in
recruitment and employment, Outputs: Companies modelling and showcasing best practice,
Companies attending dissemination events.
Developing and Implementing the UKRC Quality scheme based on best practice in recruitment
and HR management for Diversity, Outputs: Companies to achieve the Quality mark. Diversity
awareness training for trainers, lecturers and union officers, Outputs: Gender awareness
courses developed and delivered. 2. To support and empower individual women to enter,
progress or return to SET. Support for Women in Isolated Roles- As part of this action,
the project will seek to engage with women in pioneering roles where they are
under-represented, including minority ethnic women
and women with disabilities. Outputs:- Mentor pairs established
and
trained, Weekend workshops, Seminars, Participants, Advice and network provision. Support
for Returners -A programme offering support for individual women returning to employment
after a career break – including networking, face-to-face events and employer contact.
Outputs:- Women joining or making contact with programme, women making measurable
progression in terms of entering, returning or progressing in SET. On-line services for
individuals - Outputs:- Website developed, hits by users, sustainability plan devised and
adopted. To recruit additional women to the GET SET database of women working in SET in
Wales.
What might be the results of the project: A joined-up integrated approach
developed across Wales that is working in parallel with England and Scotland towards the
vision laid out in SET Fair (DTI, 2002) “An environment in the UK science, engineering
and technology education, employment, research and policy-making in which women contribute
to, participate in and share the benefit equally to their male counterparts. To ensure
that the UK knowledge driven economy benefits from the inclusion of the talents of the
whole population and that women benefit from the opportunities afforded by it.”
What would its impact be: There are certain indicators of progress that
we aspire to
see which are:- • Evidence that women are valued by their employers
and
professional bodies equally to men. • Flexible working practices
increasingly implemented by SET employers as legislation is broadened to
include all employees. • Increased overall participation in SET
careers by
SET qualified women in the context of the overall entry rates of women in
SET careers and their proportion of the total workforce. • Improved
retention and return rates to SET employment by women with macro-level
attrition of SET qualified women significantly reduced. • Companies
reporting on gender and diversity including data on staff retention and return after
career break as part of annual or Corporate responsibility reports, and equality and
diversity actions and progress integrated with
performance measures of corporate innovation. • Increased visibility
and
representation of SET women in the media • Visible gender
disaggregated
targets in all relevant National policies and programmes.
Roughly what might be the scale of the project: 6 year programme 2008 to
2013
Estimated Cost: 3 million
Where might the match funding come from: UK Resource Centre for women in
SET, Open University, Sector Skills Councils, WAG, match brought by partners
___________________________________________________________________________________________
Date: 08/10/07
Organisation Name: Careers Wales Association
Project Description: Careers Wales would be interested in supporting
partnerships to promote gender equality and raising the skills base of the workforce by:
• Providing information, advice and guidance with the economically
inactive and those who are employed but currently qualified below Level 2
• Providing enhanced information, advice and guidance for employees on
learning opportunities and focusing on the linking between skills, qualifications and
further employment opportunities
• Developing awareness of suitable opportunities, raising skill base
and working towards changing attitudes towards learning for hard to reach employee groups
• Careers Wales already engages in workforce development activity and
would like the opportunity to expand this activity through working in partnership
• Working with employers and employees to assess the barriers to
individual progression and business development
• Working with partnerships to assist the improvement of client’s
employability skills and overcoming barriers to their progression
• Undertaking Basic Skills Assessments and Psychometric Testing to
support this work
• Engaging the hard to reach employee groups and assisting them in
improving their employability by addressing their basic, generic and vocational needs
• Helping beneficiaries to sustain their employment, supporting them
to achieve successful transition periods through learning and employment
• Working with individuals and employers to raise awareness of
different career paths, economic sectors and skill sets, equality and diversity, gender
stereo typing/gender equality and equal opportunities
• Supporting workers and SMEs in responding to changes in job
requirements and adapting to new technology
• Supporting employers, learning providers and others to promote
diversity and challenging traditionally dominated culture, environment attitudes
• Assisting employer’s to combat skills related barriers by
delivering improved bespoke and flexible assessment, support and provision
• Supporting employers to identify and address the skills needs of
their sectors.
