About us
Background
For decades the Irish Country Women's Association has been an important organisation for women in Co Longford, providing support and opportunities for personal development and education. In recent years, some members of the local ICA realized that women's needs were changing and they embarked on a series of new activities in 1995. With funding from the EU New Opportunities for Women Programme, they set out to create a responsive and holistic approach that encouraged women of all ages to access support and get involved in education and training.
Under the NOW programme the project developed and provided a locally based flexible training programme for isolated rural women who wished to return to the labour market. An Information and Resource Centre was opened and information on a wide range of subjects including rights and entitlements, education, training and notice of local job opportunities. As gaps in services became more evident, the centre also developed a support and advocacy service for women experiencing domestic violence and a comprehensive and totally confidential counselling service.
In 1997, a second round of NOW Funding enabled the organisation to provide training in childcare, enterprise creation, personal development, management skills and community development.
ERDF Grants enabled the building of a purpose-built Women's Resource Centre in Longford town. Longford County Council offered its support by providing a one acre site for the premises. The Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs enabled the purchase of equipment while the local Partnership Company, Longford Community Resources, provided funding towards the provision of childcare facilities. The centre was completed in June 2000.
The fully-accessible building is located in Ardnacassa Avenue and is the only community facility in the area. The immediate area includes both new private and local authority housing estates. In addition, the centre also serves the town and county of Longford and a number of county-wide initiatives are now supported from the offices of Longford Women's Link.
In more recent times large numbers of refugee/asylum seeking women have been accessing the services of the centre due to its proximity to the estate where the majority of refugees have obtained accommodation.
Longford Women's Link is now at a critical stage of development. During the past five years it has established its credibility as a provider of a wide range of services to all women and their families in Co. Longford regardless of class, colour, race or creed. The centre numbers among its clients and course participants isolated rural women, lone parents, women who are victims of rape, sexual abuse and domestic violence, Traveller women, women with disabilities, carers, refugee and asylum seeking women, women returning to paid work and women seeking family support.
Services have been provided in a holistic, woman friendly, supportive environment. The management committee and staff are fully committed to working in ways that avoid labelling or stigmatising women. All women are encouraged to develop their potential even though the starting point for such development will have been influenced by people's background, social status, experience and particular stage in life.
The success of the approach can be judged by the fact that the organisation's decision- making structures are moving closer to having women from specific target groups represented within the various management structures.