EQUAL support model for women with cancer wins national Internet award
September 2007
Frauen Computer Zentrum Berlin (FCZB), coordinator of the German
EQUAL Development Partnership (DP) "Gender Mainstreaming in the Information
Society" has received the prestigious national award "Wege
ins Netz" (Ways to the Internet) that honours innovative models which support disadvantaged groups to
use the Internet.
This
first round DP worked with different female target groups and helped them
acquire ICT knowledge and skills, in particular related to the Internet. Women
suffering or recovering from cancer were one the groups who benefited from a
range of programmes designed to cater for very specific needs. The sub-project
"Media competencies and work-life-balance for women cancer patients" offered
participants ICT and Internet skills to facilitate their re-entry into the
labour market whilst at the same time helping them use the world wide web to
collect information related to their disease. This included research results,
therapeutic options or support and self-help groups. The women appreciated
FCZB's highly flexible approach which combined learning in a stable group at the
FCZB with e-learning via an Internet based platform. This kind of flexibility
allowed the women to study from home in their own time and pace, which was an
enormous help when they felt too weak to leave the house. They felt at ease with
peers who faced similar problems and understood all too well when someone had to
drop out for a couple of weeks or months because of particularly challenging
treatments such as chemotherapy. Given the fact that the programme was modular
there was always the opportunity to drop back in again and to continue following
the course. Moreover, before returning to their former job or accessing a new
one, participants were supported to consider how many working hours and which
working time formula would best suit their personal situation. Active support to
negotiate more flexible work-organisation, including telework, with employers
was also provided.
The
"Wege ins Netz"
award grants a total of 40.000 euro to four outstanding initiatives selected by
a distinguished jury. The competition is organised annually by the Federal
Ministry for Economic Affairs and Technology. In its statement the 2007 jury
praised "FCZB for having managed to address the needs of this very specific
target group in a sensitive and supportive way. The scheme succeeded to take
account of the different stages of treatment and rehabilitation of female cancer
patients. It helped women who want or have to return to paid employment to
gradually get back to work, whilst learning to live with the disease." The
jury emphasised that it hoped that the award might trigger a signal to the
relevant authorities to make this unique scheme a sustainable and permanent
offer in the city.
This is exactly what is actually happening: The Berlin
Ministry for Integration, Labour and Social Affairs is funding the innovative
programme after the end of the EQUAL project. This means that women suffering
from cancer or the aftermath of treatment can benefit – free of charge – from
continuing training and support. As before subjects offered include basic ICT
skills, graphic design, layout, web site production and management, but also
presentation skills and self-marketing.
Based on the assessment of the first group of beneficiaries
of the EQUAL project, FCZB is responding to their proposals for improvement.
Besides the basic modules
the new programme
contains advanced training in all those fields, plus personal coaching on demand
for professional reorientation and return to the labour market.
Building on the EQUAL achievements, FCZB has also developed
another comprehensive training scheme that targets women who have to live with
chronic diseases and/or disabilities. It is entitled
"Media competencies
and health protection" and is financed by the same ministry, using funding from the
European Social Fund (ESF). Again, ICT skills at different levels are
orchestrated with career planning and development, information and advice for (re)settling
into working life as well as support for new professional choices and eventual
career change. In parallel, the programme focuses on occupational safety and
health protection in the work place with special emphasis on chronic diseases.
Individual counselling helps the women construct the most suitable
work-life-balance model and to negotiate it with their employers.
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