• Enhancing and encouraging higher aspirations through role model work
and access to information on progression
• Working with partners to develop tailor made packages of support of
skills and management development
• Enhancing links with the Sector Skills Councils.
• Longitudinal tracking of beneficiaries’ progression through
education into employment and enhanced future employment sustainability. Developing
information sharing Networks
Geographical Area of Operation:
Pan-Convergence Area
Organisation Core Business:
Who will be the end beneficiaries: SMEs and local communities,
disadvantaged groups, low skilled and low paid groups, lone parents, employed BMEs etc.
Who will be involved in delivering the project: Possibly working in
partnership with locally based organizations, young people’s partnerships, Welsh
assembly, DCELLS, Job centre plus, sector skills councils, voluntary organizations, SMEs
etc.
Spatial area/s to be covered by the project:
All areas within Convergence
What might the outputs (activity measures):
Numbers of beneficiaries supported
Numbers of employers supported
Numbers of beneficiaries sustaining employment
Numbers of beneficiaries gaining increased skills / qualifications
What would its impact be: Re- engagement of individuals in learning,
decrease in disillusion, Increase in transferable skills, decrease in economic inactivity,
raising aspirations, skills, confidence that are transferable, improvement of skills base
of the work force, increase the number of workers attaining skills and qualifications at
Level 2. Gender equality
Roughly what might be the scale of the project: Collective project
throughout the convergence area, involving many partnerships, linking to existing
networks, delivering to young people and the economically inactive.
Estimated Cost:
Where might the match funding come from: Core Funding
___________________________________________________________________________________________
Date: 14/09/07
Organisation Name: Tourism Training Forum for Wales (TTFW)
Project Description: The project will provide innovative approaches to
improving the overall skills of those people currently in employment that are involved in,
or have an interest, or impact on the tourism sector of Wales.
This will be with the overall aim of improving product quality and ‘to support
productivity and progression in employment by raising skills levels at the levels of basic
skills, intermediate level skills and higher level skills, to tackle skills gaps and
shortages’.
Specifically the project will work to address the key actions identified within the Sector
Skills Agreement as agreed between WAG and People 1st, the Sector Skills Council (SSC) for
the Tourism, Hospitality and Leisure industry. Therefore the project will work to increase
skills and knowledge
within:
• Customer service
• Management and Leadership
• Recruitment and retention
• Food provision/chef/catering skills
The project will address Priority 3 of the Convergence Programme and Priority 2 of the
Competitiveness programme (Improving skills levels and the adaptability of the workforce)
providing pan Wales provision.
Within Priority 3 of the Convergence programme the project will work to achieve those
targets set out within Theme 1 (Raising the skills base of the workforce and supporting
progression in employment through basic, and intermediate level skills) and/ or Theme 2
(Skills for the knowledge economy – Higher level skills and systems for workforce
development) as deemed appropriate by the Programme Management authority i.e. WEFO
Specific actions within the project aligned with possible fields of intervention &
delivery approaches (as split by Convergence Themes)
include:
Theme 1intervention & delivery approaches:
1. Targeted interventions to improve access to basic and functional
skills
provision (numeracy and literacy) for employees within and outside the workplace
Actions:-
- Regionally focussed programmes of HRD support for skills development
to
tourism related businesses, organisations and individuals for each of the four regions of
Wales (covering the 5 Spatial areas) that both feed into and feed from pan Wales and UK
initiatives
2. Providing low level workers with academic qualifications and
vocational
skills up to Level 2
Actions:-
- Regionally focussed programmes of HRD support for skills development
to
tourism related businesses, organisations and individuals for each of the four regions of
Wales (covering the 5 Spatial areas) that both feed into and feed from pan Wales and UK
initiatives
3. Supporting demand-led progression up to Level 3 through flexible
learning provision for individuals, including apprenticeships
Actions:-
- Enhance the training of chefs through mainstreaming the Triple A chef
scheme at Foundation Chef and Chef levels, whilst rolling the programme across Wales along
with the Chef VRQ; Piloting Triple A at higher levels
- Develop/ introduce a three level sector specific customer service
training programme building on previous experiences and developments
