http://www.weawomenatwork.org.uk/ List of latest articles from WEA Women at Work http://www.weawomenatwork.org.uk/resources/article/309/Adult-Learners-Week-18-24-May-2013 http://www.weawomenatwork.org.uk/resources/article/309/Adult-Learners-Week-18-24-May-2013 A range of events are taking place over the week including an opportunity to meet WEA's Sue Mitchell to learn about projects and classes over a cuppa. See attached document for more details Tue, 14 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT http://www.weawomenatwork.org.uk/resources/article/276/Language-awareness-course-for-front-line-staff http://www.weawomenatwork.org.uk/resources/article/276/Language-awareness-course-for-front-line-staff Language awareness course for front-line staff   Language / communication barriers are usually the principal difficulties encountered when delivering services to migrant communities. This short language awareness course explores simple but effective ways of making spoken and written English more understandable to non-native speakers. It is aimed at front-line staff from a variety of public and voluntary service providers. This course is delivered online over a period of two weeks. Participants are invited to download weekly tasks and take part in online forum discussions.   Aims and objectives 1. To raise awareness of language barriers faced by non-native speakers of English. 2. To develop strategies for communicating clearly and effectively with non-native speakers of English. 3. To increase confidence in dealing with people from different language groups. 4. To raise awareness of own practice. 5. To raise awareness of strategies for dealing with language barriers. 6. To provide a forum for the sharing of experience and good practice.   Course dates The course will take place from 19 April – 2 May 2013. The course requires approximately 4 - 5 hours per week (at any time to suit) over a period of 2 weeks.   Cost The course is free and funded through the European Social Fund/Highland Council.   Criteria for selection Places will be limited to 12. Priority will be given to front-line staff in the public and voluntary sector in Highland. All candidates should have sound ICT skills.   Contact details To enrol on the course, please complete the application form and return it as soon as possible to Gillian Scott, ESOL Tutor Training Coordinator: g.scott@weascotland.org.uk   Gillian Scott The Workers' Educational Association David Whyte House 57 Church Street Inverness IV1 1DR         Tel: 07851 413276       Wed, 13 Mar 2013 00:00:00 GMT http://www.weawomenatwork.org.uk/resources/article/277/Accredited-ESOL-Initial-Tutor-Training-Course-Inverness http://www.weawomenatwork.org.uk/resources/article/277/Accredited-ESOL-Initial-Tutor-Training-Course-Inverness Accredited ESOL Initial Tutor Training Course, Inverness 19 April – 21 June 2013     The PDA ITESOL (Professional Development Award: Introduction to Tutoring English for Speakers of Other Languages) is a first-stage national qualification, consisting of two units. The awarding body is the SQA (Scottish Qualifications Authority). The award is aimed at new ESOL tutors, volunteers and tutor assistants and sits at Level 6 on the Scottish Credit and Qualification Framework (SCQF).   The WEA will run unit one of the award from April till June 2013. It is offered as a blended learning version (mainly online course, with 3 face-to-face sessions), leading to accreditation of unit 1, ‘Language and Learning in ESOL’. It is important that participants feel confident about their computer skills and using an online platform (Moodle).   We anticipate offering Unit 2 ‘Developing ESOL Tutoring Skills’ later in the year, once funding is confirmed.   The course will provide candidates with the basic necessary skills and knowledge to allow them to successfully negotiate and deliver ESOL in a supported context. As well as introducing key terminology, it will provide opportunities to explore the nature of language learning from the learner’s perspective.     The PDA ITESOL Unit 1 – Language and Learning in ESOL   factors affecting ESOL learning lexical, grammatical and phonological features of the English language language skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing) factors affecting language selection in ESOL tutoring     Delivery will include input sessions and online support from Gillian Scott and Melanie Danet, both experienced ESOL practitioners. There will be extensive use of discussion and reflection on candidates’ own experiences of learning. Candidates will be expected to contribute to group discussions and work in small groups/pairs on tasks which will give insights into and understanding of issues in ESOL. Unit 1 will be done mainly online, with three face-to-face sessions in Inverness on specific dates.   Candidates will be assessed by means of written accounts and closed-book assessments for Unit 1. Please note that the course requires full commitment and approximately 5 – 7 hours’ study per week.   