A Woman's Place in rural Development
This exciting project funded by Leader+ European fund for rural areas, brings together women's groups and activities in a transnational project that has partners across the north and midlands of England, Ireland and Poland. More information about the background to the project, and to the partners involved and the activities thay are organising, can be found in the additional pages listed above.
Project Activities
• Heritage skills such as dry stone walling through to environmental self-build
• Traditional crafts through to web design skills
• Traditional cultural heritage linked to tourism e.g. plant walks, women-focussed archaeology, outdoor pursuits, through to women’s festivals featuring multi-cultural and intergenerational dance, music, circus.
• Women as traditional farmers through to creative enterprise development
• Women volunteering in the community working with and for newcomers facing disadvantage and discrimination through to equal representation on strategic partnerships and formal bodies
• Feasibility of working towards rural women’s resource centres in each area
• Women and men working together to explore and support each other in taking on new roles
Time-table
Early March 2007
Initial UK/Poland steering group meeting hosted by NNWN (pre project start) Seahouses
July/Aug 2007
Web networking space established for the project
Late Sep 2007
Women’s Workshop – Partners take part in self build weekend and seminar on Women into Construction and manual traces skills for women in rural areas. Hosted by NNWN. All partners welcome. Women’s equal representation into traditional rural skills and trades.
Oct 2007
- Partners take part in project to involve traditional skills such as Dry Stone Walling, Straw Build, traditional plastering.
- Exploration of the benefits of the virtual college model to rural women learners. Hosted by College of the Peak / Peaks and Dales Leader+.
Nov 2007
Follow up networking event hosted by Wicklow and Laois, focussing on migration, women in farming and tourism
Dec 2007
Migrant workers event hosted by WORCNET - impact of migration from the Baltic region to the UK and Ireland and women’s contribution to positive international understanding.
May 2008
Migrant worker event, Tourism and LAG development. Hosted by Institute for European Initiatives, Poland. This trip incorporates a study visit to Karelia Finland to explore
- Promoting gender equality in relation to LAG development (Gdynia, Poland)
- Exploring the concept of a rural women’s resource space.
- women’s organisations support to men in the context of gender focused rural projects.
May/June 2008
Evaluation and sustainability seminar