- Regionally focussed programmes of HRD support for skills development
to
tourism related businesses, organisations and individuals for each of the four regions of
Wales (covering the 5 Spatial areas) that both feed into and feed from pan Wales and UK
initiatives
Theme 2 intervention and delivery approaches:
1. Supporting the knowledge economy, including the development of Higher
Level Skills
Actions:-
- Regionally focussed programmes of HRD support for skills development
to
tourism related businesses, organisations and individuals for each of the four regions of
Wales (covering the 5 Spatial areas) that both feed into and feed from pan Wales and UK
initiatives
2. & 4. Improving research into skills needs and systems for
matching
learning supply to market demand and improving learning provision to meet demand; and
matching and improving provision so that it better meets labour market need
Actions:-
- Work with People 1st, the SSC for tourism, hospitality and leisure to
provide further in-depth information on sector skills needs at a local level where
appropriate
- Explore the delivery options, based on the volume, level and value of
existing provision, for establishing a Wales Skills Academy for the sector
- Investigate the availability of Welsh medium and bilingual training
provision, exploring the opportunity for implementing bi-lingual training provision in the
sector
- Develop a scoping project to assess the availability, impacts and gaps
of the various ‘people standards’ being applied across the sector i.e.
IIP, Hospitality Assured etc, with specific emphasis on where such standards support
leadership and management development
3. Supporting employers to identify and address skills needs of their
sectors at all levels including management including management, technical and craft
skills
Actions:-
- Enhancing the training of chefs through mainstreaming the Triple A at
Foundation Chef and Chef levels, whilst rolling the programme across Wales along with the
Chef VRQ; Piloting Triple A at higher levels
- Develop/ introduce a three level sector specific customer service
training programme building on previous experiences and developments
- Regionally focussed programmes of HRD support for skills development
to
tourism related businesses, organisations and individuals for each of the four regions of
Wales (covering the 5 Spatial areas) that both feed into and feed from pan Wales and UK
initiatives
- Provide a ‘face to face’ business mentoring scheme covering People
1st
footprint of tourism, hospitality & leisure
- Creation of and support for a tourism specific cadre of HRD Advisors
to
support tourism businesses develop and implement appropriate learning and development
plans and work towards/commit to IIP and/or other People 1st approved people standards;
close working relationships with Visit Wales Quality Advisers to be forged and maintained,
also close links with People 1st, TTFW and the Regional tourism HRD Coordinators who can
advise on, signpost to, and facilitate appropriate provision/Skills Passport etc.
- Tailoring the Leadership and Management programme to the needs of the
sector in partnership with the HE sector, and piloting its delivery as a sector specific
programme through DCELLS approved providers
5. Helping workers and enterprises adapt to new forms of work
organisations and new technologies
Actions:-
- Include significant CPD elements on the tourism specific portal
www.whodoiask.com & on welsh language portal www.gofynibwy.com . CPD to be delivered
via a variety of methods such as podcasts, social media (i.e.
blogs, forums), interactive modules, downloadable workbooks etc
- Provide an online resource related to business to business mentoring
(via tourism specific portals www.whodoiask.com & www.gofynibwy.com)
- Support People 1st, (SSC – Tourism, hospitality & leisure) to
provide a
single platform (Skills Passport) for businesses & individuals to monitor and promote
qualification & skills uptake along with career progression.
Platform will be used to promote ‘good employers’ and the requirement for individuals
to achieve higher level skills within the workplace in order to reach particular roles
within the industry. Outcomes will inform WAG policy in relation to the future use of
Skills Passports, including potential to support the Welsh Baccalaureate (available via
tourism specific portals www.whodoiask.com & www.gofynibwy.com)
- Support individuals to re-train/ gain additional skills within the 14
sub sectors noted under tourism, hospitality & leisure (People 1st
footprint) by noting all relevant training and skills development on the online searchable
database of training www.tourismtrainingguide.co.uk (also available via tourism specific
portals www.whodoiask.com &
www.gofynibwy.com)
- Support People 1st to introduce and pilot a scheme to monitor business
performance via the innovative use of real time Personal Digital Assistants (PDA’s)
being located in key businesses within the sector.
