Page 3340 - Week 11 - Tuesday, 21 October 2014
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lasted six years is testament to the foresight and also the impact that these grants have on women in the ACT. A small grant of $1,000 can be accessed by women on a low income who have had caring responsibilities. At 24 September, 41 return to work grants had been approved this year. We know that after years of caring it can be difficult to re-enter the workforce. Even in the early years of being a carer for their own children and others, women who want to work may find that they are unable to afford child care or that it is impossible to juggle working with picking up children from school and everything else that being a carer entails. The return to work program will be running career information sessions each Thursday for four weeks, commencing at the end of this month at the Theo Notaras centre. The sessions will assist participants to build their self-confidence and explore work options.
Another initiative that supports women on their path to economic security is the ACT women’s microcredit program “Brilliant ideas”. Since its establishment in 2010, brilliant ideas has supported hundreds of women on low incomes to either establish or further develop an existing business through no-interest loans, mentorships, peer support and other educational programs. The initial investment made by the government is now self-sustaining.
Recently I launched “Women’s money matters”. Ms Berry recognised the value of this resource. “Women’s money matters” was produced by the Women’s Centre for Health Matters and a not-for-profit financial counselling service, Care Inc, using a government women’s grant of $24,000. One target group for this program is women experiencing violence. It provides women and their friends or family members with local, accessible and reliable information to help guide them with their specific needs, improve their financial knowledge and access support here in the ACT.
For women experiencing domestic violence, financial security goes to the heart of not only their freedom from abuse but also their recovery and their capacity to regain control over their lives. Consultations will soon occur seeking input into development of the second implementation plan for the ACT prevention of violence against women and children strategy for 2011-17.
All of the initiatives and policies I have just outlined go to the heart of this government’s agenda for gender equity as contained in the ACT women’s plan 2010-2015, which was launched four years ago. A progress report on the plan was released last year. The report goes to the details of activities that were undertaken across government directorates that support safety, participation and equality for ACT women and girls.
Last year I released A picture of women in the ACT 2013. This publication provides decision-makers in government, business and the community sector with important information on women in the ACT and informs the debate about gender disparities in the ACT. The availability of sex-disaggregated data is an important tool for building an understanding of the different needs of men and women. The data in this publication provides an enhanced picture of the ACT’s progress towards equality and participation for women and girls. Throughout the year I will release key current statistical information on ACT girls via periodic fact sheets, and in 2017 I will release
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