Further information about the award can be obtained from the SQA website http://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/34430.html ‘PDA in Introduction to Tutoring ESOL at SCQF level 6 Arrangements Document’        Dates & Times   Unit 1: Friday 19 April to 21 June 2013 You must be able to attend three face-to-face sessions in Inverness on Friday 19 April, 24 May and 21 June 2013. These sessions will take place from 10:30 – 15:00 (break 12:30 – 13:15) in the Highland Homeless Trust training room.     Venue Highland Homeless Trust David Whyte House (basement)* 57 Church Street Inverness IV1 1DR * The training room is down a short flight of stairs. If you have access issues, please contact Gillian as soon as possible.     Criteria for selection ·         Places will be limited to 12. ·         Priority will be given to those already working with (an) ESOL learner(s) or about to work with a learner within the ESOL Highland Providers Group. ·         All candidates should have an excellent command of oral and written English. Candidates whose first language is not English should have English language competence at ESOL Higher level or equivalent. ·         All candidates should have sound ICT skills. ·         Applicants must complete and return an application form before being accepted onto the course.     Cost The course is free to participants in the Highland region and funded through the European Social Fund/Highland Council. Tea/coffee will be provided. Please note that the WEA are unable to reimburse any travel, accommodation and subsistence expenses.     Contact details If you are interested in enrolling on the course, please complete the application form and return it as soon as possible and by the deadline of 8 April 2013 to Gillian Scott, ESOL Tutor Training Coordinator: g.scott@weascotland.org.uk   Gillian Scott The Workers' Educational Association David Whyte House 57 Church Street Inverness IV1 1DR           Tel: 07851 413276                         Wed, 13 Mar 2013 00:00:00 GMT http://www.weawomenatwork.org.uk/resources/article/272/Lloyds-Banking-Group-Social-Entrepreneurs-Programme-Funding-and-Support http://www.weawomenatwork.org.uk/resources/article/272/Lloyds-Banking-Group-Social-Entrepreneurs-Programme-Funding-and-Support The Lloyds Banking Group Social Entrepreneurs Programme is funded by Lloyds Banking Group, with support from Nominet Trust, which is funding internet-focused projects as part of the programme. The programme will comprise comprehensive support from the School for Social Entrepreneurs (SSE) through its innovative 'action learning' programmes. Individuals who are leading or planning to set up a project or social enterprise organisation which will create social change in the UK may apply.  Criteria must be met: Entrants must be aged 16 years or over and live in the UK The 2013 programme is being delivered in Scotland for Start Ups Wed, 27 Feb 2013 00:00:00 GMT http://www.weawomenatwork.org.uk/resources/article/251/Healthy-Homes-for-Highland-Referral-Scheme http://www.weawomenatwork.org.uk/resources/article/251/Healthy-Homes-for-Highland-Referral-Scheme Healthy Homes for Highland (HHH) is simple and quick multi-agency referral scheme. It aims to tackle fuel poverty, increase incomes and prevent fires.  With the involvement of front-line staff and voluntary organisations, it helps reach vulnerable and hard-to-reach households who can benefit most from the advice and help.  Healthy Homes is an easy way to refer people for help and advice through one referral. Anyone referred can get free advice and assistance with: Making their home warmer and ways to reduce their fuel bills. Making their home safer through a Home Fire Safety Check (including free smoke alarms). Getting more income from tax credits and benefits and access to other entitlements. Debt counselling to deal with debts. Voluntary and front line workers can quickly and easily make referrals by using the simple referral card, e-referral form or helping the householder to call: 0800 512 012 (free from landline) or 0300 456 2655 from a mobile. Referrals are co-ordinated by the Energy Saving Scotland advice centre (ESSac).  The core partners are:  Highland Council; Highlands & Islands Fire and Rescue Services; Highlands & Islands ESSac and NHS Highland. Other organisations like the CABx are also involved. More information and materials (e.g. leaflet for frontline staff, cards, FAQS etc.) are available from the Highland Council's website at:  www.highland.gov.uk/livinghere/housing/howtogetmoreinformation/healthyhomes.htm 'Training' is available for Groups, managers, volunteers etc..  Short presentations can be delivered by colleagues from ESSac and/or Highlands &Island Fire & Rescue Service.  They have been designed to fit into team meetings or other forums. Easy to use 'Training for trainers' materials are available. To arrange a session for managers or key frontline staff, organisations should contact Alan Grant at ESSac in Inverness.  