Information will be used to encourage and support employers to identify more effective
ways of working and encourage businesses to implement best practice
Email Address: leeelwell@ttfw.org.uk
Geographical Area of Operation: Pan Wales
Organisation Core Business: Skills development, support and signposting
for businesses, groups/ clusters and individuals with an interest in the tourism sector
within Wales.
Who will be involved in delivering the project: This is yet to be
finalised but potential project delivery partners may include: People 1st; Springboard;
WAG i.e. Visit Wales & DCELLS; Regional Tourism Partnerships; Specialist
sub-contractors i.e.
website/ ICT providers etc. Potential stakeholders may include: Tourism associations;
Local authorities; Wales Tourism Alliance; National Training Federation; Fforwm; Public
(FE & HE) &/ or private training providers; Other relevant & interested Sector
Skills Councils; Wales Management Council; WCVA; CBI Wales; Federation of Small
Businesses; Wales Social Partners; Wales TUC; Wales Local Government Association; Careers
Wales; NIACE. Level of involvement of a particular project partner would be dependent on
appropriateness to delivering the project outputs and results.
Who will be the end beneficiaries: Businesses, individuals, groups/
clusters and support staff that have an interest in the tourism sector within Wales. The
project will specifically focus on raising skill levels of employees and help employers
and enterprises adapt to change and to raise productivity.
Spatial area/s to be covered by the project: All eligible areas of Wales
will be covered by the project (Convergence & Competitiveness)
What might the outputs(activity measures): This could be: Total
participants (employed); Participants accessing basic skills qualifications; Participants
accessing Level 2 training; Participants accessing Level 3 training; Participants
accessing Level 4 training & above; Employers assisted or financially supported;
Research studies; Learning and development strategies
What might be the results of the project: Participants gaining
qualifications – employed; Qualifications levels gained; Basic skills; Level 2; Level 3;
Level 4 & above
What would its impact be: Increased ‘Skills level of employment’;
Increased ‘Participants gaining part qualifications’
Roughly what might be the scale of the project: 5000 trained participants
(beneficiaries) over 7 years; 4 research documents created; 4 training programmes created;
Online CPD, career progression/ monitoring & searchable skills database platforms
Estimated Cost: £13,122,000 over 7 years
Where might the match funding come from: This is yet to be agreed but may
include: WAG; RTP’s; TTFW & partner organisations time; Beneficiaries time and/ or
financial contributions
___________________________________________________________________________________________
Date: 08/10/07
Organisation Name: Chwarae Teg
Project Description: This project will promote gender equality in
employment and address the gender pay gap through increased efforts to reduce the
segregation of labour markets. It will work with employers to address inequalities in the
workplace and promote work life balance and flexibility; encourage and assist women to
reach their full potential; and with educators and careers advisers at key stages to
remove gender stereotyping from advice and guidance and to promote equality of opportunity
in order to enhance skills and economic activity. It will encourage innovative approaches
to tackling gender pay gaps and contribute to increased flexibility in the labour markets
working with partners on multiple and cross-cutting levels to address future skills
shortages.
Email Address: bev.pold@chwaraeteg.com
Geographical Area of Operation: Pan Wales
Organisation Core Business: To support, develop and expand the role of
women in the Welsh economy
Who will be involved in delivering the project: Strategic Partners will
include Employers, Industry bodies, Sector Skills Councils, Careers Wales
Association/Careers Wales companies, FE/HE Sector and work-based learning training
providers, Trade Unions, Wales Management Council.
Who will be the end beneficiaries: Employed women 16+, employers,
educators (Teachers and PGCE Students, Early Years Advisors, Governing Bodies, Careers
Advisors and Intermediary bodies).
Spatial area/s to be covered by the project: The project will be
delivered in the Convergence area - West Wales and the Valleys - acknowledging the spatial
considerations of each area – tackling challenges presented by the social, cultural,
environmental, economic and demographic diversity of the sub-regions.In the longer term,
it is intended that this project should be delivered pan-Wales to ensure equality of
opportunity for all and measurable economic outputs.
