Projects
Overview
Longford Women's Link receives no core funding to sustain its work with women in the county. It is therefore very dependent on project funding to achieve its aims and objectives. This situation has advantages and disadvantages.
The advantages are that project funding is usually focussed on developing new models of working towards the inclusion of groups that would not normally get access to such opportunities. This flexibility allows us to develop innovative approaches to out-reach and pre-development work so as to provide women who are educationally, economically or socially disadvantaged with the necessary skills, self-confidence and knowledge to access relevant education and training and employment/self-employment. Project funding usually involves networking /linkages with similar projects at regional, national or international level, allowing for an exchange of experience and best practice. This networking provides opportunities for women in County Longford to increase their awareness of how inequality affects women and to encourage and support women to be more actively involved in creating more cohesive and vibrant communities.
The disadvantages of project funding are that many projects involve an element of match funding which can be very difficult for a local voluntary organisation to supply. In addition, projects are time limited with no guarantee of mainstreaming by the relevant statutory body regardless of the outcomes of the project. Constantly looking out for and applying for projects that further the aims and objectives of the organisation can be very time consuming. Nevertheless, in the absence of core funding, project funding is the only avenue available to us.
We are currently involved in the following projects:
- Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme of the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform
- Back to Education Initiative of Department of Education and Science
- EU European Refugee Fund Programme, supported by Reception & Integration Agency of Dept of Justice, Equality and Law Reform
- EU Community Initiative Equal, responsibility of Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment
- Dormant Accounts Fund support for employment of Domestic Violence outreach worker