Alan's email address is:  alan.grant@hi.energysavingscotland.org.uk   Thu, 17 Jan 2013 00:00:00 GMT http://www.weawomenatwork.org.uk/resources/article/240/Glasgow-2014-unveils-4million-fund-for-Cultural-Sector http://www.weawomenatwork.org.uk/resources/article/240/Glasgow-2014-unveils-4million-fund-for-Cultural-Sector This Fund is a major component in the development of the Glasgow 2014 Cultural Programme, which will be a nationwide celebration. It aims to enhance the Games experience for spectators and visitors, and create a platform to showcase the best of Glasgow and Scotland's culture alongside that of the Commonwealth. Individual artists, community-led groups and arts organisations are invited to apply for awards that could range from £20,000 up to £300,000 through the scheme, which is the result of a partnership between Glasgow 2014, Creative Scotland and Glasgow Life.Projects can be new and one-off events or enhancements of an existing festival or programme of work. They can feature in either or both the Scotland-wide programme Culture 2014 - which will focus on the countdown to the Games before the focus subsequently turns to other major events, such as the Ryder Cup and the Edinburgh Festivals - and Festival 2014, which will transform Glasgow during Games-time.Successful proposals will demonstrate a compelling connection to the Games, link to the journey of the Queen's Baton Relay across Scotland or to other significant Games milestones, such as 'One Year To Go'.The bulk of cultural activity will take place between June and the end of August 2014, though it is anticipated that preliminary activity will take place in 2013 and early 2014.  The deadline for applications is 22 February 2013For guidelines and application form go to:http://www.glasgow2014.com/press-releases/glasgow-2014-unveils-£4-million-fund-cultural-sector-celebrate-commonwealth-games . Glasgow 2014 Cultural Programme Open Fund Information Session - Inverness Glasgow 2014 Wednesday, January 9, 2013 from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM Inverness, United Kingdom To register go to    http://culturalproginverness.eventbrite.com Wed, 19 Dec 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.weawomenatwork.org.uk/resources/article/237/Think-Act-Report http://www.weawomenatwork.org.uk/resources/article/237/Think-Act-Report The Home Secretary is championing 'Think, Act, Report' - a voluntary initiative to drive greater transparency on gender employment issues. http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/equalities/women/women-work/gender-equality-reporting/ Tue, 4 Dec 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.weawomenatwork.org.uk/resources/article/208/Science-and-Engineering-Careers-for-Girls http://www.weawomenatwork.org.uk/resources/article/208/Science-and-Engineering-Careers-for-Girls Mr Salmond said:"It is vitally important that, from an early age, girls make the right subject choices at school to allow them to progress through education and training toward the widest range of job opportunities possible."That's one reason why we are launching Careerwise Scotland. Working with industry and schools, we want schoolgirls to meet female engineers, manufacturers and scientists and know that those are options open just as much to them as to their male classmates."In the run up to today's historic summit, the issue of gender segregation in a number of specialisms has come to the fore."Some progress has been made. Since this conference was proposed, female employment has increased, rising by 12,000 over May-July, whilst female unemployment has fallen by 7,000. Female employment in Scotland is higher, and unemployment and inactivity rates are lower, than they are in the UK as a whole."But we know more has to be done."The independent Science and Engineering Education Advisory Group highlighted the need to support women into science and engineering, which is why we are establishing Careerwise Scotland with £250,000 to intensify engagement with schools and encourage more girls to consider these areas as career options. We will work closely with STUC and the industry to develop the way forward."Women seeking employment face a number of barriers, even in a modern Scotland. I want today's summit to develop a range of actions to help Scotland's women make a full contribution to growing Scotland's economy.Ms Constance added:"Helping more women into work is a top priority if Scotland's economy is to grow faster, and we are doing all we can to achieve that, including our plans to deliver the best package of flexible early learning and childcare anywhere in the UK. "The perception that some jobs 'just aren't for women' must also be overcome if we are to create a level playing field for all. We want to hear about the real life experiences of women, both around the difficulties they've faced and the successes they've had."The summit will focus on identifying a number of positive steps that public sector bodies, employers, trade unions, other partners and women themselves can take to ensure that nothing stands in their way of Scotland's women taking advantage of the job opportunities available."Grahame Smith, STUC General Secretary added:"This important initiative can help remedy the current situation where far too few women in Scotland pursue careers in science and engineering. If the goals set out in the Government's economic strategy are to be achieved, it is essential that more women believe that they can have a viable and rewarding career in science and engineering."By encouraging young women to pursue such careers this initiative has the potential realise a significant economic and social dividend."Related informationCareerwise Scotland will be funded through the Opportunities for All stream of the Young Scots Fund over the next 3 years. The value of Scottish Government investment will be up to £250,000.  