Backed by the Big Lottery Reaching Communities Fund ‘Change It; Progress to Success’ aims to offer more women access to training, employment and enterprise. Neil Hodgson reports.

Liverpool-based The Women’s Organisation has launched a new drive to help women access training, employment and enterprise.

Backed by the Big Lottery Reaching Communities Fund ‘Change It; Progress to Success’ follows on from its previous successful programme ‘Become a More Confident You’.

The three-year scheme aims to help more than 500 of the hardest to reach women in Liverpool realise their full potential and avoid the increasing pitfalls affecting many females throughout Merseyside.

Their plight was highlighted in a recent Liverpool City Council report showing how welfare reform, driven by Government cutbacks, has impacted thousands of people, including a high proportion of women.

The latest Women’s Organisation programme, in collaboration with Liverpool City Council Children’s Services, focuses on the belief that someone’s attitude determines their direction.

And it aims to inspire all women, particularly in the BAME (black, asian and minority ethnic) and minority communities, including young and teenage mothers, to feel more confident about what they can achieve.

An eight-session programme will outline how to become more assertive, break negative thinking habits, manage change, and set achievable goals.

A dedicated team of advisers will then continue to work with participants on a one-to-one basis to help them ‘change it’.

It is estimated that 80% of participants, around 400, will feel better able to cope with their situations following the programme, while the remaining 20% will progress into employment, training, volunteering or self-employment.

Change It; Progress to Success is being delivered from The Women’s Organisation’s 54 St James Street offices, as well as Children’s Centres across the city including Everton, Picton, Speke, Granby and Stoneycroft.

Chief executive Maggie O’Carroll said: “Women have been especially affected through austerity and this has led to many finding more difficult to access training and employment opportunities. 

“This ‘Change It; Progress to Success’ initiative will help women take their first but crucial steps towards changing their own prospects and futures.

“Women are vital to the city region’s economy and we must do whatever we can to aid their inclusion.”

To book a place or find out more about the new programme call 0151 706 8111 or email hello@thewo.org.uk