What might the outputs(activity measures): The project is currently being
developed and final targets have yet to be agreed. The following are indicative and will
be confirmed as the project development progresses and is agreed with the Welsh European
Funding Office. (i) Employed women – encouraging, supporting and developing women
wishing to progress their careers into senior and influencing roles leading to increased
economic activity and achievement.
(ii) Employers – innovative work practices to support employers in identifying and
developing women into management; developing and promoting work life balance initiatives;
and adding value to the business and ethical case for recruitment, selection and retention
of a diverse
workforce to address current and future skills shortages. (iii)
Educators/Advisers – working in collaboration with widening access teams and others
within FE/HE sector, work based learning and other training providers, advisors and
intermediary bodies to develop initiatives to engage, develop and support more women and
men into non-traditional training. Raising awareness of gender stereotyping and increasing
equality
of opportunity. (iv) Sector Skills Councils and other industry
bodies – developing sector skills agreements, particularly in sectors where there is
evidenced gender segregation, to raise sector wide and industry awareness of gender issues
and develop strategic goals for tacking inequalities and promote equity in training and
development.
(v) Educators - working in collaboration with Careers Wales, Teacher Training providers
and others, to develop structured and relevant workshops and training modules for Early
Years educators, teachers, ancillary staff and Governing Bodies in foundation phase,
primary and secondary schools to raise awareness of opportunities in non-traditional
sectors for girls and boys. Working in collaboration with FE/HE Institutions to develop
suitable modules for inclusion on
business/management courses. The project will also manage qualitative
and quantitative research projects to run concurrently with the above activities measures
to evidence need, underpin knowledge and further develop targeted measures to meet the
objectives of the project.
What might be the results of the project: The project results will
endeavour to meet the aims and objectives of the European Lisbon Agenda particularly
Priorities 69 and 73; the European Commission Roadmap for Equality between Men and Women;
priorities of the Welsh Assembly Government’s Wales A Vibrant Economy; Wales A Learning
Country 2; The Skills and Employment Action Plan, and associated strategic framework,
legislation and policies, to be identified
in full project application to: • Increase economic activity in
occupations and sectors where women and men are currently
under-represented. • Support and encourage women’s career
progression and increase representation in decision-making posts. •
Identify and nurture potential leaders, developing the talent of women in
middle and junior management positions. • Work with employers to
address gender disadvantage and inequalities in the workplace and develop innovative
working practices, valuing quality part-time work, and to
recruit, select and retain a skilled workforce. • Develop innovative
mechanisms/interventions to help employers challenge occupational
segregation and improve the career progression of women. •
Collaborate with Careers Wales Association/Companies in developing and delivering
innovative workshops and training to Early Years Educators to
challenge and influence young people’s career choices. • Map
companies that are setting and monitoring diversity targets and evaluate
women’s participation and advancement. • Promote positive examples
of flexible working and work life balance achievements, especially in
Small & Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs). • Embed principles of
flexibility and work life balance into business and management
ning. • Work in partnership with Sector Skills Councils to build links
between business and education and promote the business case for a more
diverse workforce. • Transnational and inter-regional
Co-operation – facilitate collaboration in areas of mutual interest with other European
regions.
What would its impact be: Address occupational segregation (vertical and
horizontal)contribute to elimination of gender pay gap, contribute to addressing current
and future skills shortages, development of more flexible employment practice
Roughly what might be the scale of the project: 6 year programme, 2007
– 2013 Convergence – West Wales and Valleys (P3T3 – Promoting Gender Equality in
Employment) / Pan Wales
2008 – 2013 – Regional Competitiveness and Employment Programme (Priority
2) – themes and budget to be determined.
Estimated Cost: Indicative budget £6m - £7m over 6 years
Where might the match funding come from: Welsh Assembly
Government/Department of Education, Culture and Welsh Language (DECWL); Careers Wales.
___________________________________________________________________________________________
Date: 23/05/07
Organisation Name: All Wales Ethnic Minority Association (AWEMA)
Project Description: A programme of support and development to help
unemployed women from BME communities to access and retain sustainable employment.
