The Helios DP has the following
objectives:
• ensure that equal
opportunities and empowerment are central planks of DP ethos,
principle and practice for all partners and stakeholders;
• review, and develop enhanced appreciation of, policies
and practice impacting on women’s entry to training and
employment in construction trades;
• review, and develop enhanced awareness of, barriers
experienced by women attempting entry to training and employment
in construction trades;
• provide a gender specific Equal Opportunities’
awareness programme for tutors instructing women considering
entry to training and eventual employment in construction trades;
• provide an innovative supported training programme for
women considering further training and eventual employment in
construction trades;
• develop practical lessons of what works and does not
from experience of programme delivery, and disseminate learning
to impact on policy and practice in favour of women considering
entry to construction trades;
• based on programme experience and learning, develop
and propose policy and practice improvements, where appropriate,
in favour of women considering entry to construction trades;
• work with DEL and other related organisations to review,
and where appropriate add value to, any Government policies
regarding modern apprenticeship/traineeship requirements and
frameworks; and
• seek to establish more effective pathways to reduce
the existing barriers that women experience in attempting entry
to ‘non-traditional trades’.
During Action 1, the DP will
develop an attitudinal survey, to be carried out at programme
commencement and completion, to determine training staff’s
awareness of the difficulties experienced by women training in
non-traditional trades.
In Action 2, it is envisaged
that 24 women will enrol for training. Year 1 will consist of
3 x 12 week introductory vocational training courses and in Year
2 participants will concentrate on a chosen trade specialism for
36 weeks.
The attitudinal survey will
be applied to all trainers at the commencement and completion
of the project. Initial results will help focus targeted EO Awareness
Training for training staff, and final results will be analysed
to determine attitudinal change.
Action 2 will also include
a ‘Digital Diary Booth’ mechanism, allowing both trainees
and trainers to voice their opinions on their experience of the
training process.
Action 3 will build on the
lessons of Actions 1 & 2 and seek to change policy where necessary,
to ensure that women can access ‘atypical' training, apprenticeships
and employment.
