A six-week do-it-yourself course is proving to be an empowering experience for local women in Derry, County Londonderry, thanks to a new initiative from Women’sTec. The program has recently launched at the Women’sTec workshop. Similar to The Workshop, its mission is to prepare participants with valuable home improvement skills, increasing their confidence and self-reliance.
Derry native and Vice Chair of Women’sTec, Nuala Griffiths, speaks to the life-changing power of the course. “I fell in love with the impact Women’sTec had with people’s lives. According to Griffiths, “We’re here to make those women that are out there hurting, and they’re dealing with their own mental health issues or drug addiction, we want to build that confidence [in them]. We want to get them back pointed in the right direction.”
Patrica Flemin, the programme coordinator of Women’sTec, agrees with this opinion. She is convinced that practical skills like sewing empower women and save them a lot of money. They travel to us to learn hands-on, practical skills. This not only gives them control but saves them money,” she added. In addition, the social element of the course stands out as Flemin points out how women create a collaborative, supportive community of practice. Support systems their networks create are phenomenal. When you put women in a room, that’s when the real magic starts to happen,” she continued.
Many like Bridget McLaughlin from Claudy have already seen a turnaround in their confidence following the Transformational Leadership Programme. With the drill, it’s incredible. The fear has disappeared. That’s something that, before in my career, I would have been afraid to throw,” McLaughlin said. As of now, I love a drill! Waterside women’s group member Nyree McKenny explains her excitement over the project. Now, she feels the course has opened up new potential pathways to her future. The future is full of possibilities now that I’m learning this,” McKenny said.
Day one of the course involved hands-on experience with power tools, followed by instruction on safe use. This essential skill gives them the confidence and ability to complete many other projects at home. This new-found basis provides the launching pad for students’ increasingly sophisticated projects as the course continues through the semester. Participants aren’t just learning new technical skills, they’re making new friends that are creating a strong, diverse community helping to support this collective learning experience.
Women’sTec is looking to broaden its impact. They’ll be touring schools in the northwestern part of the province, motivating and showing more girls how they can enter careers in the trades. Flemin notes the message schools present to girls is, “You can do hair, beauty, nails… and that’s great. He felt pretty optimistic that we had our best chance to get out in front of them and show them the bigger menu of options available.
Hayley Mathieson, another instructor for the course, shared with us what a difference it has made to the participants. Mathieson said on the whole they have been extremely successful. No incorrect drill sound is a good thing!
