Women’s organisations unite to tackle disadvantage

WCRP is a partnership of the Women’s Resource and Development Agency, the Women’s Support Network in Belfast, The Women’s Centre in Derry and the NI Rural Women’s Network based in Cookstown but working throughout rural Northern Ireland.

The WCRP works directly with 14 frontline women’s organisations including seven in Belfast, four in North West as well as three serving rural areas. These women’s centres offer literally hundreds of courses each year ranging from ICT and Sage Accounts to food hygiene, maths and English skills as well as a wide variety of personal development courses. And while the women are attending the courses, they are able to have their young children cared for in the centre’s crèche. For many women it will be their only opportunity to improve their chance of getting a job since leaving school.

“This Partnership will be able to effectively articulate the vital importance of childcare and community-based education for women right across Northern Ireland. It’s all about ‘joining the dots’ so that we are working together as a united force to strengthen the voice of community based women’s organisations,” said Siobhan Doherty, WCRP Director.

The Partnership wants to promote long term funding and avoid the difficulties that short term, project based, funding has created in the past such as loss of personnel through short term contracts leading to a loss in expertise and gaps in funding.

“Together we have a stronger voice and together we can work to benefit thousands of women in Northern Ireland,” Siobhan Doherty of WCRP added.

Contact details for all of the partners and for WCRP can be found here or for more information, email Tiziana O'Hara, tel: 028 90230212.