Tue, 2 Oct 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.weawomenatwork.org.uk/resources/article/205/Womens-Employment-Summit-Evidence-paper http://www.weawomenatwork.org.uk/resources/article/205/Womens-Employment-Summit-Evidence-paper Research including- Education and Learning- Patterns of Employment- Issues in Work- Women in Enterprise- Women not in Work- Transition Phases- labour Market Trends- International Comparisions  Wed, 26 Sep 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.weawomenatwork.org.uk/resources/article/194/Voluntary-Action-Fund-VAF-Community-Grant http://www.weawomenatwork.org.uk/resources/article/194/Voluntary-Action-Fund-VAF-Community-Grant Voluntary Action Fund (VAF) Community Grant has been extended to March 2013 Aimed at Scotland’s smaller community groups and voluntary organisations, the Community Grant provides grants of up to £1,000 and free training to groups with an annual income under £25,000. These small, volunteer-led community groups make a vital difference to their communities. Their activities keep communities vibrant and encourage community empowerment and participation. They provide essential local services and contribute to social capital, resilience and wellbeing. To apply for the £1,000 grant, groups must have: ü      An annual income below £25,000 (excluding any income for capital items such as buildings and equipment) ü      A signed constitution or set of rules in the name of the group ü      A bank account in the name of the group with 2 signatories on all cheques ü      An independent referee who can vouch for the group and has knowledge of the plans for using the grant For more information:- http://www.voluntaryactionfund.org.uk/5,1356/grants/community_grants/ Tue, 4 Sep 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.weawomenatwork.org.uk/resources/article/169/Social-Media-Solutions http://www.weawomenatwork.org.uk/resources/article/169/Social-Media-Solutions Check out this new resources for all of you that have wanted promote your business or organisation using social media such as Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.Starting with Facebook: profiles or pages Solutions provides answers to the questions that stop many of us taking the next step in social media promotion.Promising regular, jargon free hints and tips, Solutions gived free advice on creating your own social media presence.  You can also find out more on Twitter or Facebook. Wed, 29 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.weawomenatwork.org.uk/resources/article/239/Coaching-for-Success-Programme-Science-Engineering-and-Technology http://www.weawomenatwork.org.uk/resources/article/239/Coaching-for-Success-Programme-Science-Engineering-and-Technology The Coaching for Success programme is for women who are working in, or returning to, Science Engineering and Technology and provides you with a fantastic opportunity to access your own development programme through a series of 5 funded coaching sessions with a highly qualified and experienced coach. The sessions are substantially reduced with half the costs subsidised, so you pay only £30 per sessionhttp://www.napier.ac.uk/research/centresandprojects/src/whatwedo/coaching/Pages/Coaching.aspx Mon, 13 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.weawomenatwork.org.uk/resources/article/158/Can-your-family-meet-the-Baby-Footprints-Challenge http://www.weawomenatwork.org.uk/resources/article/158/Can-your-family-meet-the-Baby-Footprints-Challenge The Highland Real Nappy Project is currently running the Baby Footprints Challenge as their commitment to reducing the carbon footprint of nappy use by challenging people to abandon disposables andconvert to 'real nappies' .  HRNP claim that you can also reduce your household bills while reducing your carbon footprint. If you sign-up for the Baby Footprints Challenge today they will send you a free pack of modern quick drying real nappies, discounts and vouchers for carbon cutting products and services and lots of advice, information and support.  "It could save your family hundreds of pounds", said Ailsa Villegas, Sustainable Development Officer at Highland Council. "Even those of us without babies can help by making a personal pledge"  The Highland Real Nappy Project campaigns and promotes the benefits of real nappy use across the Highland Council area and have been supported by the Highland Council and this year were funded by the Climate Challenge Fund.  If you'd like to sign-up for the challenge contact the HRNP. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.weawomenatwork.org.uk/resources/article/138/Unique-WomenWork-feature-in-new-European-guide http://www.weawomenatwork.org.uk/resources/article/138/Unique-WomenWork-feature-in-new-European-guide WINNET8 is a European Project to promote regional growth by improving women's participation in the labour market. The project aims to shape regional, national and EU-level policies and development programmes that relate to women's status in the labour market and ensure these policies are integrated into mainstream provision. As part of this work, Winnet* has compiled a guide to innovation and practice in Women's Resource centres across Europe.