Page 1017 - Week 04 - Tuesday, 19 March 2013
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
The centre produces a biannual calendar booklet called What’s on for women, and this 60-page booklet provides comprehensive information about all the services delivered by the centre as well as details about community and other government assistance programs such as ACT Health’s childbirth and parent support services. What’s on for women is widely distributed throughout the ACT to schools, community groups, hospitals, ACT libraries and many other avenues. I hope you received your copy, Mrs Jones.
Mrs Jones: Thank you.
MS BURCH: That is good to hear. There is also the multicultural employability participation program. This is a tailored employability program particularly for culturally and linguistically diverse refugee and migrant women. It provides women with mentors and skill development and empowers them to find their voice in order to seek employment or to start their own business. These women can experience double barriers to gaining entry into the workforce because of their gender and cultural backgrounds.
In December of 2011 I was very pleased to be able to present 17 certificates to the first graduates of the program. Through the program one woman has rediscovered her passion for painting and designed the certificates I gave out on the day. Working with her mentor, she has held an art exhibition and now shares her passion by teaching art to young children. The positive social and financial impacts for women who have participated in the program are significant and ongoing, and I want to thank the crew at the women’s multicultural advocacy group for the great work they do.
In addition, the ACT government has supported social enterprises for women, including White Nile Catering, a local catering company owned by Sudanese women, and No Sweat Fashions, which, again, is another social enterprise supporting migrant and refugee women to market their skills and experience as sample makers, tailors and machinists.
These initiatives are about supporting women to access paid work. This is crucial for women to ensure their own financial security, to contribute to the family budget and to secure their economic future into retirement.
In the coming months, the Office for Women will roll out a women’s financial literacy program. Financial literacy is about understanding money and finances and being able to confidently apply that knowledge to make effective decisions. Research tells us that women are less likely to be financially secure in their retirement and are less confident in planning for the future. We also know that financial independence can be one of the key ways to help women escape from violent relationships. The majority of Canberrans that experience financial hardships are women, and the government provides a range of concessions to improve the affordability of essential services, including taxis, spectacles and utilities, for low income earners and people experiencing disadvantage.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video