The overall aim of the EMPOWER programme is to help women overcome some of the common barriers they face when trying to access the workplace.
The project partners – Longford Women’s Link and Longford Community Resources Ltd – identified that there were real issues for women being able to access part-time and flexible employment. There are a whole host of reasons for this including returning to work after a career break, leaving school early with few or no qualifications, breaks in employment to stay at home with children, and managing the work / life balance.
As a response to tackle women’s inequality of employment opportunities, the EMPOWER programme was conceived to research and establish a social enterprise which would seek to deliver services to support and enable women to access flexible employment.
Read EMPOWER - EMPloyment Offering Women Economic Return
This book tells the stories of women who have set up in business and demonstrates what can be achieved when organisations work together. The Longford EQUAL Development Partnership project has brought together the key enterprise support organisations in Co. Longford, to encourage and support more women to become self-employed. Longford Women’s Link, a nongovernmental organisation, are the lead agency in the local partnership who manage the day-to-day running of the EQUAL Programme.
Read Enterprising Longford Women
According to the European Commission’s 2006 Annual Progress Report on Growth and Jobs, “Unlocking the business potential particularly of SME’s” is one of the four priorities of the revised Lisbon Agenda. The report argues that “most (national) programmes do not go far enough to foster a more positive attitude towards entrepreneurship and to encourage more people to start their own business.” This has been especially true in regard to those groups on the periphery of the labour market, including women, ethnic minorities, and the long-term unemployed.
Read Supporting Entrepreneurship as a Mechanism for Social Inclusion
This Strategic Plan, 2008-10 is the second of our plans, devised in order to give the organisation, its Board of Management, and its staff, direction and focus. The plan reflects the growth of our work and our presence in Longford, now widely acknowledged, as we have developed our understanding of the complexities and challenges faced in addressing gender inequality and its consequences. The new Strategic Plan is acknowledgement too, that when we support the women of our community, we also support their families – our childcare, counselling, and economic independence programmes are clear evidence of this ‘double dividend’. The Plan also reflects the changing face of Co Longford, and particular emphasis is given to the challenges faced by the new communities of the County, the refugee and migrant women of many countries, and their families.
As the delivery of the EQUAL Programme neared completion in Ireland, the three Entrepreneurship projects, with support from EQUAL and the Department of Enterprise, Trade & Employment, commissioned a joint piece of research. The research aimed at reviewing the extent to which the policy and support framework in Ireland creates an environment that is supportive of ‘inclusive’ entrepreneurship – a business start-up and support process that is open to all groups. The approach included consultation of policy makers, publicly-funded business advisors or providers of business support and users of advice and support services. Wide-ranging consultation was undertaken with personnel and users who have been involved in the three EQUAL pilot projects, as well as with providers and users of mainstream support services.
The research identified key steps that might usefully be taken to increase the extent, and enhance the success, of disadvantaged or under-represented entrepreneurship. The recommendations in this report seek to create policy debate and discussion on the challenges that lie in achieving these aims.
Read Inclusive Entrepreneurship in Ireland 2008
This paper outlines the background to the Longford Women’s Manifesto Project, and
proposals for a new structure to facilitate women’s democratic participation in Co. Longford.
The project is based on Longford County Council’s expressed values of democratic renewal, and consultation and partnership with all stakeholders in the community. Despite commitments to increase the number of women in decision-making bodies, relatively few women are involved in local decision-making. When women’s voices and perspectives are not heard, the whole community loses out. The paper outlines Longford Women’s Link’s active citizenship programme for women throughout the county, and women’s search for solutions to address this democratic deficit. It presents a proposal for a new structure developed by the Longford Women’s Manifesto Strategy Group based on feedback from grassroots women.
Read The Longford Women's Manifesto Project
A Comparative Study of Financial Supports for Entrepreneurs in the Czech Republic, Ireland and Spain.
The purpose of this report is to examine the availability to financial support for entrepreneurs and SMEs in the Czech Republic, Ireland and Spain. More specifically, the report covers bank loans (long-term and short-term), micro-finance, formal and informal venture capital, as well as grant funding and draws comparisons against current provision between the three countries. The report is presented in the form of a “Financial Tools Guide” and begins by considering the meaning of each of the above mentioned types of finance. The particular eligibility criteria for each of the different financial sources in the three countries studied are examined. A summary gap analysis between financial provision in each of the three countries studies is also provided. Finally, some key conclusions and recommendations are offered.
This module is a statement of the standards to be achieved to gain a FETAC credit in Business Development Skills at Level 5.
The module is designed to enable the learner to learn and apply essential principles and practices for sustaining and developing a business. The module is based on a goal-orientation approach to business operation.
This module can be taken by itself, or in conjunction with other Level 5 modules.
Read Business Development Skills Level 5
This module offers the Level 4 learner an opportunity to explore, develop and test income-earning ideas through learning fundamental enterprise principles. The module also offers the learner an opportunity to acquire and practice communication and presentation skills central to application of entrepreneurial expertise.
While the module has a vocational focus, strong emphasis should also be placed on personal development and general education.
This module can be taken by itself or in conjunction with other Level 4 (NCVA Level 1) modules.
A study of women’s entrepreneurship in the Longford region of Ireland. A comparative analysis of the findings from the above mentioned Longford study with those from a study conducted by the EQUAL partner in the Czech Republic.
Read Female Entrepreneurs in Ireland and the Czech Republic: A Comparative Study
A guide to mentoring aspiring female entrepreneurs: two years of innovation and evaluation between Irish, French, and Italian EQUAL Community Initiative transnational partners.