\Women@Work feature in the guide. "Women@Work are unique in the Highland Regions in terms of the learning and educational programme for women. They provide a vehicle for women's influence in decision making at local, regional and national levels. Women@Work is doing groundbreaking work to engage women in economics by examining women's contribution to micro-economics and exploring opportunities and channels of influence that women can access in terms of macro-economics. Women@Work is doing groundbreaking work to engage women in economics by examining women's contribution to micro-economics and exploring opportunities and channels of influence that women can access in terms of macro-economics, i.e. how women can exercise consumer power. Women@Work also works to improve understanding of how the economy runs and how equality and gender can be taken into account in relation to budgeting and spending patterns."Read the full report. Wed, 28 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://www.weawomenatwork.org.uk/resources/article/120/TUC-Women-and-the-Cuts-Toolkit http://www.weawomenatwork.org.uk/resources/article/120/TUC-Women-and-the-Cuts-Toolkit This is a toolkit for trade unions, voluntary organisations, community groups and others who want to assess the human rights and equality impact of the spending cuts on women in their communities. Although the toolkit focuses on women and the cuts, much of the information it contains can be used to look at the impact of the cuts on other groups.The toolkit was written by Mary-Ann Stephenson, Chair of Coventry Women's Voices. Download the toolkit here.  Wed, 30 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://www.weawomenatwork.org.uk/resources/article/117/Pay-gap-stagnant-as-womens-unemployment-continues-to-rise http://www.weawomenatwork.org.uk/resources/article/117/Pay-gap-stagnant-as-womens-unemployment-continues-to-rise Anna Bird, Acting Chief Executive at the Fawcett Society said: "More than 40 years after the Dagenham machinists went on strike, in a move that triggered the Equal Pay Act, women can still expect to earn less than their male counterparts. "We have become used to slow, steady progress towards gender equality but today's figures are more evidence that progress is stalling. The average gap in pay is virtually unchanging, with the mean earnings gap stuck at 15 per cent. For every hundred pounds men take home, women on average take home around £85.(1) "The gender pay gap in the private sector is still significantly greater than in the public sector (2). With the government focus now on boosting enterprise and private sector growth, there is a real risk that the pay gap will widen in the years ahead unless there is concerted action to tackle pay inequality. "With a record number of women out of work - 1.09 million women are unemployed (3) - and a persistent, stagnant gap in pay between women and men, the government needs to take action. The Fawcett Society calls on government to publish a strategy for women's employment, that seeks to protect women's access to work and deliver equal pay and fair working terms and conditions. The government must also make headway with plans to broaden flexible working rights to all employees and reform parental leave as set out in the Modern Workplaces consultation, which will contribute to a more equal society." (1) ONS statistics found: Men's mean hourly earnings were £16.44, up 1.1 per cent from £16.27 in 2010. Women's mean hourly earnings increased by 1.8 per cent to £14.00 compared with £13.75 in 2010.This means that the gender pay difference has shifted slightly from 15.5 per cent in 2010 to 14.9 per cent in 2011. The Office for National Statistics prefers to use the median calculation of the gender pay gap, which neutralises the effect of having a small group of very highly paid male employees (CEOs in the private sector are overwhelmingly men) and a concentration of women in the lowest paid jobs (including school midday assistants - the ONS press release highlights the widening gap between these lowest paid and highest paid occupations). Fawcett uses the mean, because it allows the extreme pay levels at either end of the scale to be factored in. (2) The gap in the public sector stands at 13.2 per cent; in the private sector this stands at 20.4 per cent. These figures are ascertained using the following calculation: Public sector: [(Male full-time hourly pay excluding overtime of 18.22 per cent - female full-time hourly pay excluding overtime of 15.81) / male full-time hourly pay excluding overtime of 18.22 per cent] x 100 = 13.2 per cent. Private sector: [(Male full-time hourly pay excluding overtime of 15.92 per cent - female full-time hourly pay excluding overtime of 12.67) / male full-time hourly pay excluding overtime of 15.92 per cent] x 100 = 20.4 per cent.The full ONS report can be downloaded here.  