This would include:
• Delivering skills training at basic, pre-employment, and vocational
levels, and providing job search skills and support
• Providing voluntary placement and work trial opportunities and positive
action training to enable unemployed women to develop generic employability skills and
job-specific skills as well as gaining real, practical work experience
• Delivering conversion training programmes for highly qualified women who
are returning to the labour market
• Delivering language skills training, using a mix of the beneficiaries’
own languages and English at a professional level, particularly to support highly
qualified economic migrants who are unable to access appropriate employment opportunities
because of a lack of language and technical language skills
• Providing affordable childcare, possibly through a social enterprise
• Providing mentoring and counselling, including the development of
counselling skills by potential role models
• Encouraging and supporting social enterprise as a route to
self-employment and employment
• Developing social networks to raise awareness, provide mutual
encouragement and support and build the confidence of individuals
• Introducing positive action training to employers to encourage them to
recruit employees from BME communities and offer work experience and placements
• Developing links with employers and intermediaries (e.g. JobCentre Plus)
to improve their understanding of BME women’s needs and to improve the understanding of
BME women of employers’ needs and expectations. This may include establishing
employer-community liaison roles and carrying out research.
Email Address: nazmalik@awema.org.uk
Geographical Area of Operation: South West Wales, West, Mid and North
Wales and the Valleys area.
Organisation Core Business: Addressing inequality and promoting diversity
in the labour market. Helping people from BME communities, economic migrants and refugees
to overcome labour market disadvantage and delivering services to help improve their
quality of life.
Who will be involved in delivering the project: AWEMA, BAWSO, MEWN
Swansea, Swansea College and Swansea Institute
Who will be the end beneficiaries: Unemployed women from BME communities,
unemployed economic migrants and refugees; employers
Spatial area/s to be covered by the project: South West Wales, West, Mid
and North Wales and the Valleys area.
What might the outputs(activity measures): Number of beneficiaries
supported, Number of employers assisted, Numbers participating in each type of activity,
Number of childcare places provided, Number of research projects
What might be the results of the project: Number of beneficiaries
completing each activity, Positive outcomes on leaving (paid employment, voluntary
employment, further learning), Improved understanding by employers of BME needs, and vice
versa, Number of employers adopting equality and diversity strategies and monitoring
systems
What would its impact be: Beneficiaries with improved soft skills (e.g.
increased confidence, higher motivation, etc), Positive outcomes 6 months after leaving
(further learning, employment), Positive outcomes 12 months after leaving (further
learning, employment), Improved links between employers and BME communities
Roughly what might be the scale of the project: This would be a large
scale project, with some activities being delivered across the whole of West Wales and the
Valleys and other activities being piloted in smaller areas before roll out to other
areas.
Estimated Cost: £1m per annum
Where might the match funding come from: Existing non-EU sourced revenue
streams
___________________________________________________________________________________________
Date: 23/04/07
Organisation Name: Chwarae Teg
Project Description: SET A’GENDER, Innovation, determination,
expectation
This project will promote employment through increased efforts to reduce the segregation
of labour markets, increase the number of women in work and contribute to the efficiency
and equity of training and education systems in order to enhance skills and economic
activity. It will work with employers to address inequalities in the workplace and promote
flexible working; and with educators and careers advisers at key stages to remove gender
stereotyping from advice and guidance and to promote equality of opportunity. It will
encourage innovative approaches to tackling gender pay gaps and contribute to increased
flexibility in the labour markets working with partners on multiple and cross-cutting
levels to address future skills shortages.
Email Address: bev.pold@chwaraeteg.com
Geographical Area of Operation: Pan Wales
Organisation Core Business: To support develop and expand the role of
women in the Welsh economy
Who will be involved in delivering the project: Strategic partners will
include Careers Wales Association/Careers Wales companies, Colleges of Further Education,
Universities (Widening Access Programmes), W.I.S.E (Women in Science, Engineering &
Construction), private Training Providers, Sector skills Councils/Industry and individual
employers, Trade Unions, Wales Management Council
Who will be the end beneficiaries: Women 16+, Young people 14-19,
Employers, Early Years Educators/Educators, Advisers/Intermediary Bodies, Men
Spatial area/s to be covered by the project: The project will be
delivered in the Convergence area - West Wales and the Valleys - acknowledging the spatial
considerations of each area – tackling challenges presented by the social, cultural,
environmental, economic and demographic diversity of the sub-regions. In the longer-term,
it is intended that this project will be delivered pan-Wales to ensure equality of
opportunity for all and measurable economic outputs.
