merrion street

Minister of State with responsibility for Disability, Equality, Mental Health and Older People, Ms. Kathleen Lynch, T.D., today Wednesday 18 April 2012, addressed an awards ceremony in Mayo Abbey, Co. Mayo.

The awards were being made to women who had successfully completed a ‘Revival Skills training and support programme’ which was funded by the Equality for Women Measure and the European Social Fund.

The ‘Revival Skills training and support programme’ ran over 16 weeks and enabled 40 women who were outside the labour market to develop social skills and avail of individualised education and training to enable them to enter or to return to the labour market. A mentor training element to the programme with volunteer mentors provided one-to-one support to the participants.

A number of the participants have already returned to full-time or part-time work or have gone on to further training since the end of the programme.

The programme was run by the South West Mayo Development Company and was delivered by St. Coleman’s Training Centre itself run by the Mayo Abbey Parish Development Company Ltd. in Mayo Abbey, Co. Mayo.

During the course of her remarks in Mayo Abbey, the Minister told participants that many of the 41 projects currently participating in the Equality for Women Measure will, if they wish and if their projects have complied with the necessary conditions, be able to avail an extension of their funding up to the end of 2012.

The total cost of such funding would be about €1.3million – half from the Exchequer and half from the European Social Fund. The Minister pointed out that over 1,500 women avail of development under the Equality for Women Measure each year. Many progress to employment, thereby enhancing the economic wellbeing of their families.