Wed, 23 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://www.weawomenatwork.org.uk/resources/article/108/Equality-remains-fragile-for-Scottish-women http://www.weawomenatwork.org.uk/resources/article/108/Equality-remains-fragile-for-Scottish-women Scottish women face higher levels of unemployment and financial instability than their male counterparts.New government research claims that improvements in female equality remain fragile when it comes to the gender pay gap, employment and poverty.  Despite limited growth in the Scottish economy, women remain over represented when it comes to poverty and unemployment.  A new report from Scottish Government Social Research states that women in Scotland: Undertake the majority of care giving Are disproportionately and negatively affected by welfare reforms Are less likely to have savings and to be coping financially Although women generally have higher qualifications they also experience lower rates of income and higher unemployment. Single female parents and pensioners are more likely to be living in poverty and women are generally more likely to be economcally inactive or unemployed. The gender pay gap remains a staggering 17.2%.  Amid claims from some that the recession is over, public sector cuts have yet to fully make their effect felt and women look likely to be the main victims.Nearly half of all women employed in Scotland work in the public, education or health sectors. In consequence, public sector cuts will have a disproportionate impact on women.These worrying findings show that gender equality must remain high on the agenda and point to the need for policies designed to address the needs of women.  For more information The position of Scotland's equality groups - revisiting resilience in 2011. Fri, 4 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://www.weawomenatwork.org.uk/resources/article/106/Gender-equality-and-development-The-World-Bank http://www.weawomenatwork.org.uk/resources/article/106/Gender-equality-and-development-The-World-Bank The 2012 World Development Report on Gender Equality and Development finds that women's lives around the world have improved dramatically, but gaps remain in many areas. The authors use a conceptual framework to examine progress to date, and then recommend policy actions.For more visit WDR.  Wed, 2 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://www.weawomenatwork.org.uk/resources/article/94/Understanding-and-Measuring-Womens-Economic-Empowerment http://www.weawomenatwork.org.uk/resources/article/94/Understanding-and-Measuring-Womens-Economic-Empowerment A growing number of organizations are committed to strengthening women economically, but few understand exactly how to make it happen. Nor are they clear how to evaluate whether their efforts are successful. To help address this need, ICRW today launches its latest report, "Understanding and Measuring Women's Economic Empowerment." One of its authors, ICRW's Anju Malhotra, highlights below a few findings from the research that guided the document. Malhotra responded to questions via email. ICRW: Our latest report lays out a framework to guide the design, implementation and evaluation of programs that aim to advance women economically. How did researchers determine there was a need for this? Anju Malhotra: In the past few years, and especially the last few months, ICRW has been approached by a number of organizations seeking clarity and guidance on this point. We responded to this demand by developing the framework featured in our report. An increasing number of organizations and individuals understand the importance of advancing women economically. But they are less clear on the exact steps to take in bringing it about. And they are seeking markers of success: How will they know empowerment has been achieved? Based on ICRW's research and programmatic experience in this area, we felt that clarity on these points would be welcome by a large number of stakeholders committed to economically empowering women. ICRW: What must governments, corporations, donors and nongovernmental organizations consider if they want to include women more in the global marketplace and help strengthen them economically? AM: Recognize that women are both producers and consumers in an economy. Consider women in the full range of their productive activities and the contributions they make. Like all entrepreneurs and workers, women need resources and skills to thrive and help economies grow. They need access to banks, markets and companies. They need policies that will create an environment for them to progress economically. Unfortunately, the reality for most women is that their opportunities and access to money and power are often limited. So we need to ensure equal access. Women also are important to economies as consumers. They buy staples like food, shelter and clothing. As their buying power rises, they are increasingly a market for education and health services as well as goods such as scooters, cars and cell phones. Companies with products and services to sell need to cater to women's preferences and consumption needs. And governments and the private sector need to recognize that providing opportunities to the female workforce can strengthen the business bottom line and help economies grow. ICRW: What are some common misconceptions practitioners and organizations have about building economic empowerment programs? AM: The biggest misconception is that because women's economic empowerment