What does "Empowerment for women" mean with regard to my way back to the working field? Experiences from participants from three countries.
| Moderator: | Hugo Westerlund, psychologist and researcher, IPM, Research station, Mösseberg | |
| Participants: | Iréne Carlsson, Empowerment Sweden Christina Medén, Empowerment Sweden Carina Sager, Empowerment Sweden Annika Ulriksson, Empowerment Sweden Inge Jernberg, Empowerment Sweden Sybille Fleischer, Empowerment Germany Brigitte Mehlborn, Empowerment Germany Hermi Wahl, Empowerment Austria |
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| Documentation: | Bo
Gustavsson |
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| Hostesses: | Annite Hyltse, Anita Danielsson | |
| Introduction/ Program: |
Hugo
Westerlund made a short presentation of himself;
working as a research pcychologist in a project
in Falköping, Sweden, called "There is use
for everyone." The workshop was made three times during the conference and this is a condensation of all three. Every workshop was divided into three parts:
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Part 1: Short presentation of the projects. See workshop 2.
Part 2: Individual questions to the panel – answers:
What has the project meant to you?
- I am more motivated and positive now. The limits for my ability are better.
- My friends thought I was a burden for society. I didn’t feel like that, but that created a conflict. I have worked with the problem and now I am in touch with my feelings and can express what I think. I’ve learnt a lot about myself.
Another thing I’ve heard many of you mention was that the social support in the group was important. Could you tell us about this?
- Annika, Sweden: In the beginning we all were positive, then we have had our ups and downs, but we support each other. Some of us are going to continue in the network after the project period.
- The project in Austria encourages the participants to do things together as part of scheduled leisure time. We have found that if you can laugh together, you can work together! The leisure time activities were sponsored by the Red Cross.
- Austria:
- The participants are almost certain that they will be offered a job at the end of project. They are not so afraid of the future. It helps ending the project in a proper way.
- Germany:
- In Eastern Germany, the labour market is very difficult. The project has helped us to find new ways – we have found motivation and better working capacity.
- Sweden:
- - The project has given structure to my daily living, I have learnt to adjust to groups and I’ve got a professional identity.
- - One of the local partners actively helped me to a new job. I’ve got new friends and new contacts.
- - We need practical work training and environmental attitudes!
- Austria:
- To be unemployed does not mean that you have no competence – but it can give you psychosomatic effects. We need a new definition of work.
Part 3: Questions from the audience – answers:
- Sweden:
- After the project: We have created a new role – the co-ordinator. We try to start new projects.
- There is a risk of falling back to the same pattern again.
What do you want to change in the project?
- Sweden: The authorities behind should take more responsibility and pay more interest.
- Germany: More language education is needed. Language should be more important in an EU project.
Big differences between
the countries/projects. In Germany no possibility to get
leisure activities paid as in Austria.
It had been easier to communicate if Austria and Germany
had had more computers, like Sweden.