EMPOWERING WOMEN PROJECT
Building Bridges in Burnley has been awarded £18,200 from the Lloyds TSB Foundation for a one year project, which aims to empower women through volunteering. The project will utilise the local knowledge of Burnley Churches and Mosques to draw in women from different backgrouds who wouldn't normally consider volunteering. The project will work with these to women to provide with confidence and self-esteem and encourage them to attend formal and informal training to improve their skills. These women will then be given the opportunity to volunteer for the organisation and in return, we will provide them routes of progression either to become formal volunteers with the organisation, move on to other organisations, return to employment or into education or training.
The women who will take part in the project will benefit in the following ways:
- Increased self-confidence, self-esteem and raise their aspirations
- Opportunity to broaden their social circles and make new friends
- Appreciate community cohesion and value of cultural diversity
- Improve their CVs and employability by being able to access training, learn new transferable skills, gain work experience and improved understanding of organisational behaviour and work ethic
- Improved chance of gaining entrance to a University
- An opportunity to achieve self-actualisation by giving back to the community and improving society
- Improved ability to support their families and community