is a complex concept, we need to undertake complex and comprehensive programs to bring it about. But no one organization or program can effectively address all the dimensions of women's economic empowerment in a single stroke. We don't advise that they do. Rather, it is important for professionals to "choose their slice." By that I mean choose the women, locations and contexts where the interventions they are best equipped to undertake have the greatest chance of being successful. For example, while many women can benefit from acquiring business skills, it may be best to invest in such skills for women who are in environments where policy and economic circumstances are favorable for women's business growth. In environments where these factors are lacking, such an intervention is less likely to lead to desired results. ICRW: How would you like to see this latest report from ICRW used in the field? AM: Our hope is that the report will facilitate more effective allocation of resources and effort among initiatives that are aiming to economically empower women. We also hope that it will make the task of devising and assessing such programs much easier for those committed to opening up opportunities for women to contribute more equitably in the global economy. Wed, 19 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://www.weawomenatwork.org.uk/resources/article/79/10-Facts-About-Womens-Health-WHO http://www.weawomenatwork.org.uk/resources/article/79/10-Facts-About-Womens-Health-WHO While life expectancy is higher for women than men in most countries, there are a number of health and social factors which combine to create a lower quality of life for women. Unequal access to information, care and basic health practices further increases the health risks for women.Here are just three of the alarming facts of women's health worldwide. Smoking - Due to recent aggressive tobacco marketing campaigns aimed at women, tobacco use among younger women in developing countries is rising rapidly. Women generally have less success in quitting the habit, have more relapses than men, and nicotine replacement therapy may be less effective among women. Violence - Between 15% and 71% of women around the world have suffered physical or sexual violence committed by an intimate male partner at some point in their lives. The abuse cuts across all social and economic backgrounds. Violence has serious health consequences for women, from injuries to unwanted pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections, depression and chronic diseases.Pregnancy and Birth - Every day, 1600 women and more than 10 000 newborns die from preventable complications during pregnancy and childbirth. Almost 99% of maternal and 90% of neonatal mortalities occur in the developing world.  The fact file highlights 10 key areas that have serious consequences for women's health worldwide. Download Fri, 7 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://www.weawomenatwork.org.uk/resources/article/80/Womens-Views-on-News http://www.weawomenatwork.org.uk/resources/article/80/Womens-Views-on-News Womens Views On News is women's daily online news and current affairs service, operating on a ‘not for profit' basis. The site provides up to date news on all the major national and international stories of the day, in much the same way as any newspaper or online news service, but the stories they feature are always about women. Their vision is to build a world where all women's voices and experiences are heard. Why women? According a recent survey by the Global Media Monitoring Project (March 2010), women feature only in a fifth of the world's news headlines and just ten percent of all news stories. Literally thousands of stories about, by and for women are never told sending a message that women's experiences and opinions are just not as important or as valid as those of men. We challenge that approach and aim to redress the imbalance in women's favour.If you want to find out about becoming a more discerning news consumer why not attend one of our It's in the News sessions. Check the W@W diary for details of events in your area.  Fri, 7 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://www.weawomenatwork.org.uk/resources/article/70/Fawcett-Society http://www.weawomenatwork.org.uk/resources/article/70/Fawcett-Society Fawcett is the UK's leading campaign for equality between women and men. Where there's an inequality gap between women and men we're working to close it. More. Mon, 3 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://www.weawomenatwork.org.uk/resources/article/68/Highland-and-Islands-Equality-Forum http://www.weawomenatwork.org.uk/resources/article/68/Highland-and-Islands-Equality-Forum The Highlands & Islands Equality Forum is a project to raise awareness of Equality issues in the Highlands & Islands.  