What might the outputs (activity measures):
The project is currently being developed and final targets have yet to be agreed. The
following are indicative and will be confirmed as the project development progresses and
is agreed with Welsh European Funding Office:
(i) Female beneficiaries undertaking training in non-traditional sectors,
and those women wishing to progress their careers into senior and influencing roles
leading to increased economic activity and achievement Indicative target – No. of Women
(ii) Employers – innovative work practices to support employers in adding
value to the business and ethical case for recruitment, selection and retention of a
diverse workforce to address current and future skills shortages. Employers to include
SME’s Indicative target – No. of companies
(iii) Early Years Educators/Advisers and others who contribute to
influencing the career choices of young people and adults.
Indicative target – No. of Workshops/Structured Training sessions
(iv) In collaboration with Careers Wales, develop suitable training
modules to deliver to teaching and ancillary staff in primary and secondary schools to
influence young people career choices and raise awareness of opportunities in
non-traditional sectors – for boys and girls Indicative target – No. of Schools
(v) Develop suitable work-focused practical training sessions to meet the
requirements of the 14-19 Learning Pathways Action Plan working in collaboration with
Careers Wales Association/ Companies and Schools Indicative targets – No. of Schools
No. of pupils participating
(vi) Targeted advice and support for men wishing to enter non-traditional
sectors leading to increased economic activity Indicative target – No. of Men
What might be the results of the project:
The project results will endeavour to meet the aims and objectives of the European Lisbon
Agenda particularly Priorities 69 and 73; the European Commission Roadmap for Equality
between Men and Women; priorities of the Welsh Assembly Government’s Wales A Vibrant
Economy; Wales A Learning Country 2; 14-19 Learning Pathways Action Plan, and associated
strategic framework, legislation and policies, to be identified in full project
application to:
• Increase economic activity in occupations and sectors where women and
men are currently under-represented
• Support and encourage women’s career progression and increase
representation in decision-making posts in non-traditional occupational sectors
• Identify and nurture potential leaders, developing the talent of women
in middle and junior management positions
• Work with employers to address gender disadvantage and inequalities in
the workplace and develop innovative working practices to recruit, select and retain a
skilled workforce
• Develop innovative mechanisms/interventions to help employers challenge
occupational segregation
• Collaborate with Careers Wales Association/Companies in developing and
delivering innovative workshops and training to Early Years Educators to challenge and
influence young people’s career choices.
• Map companies that are setting and monitoring diversity targets and
evaluate women’s participation and advancement
• Promote positive examples of flexible working and work life balance
achievements, especially in Small & Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs)
• Collaborate with Schools in delivering the 14-19 Learning Pathways
Action Plan for Wales through work-focused training to build capacity and confidence and
raise awareness of opportunities in non-traditional sectors
• Work in partnership with Sector Skills Councils to build links between
business and education
• Transnational and inter-regional Co-operation – facilitate collaboration
in areas of mutual interest with other European regions
Increase the economic activity in occupations and sectors where women and men are
currently under-represented - see further information above
What would its impact be: Address occupational segregation (vertical and
horizontal), increase economic activity and contribute to the elimination of gender pay
gap / Contribute to addressing current and future skills shortages / Development of more
flexible employment practice
Roughly what might be the scale of the project: 6 year programme 2007 –
2013 Convergence – West Wales and Valleys (P3T3) / Pan Wales 2008-013 - Regional
Competitivness and Employment Programme (Priority 3 Theme 3 Promoting Gender Equality
within the Workforce) - budget to be determined
Estimated Cost: Indicative budget £4m to £5m over 6 years
Where might the match funding come from: Welsh Assembly
Government/Department of Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills (DELLS); Career Wales
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