Page 1016 - Week 04 - Tuesday, 19 March 2013
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
national average of 58 per cent. The unemployment rate of women in the ACT sat at 3.7 per cent, below the national average of 4.9 per cent. Although ACT women generally do well in some areas of work such as work participation levels and fare better than the national average, we know this is not true for all ACT women. Factors such as risk of homelessness, experience of violence, barriers to education and employment can have a significantly negative impact on women’s health and wellbeing and economic security.
To progress women’s economic and financial empowerment, this government has put in place a number of successful gender responsive strategies. These include the return to work grants program which commenced in 2008 and which has assisted over 600 women entering or re-entering the workforce following caring responsibilities. The program provides women with financial assistance for education and training fees, transport, work-related expenses such as clothing, uniform and equipment and child care.
It is always heartening to hear how return to work grants have made a difference to a woman’s life. For example, a single mother of three children, including one child with a disability, applied for a return to work grant in 2011. Her goal was to improve her self-confidence and her annual income. She received a $1,000 return to work grant to assist her to complete her IT degree. Her income has increased from $17,000 per annum to $120,000 per annum. She told the Women’s Information and Referral Centre that this relatively small sum of money went a long way to making her study easier to complete but that the support and encouragement was worth 100 times more than the money. She is now saving a deposit for a new home—the first stable home since her divorce six years ago.
There is also the ACT women’s microcredit program, brilliant ideas. It was established in March of 2010 and has supported over 33 women with low incomes to either establish or further develop an existing business through no-interest loans and access to mentoring, training and networking opportunities. A number of women have now fully paid back their loans. The success of brilliant ideas is illustrated by the recognition of five women who participated in the program and were finalists at the Canberra’s business point awards in 2011 and 2012. Three women took out awards in their categories, and I am pleased to hear that two brilliant ideas fashion designers are looking to break into the overseas market. These women have gained the confidence to expand their horizons by working with the team at Lighthouse on building stronger financial management skills.
The Women’s Information and Referral Centre supports groups and courses and information sessions. It opened its doors in 1978 and has provided confidential and often free advice, information and direction to countless women and their families in the ACT and from the surrounding regions. One of the main services provided by the centre is the facilitation of gender responsive courses, information sessions, support groups, training programs and workshops. Many of these focus on personal and professional development with an overarching aim of supporting women to either return to or enter the workforce. For example, women can attend financial Fridays for Women, the five secrets of self-confidence, self-esteem and assertiveness for women, and getting back to work for women.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video