Website. Mon, 3 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://www.weawomenatwork.org.uk/resources/article/71/Close-the-Gap http://www.weawomenatwork.org.uk/resources/article/71/Close-the-Gap Close the Gap works across Scotland with employers and employees, to encourage and enable action to address the gender pay gap. There is a 12%* gap between men's and women's full-time hourly rates, and a shocking 34% gap when you compare women's part time hourly rate to men's full time hourly rate.These headline figures represent a lifetime of pay discrimination for women. This discrimination is a contributing factor to women and children's higher levels of poverty and women's pensioner poverty. It also impacts on household earnings and on men's earnings when they work in sectors or occupations with high levels of female workers.The pay gap is bad for business, and bad for Scotland's economy. Companies that treat staff fairly are more productive, more innovative, find it easier to retain skilled staff, and ensure that they have a positive corporate image.There are three main causes of the gender pay gap. Stereotyping about women's capabilities and skills results in women being clustered into predominantly female occupations that are associated with low pay. These include cleaning, catering, clerical (admin), caring, and cashiering (retail) working.There are also barriers, sometimes called ‘the glass ceiling', making women less likely to be found in senior management. Women also experience discrimination because they are more likely to have caring responsibilities for children, sick relatives, disabled people, or older people. One fifth of women lost their job, or lose out on pay or promotion, simply for being pregnant.A lack of flexible working in many workplaces means that women are required to look for part-time work in order to balance their many responsibilities. As most part-time work is in low-paid, stereotypically female occupations, this means that women's pay is likely to go down.Part-time working also has a long-term scarring effect on women's wages, even if women return to full-time work. There is also discrimination in pay systems, with many women being paid less for work that is the same or similar, or of the same value as male colleagues' work.There can be many factors within pay systems that lead to inequalities, including: individuals being appointed to different points on the pay scale; different job and grade titles for virtually the same jobs; male jobs having disproportionate access to bonus earnings; women having less access to high-paid shift and overtime work; performance-related pay being unfairly awarded; women not receiving the same access to training; sex bias in analytical job evaluation schemes grading women's jobs lower. The project has been operating since 2001. The first phase of the project, which ran from 2002 until December 2005, was funded under the European Equal initiative. Since 2005 the project has received Scottish Government funding. Information courtesy of Close the Gap Mon, 3 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://www.weawomenatwork.org.uk/resources/article/72/Engender http://www.weawomenatwork.org.uk/resources/article/72/Engender Engender is a membership organisation working on an anti-sexist agenda in Scotland and Europe to increase women's power and influence and make visible the impact of sexism on women, men and society. You can also sign up for Engender's regular newsletter. Mon, 3 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://www.weawomenatwork.org.uk/resources/article/66/Local-Origins-Rural-Network http://www.weawomenatwork.org.uk/resources/article/66/Local-Origins-Rural-Network For more informationabout LORN Sun, 2 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://www.weawomenatwork.org.uk/resources/article/51/International-Womens-Media-Foundation-IWMF http://www.weawomenatwork.org.uk/resources/article/51/International-Womens-Media-Foundation-IWMF The International Women's Media Foundation is proud to present its first international study of women in the news media. A free flow of information is an essential ingredient of open and democratic societies. The IWMF believes that there can be no full freedom of the press until women have an equal voice in the news-gathering and news dissemination processes. There is abundant evidence of underrepresentation of women as subjects of coverage, but until now there were no reliable, comprehensive data on which to make a clear determination about where women currently fit into the news-making operation or in the decision-making or ownership structure of their companies. The IWMF Global Report on the Status of Women in the News Media seeks to fill this gap by presenting for the first time sound data on gender positions in news organizations around the world. If news content is the final outcome of a series of steps involving the participation of a number of individuals, what then is the role of women in determining and shaping the news agenda? Who decides how many stories are by women and feature women as pivotal subjects in news operations? Are media companies currently organized to promote gender equity within their organizational structures or to accommodate women's voices as well as men's perspectives in coverage? The findings presented in this report, conducted over a two-year period, offer the most complete picture to date of women's status globally in news media ownership, publishing, governance, reporting, editing, photojournalism, broadcast production and other media jobs. The Report. Sun, 2 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT