Helios
The Helios DP has the following objectives:
- ensure that equal opportunities and empowerment are central planks of DP ethos, principle and practice for all partners and stakeholders;
- review, and develop enhanced appreciation of, policies and practice impacting on women’s entry to training and employment in construction trades;
- review, and develop enhanced awareness of, barriers experienced by women attempting entry to training and employment in construction trades;
- provide a gender specific Equal Opportunities’ awareness programme for tutors instructing women considering entry to training and eventual employment in construction trades;
- provide an innovative supported training programme for women considering further training and eventual employment in construction trades;
- develop practical lessons of what works and doesn’t from experience of programme delivery, and disseminate learning to impact on policy and practice in favour of women considering entry to construction trades;
- based on programme experience and learning, develop and propose policy and practice improvements, where appropriate, in favour of women considering entry to construction trades;
- work with DEL and other related organisations to review, and where appropriate add value to, any Government policies regarding modern apprenticeship/traineeship requirements and frameworks; and
- seek to establish more effective pathways to reduce the existing barriers that women experience in attempting entry to ‘non-traditional trades’.
During Action 1, the DP will develop an attitudinal survey, to be carried out at programme commencement and completion, to determine training staff’s awareness of the difficulties experienced by women training in non-traditional trades.
In Action 2, it is envisaged that 24 women will enrol for training. Year 1 will consist of 3 x 12 week introductory vocational training courses and in Year 2 participants will concentrate on a chosen trade specialism for 36 weeks.
The attitudinal survey will be applied to all trainers at the commencement and completion of the project. Initial results will help focus targeted EO Awareness Training for training staff, and final results will be analysed to determine attitudinal change.
Action 2 will also include a ‘Digital Diary Booth’ mechanism, allowing both trainees and trainers to voice their opinions on their experience of the training process.
Action 3 will build on the lessons of Actions 1 & 2 and seek to change policy where necessary, to ensure that women can access ‘atypical' training, apprenticeships and employment.
Development Partnership Members:
- Triax Taskforce
- Department for Employment and Learning
- North West Institute of Further and Higher Education
- Social Security Agency
- Derry City Council
- Bogside and Brandywell Initiative
- Business in the Community
- Gasyard Wall Féile
- Creggan Neighbourhood Partnership
- New Fountain Forum
- Bogside and Brandywell Women’s Group
- Women in Enterprise
- INGAGE
- Equality Commission for Northern Ireland
- Construction Industry Training Board
Helios is a member of the Building for Women Transnational Partnership which also includes a partner in:
Contact:
Orla Drummond
Triax Taskforce
Iona Business Park
Southway
Derry - Londonderry
BT48 9LH
Tel: +44(0).28.7136 1419
Fax:+44.(0)28.7136 7008
E-mail: orladrummond@triaxtaskforce.org
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