RURWOMBACK PROJECT Adaptation of permanent training approach for rural women returning to the labour market: the Beypazari model GOOD PRACTICES

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1 RURWOMBACK PROJECT Adaptation of permanent training approach for rural women returning to the labour market: the Beypazari model GOOD PRACTICES 1

2 Name of Organisations: 1. CVT Georgiki Anaptixi Agricultural Technological Center of Research, Vocational Training & Education, GREECE 2. BDCenter, POLAND 3. Çankırı Karatekin University, TURKEY 4. Gazi University, TURKEY 5. AVRASYA-DER, TURKEY 6. IFES, SPAIN Table of contents 1. Introduction Good Practises: GREECE Introduction Good Practise 1: Entrepreneurship for unemployed women aged Good Practise 2: Agro-Touristic Women Cooperation of Gonni Antigonides Good Practise 3: Ergani Center Good Practices: POLAND Good Practise 1: An active woman A woman of tomorrow Good Practise 2: Believe in yourself Good Practise 3: Regional development beyond the boundaries and cooperation in the furtner education of adults in rural Good Practise 4: Women and development: Women active in the sustainable development of local communities Good Practise 5: Equalizing chances Woman s activitation from the rural poviat of Rzezsow Good Practices - TURKEY Introduction Good Practise 1: The Usage of Microcredits within the Scope of Developing Women Living, in Rural Areas: The Association of the Alaniçi Town Good Practise 2: Promotion of Women s Entrepreneurship in Rural Areas Project Kırkad Project

3 3. 5. Good Practise 3: Skillful Hands from Rural to Urban Good Practise 4: Providing Economic and Social Improvement to Women through Geese Raising Good practice analyses and conclusions Good practice analyses by partner countries Greece Poland Turkey References Annex Summary Card of Good Practice 1 on Employment and Training Summary Card of Good Practice 2 on Employment and Training Summary Card of Good Practice 3 on Employment and Training Summary Card of Good Practice 4 on Employment and Training Summary Card of Good Practice 1 on Employment, Counseling, and Guidance Summary Card of Good Practice 2 on Employment, Counseling, and Guidance Summary Card of Good Practice 3 on Employment, Counseling, and Guidance Summary Card of Good Practice 4 on Employment, Counseling, and Guidance Summary Card of Good Practice 1 on Employment, Self-employment and Marketing Summary Card of Good Practice 2 on Employment, Self-employment and Marketing Summary Card of Good Practice 3 on Employment, Self-employment and Marketing Summary Card of Good Practice 4 on Employment, Self-employment and Marketing

4 1. Introduction The Adaptation of permanent training approach for rural women returning to the labour market: the Beypazari model project or RURWOMBACK project has been continued almost 1,5 years. We have passed the middle of the project when we almost started the Work Package 3 (WP3) that focused on the good practices or best practices in partner countries, namely Greece, Poland and Turkey. The WP3 was the turning point for the project because it also analyzed the Beypazari Model that is the heart of the project. One of the main results of the project is the analyses of the good practices in three partner countries. Each partner country has studied in depth at least 3 or at most 5 good practices. When the Turkish partner has begun working the WP3: Good Practice analysis, we may some doubt have finding good practices in recent years. Because of the Turkish accession process in the EU, there have been many new initiatives that targets rural women development and employment. We have luckily found some very good practices. After finishing Turkey s good practices, we have also chanced to read the other partner countries good practices. The first impression is we have more commonalities than differences. Second, we have seen that we can offer some good proposals for our rural women development not only in partner countries but also in the EU after the 4 th meeting in Rzezsow, Poland. During the meeting and after compiling this report, we should have more beliefs that we can offer some good alternatives to the rural women development. This report has three countries good practices, Greece, Poland, Turkey, respectively. In the end, we have put some annexes that categorized the good practices in terms of guidance, training, employment, etc. It aims to detect good practices on guidance, training and employment of rural women who may insert or reinsert themselves to the rural labour market. Good practices like WOMBACK project are understood as those activities, which are focused into training, information and/or guidance, fully or partial; direct or indirect; exclusive or not exclusive; its aim is the rural women s insertion/reinsertion and/or the promotion/mobility in the rural labour market. 4

5 The good practices are important because their conclusions and contents are the basis of the next WP, namely WP4: Proposal for Adaptation of Permanent Training. The good practices first begin with the Greek good practices that is followed by Polish and Turkish good practices, respectively. The Greek partner has introduced three good practices. The Polish partner has five good practices and the Turkish partner has four good practices. The good practices are mostly focused on employment, training, guidance and self employment. Unfortunately, there has been none good practices on balance between labour and family life. One of the reasons may rest on the false understanding of rural women s responsibilities about family life and labour. There is a need to address about rural women s labour and family life conciliation. 5

6 1. GOOD PRACTICES: GREECE 1.1. Introduction The main goal of this report is to present the Greek good practices which are focused into training, information and/or guidance, fully or partial; direct or indirect; exclusive or not exclusive; its aim is the women s insertion/reinsertion and/or the promotion/mobility in the labour market. Through the application of these examples important conclusions arise about their effect to improve occupational integration of the target group. Although the employment rate of women has risen during the last years ( ) there are inequalities that hinder the equal participation of women in the labour market. As it is shown to the table 1 the percentage of employed women in Greece in 2009 was 48,9% versus 73,5% of men. It should be noted that even though the percentage of employed women during the period rose from 41,7 to 48,9% it remains significantly lower than the men s. Men (%) Women (%) ,50 41, ,40 41, ,20 42, ,40 44, ,70 45, ,20 46, ,60 47, ,90 47, ,00 48, ,50 48,90 Table 1: Employment Rate by Gender Source: Eurostat ( ) 6

7 Figure 1: Employment Rate by Gender Source: Eurostat ( ) 1. Good Practise 1: Entrepreneurship for unemployed women aged In the frame of Sectoral Operational Programme Human Resource Development of the National Strategic Reference Framework NSRF the Greek Manpower Employment Organisation (O.A.E.D.) during last April 2010 published a call for the unemployed women aged between 22 and 64 that are interested in the establishment of a new company, to submit their proposals in the frame of the action ENTREPRENEURSHIP FOR UNEMPLOYED WOMEN AGED which is funded by the European Social Fund (E.S.F.) Axis 3, Priority 7,8,9: Facilitating access to employment and from National Resources. The main goal of the Action was to promote the unemployed women to the employment and to the labour market through economic funding. For this action beneficiaries were unemployed women aged that are setting up new enterprises. The basic requirements were the following: To be unemployed and to have gone through the process of an individualized approach of counseling. 7

8 To have attended a training seminar on entrepreneurship to Employment Promotion Centres (KPA) of the Greek Manpower Employment Organisation (O.A.E.D.). To be Greek citizens or citizens of another state - member of EU or to be expatriates with residence and employment right in Greece. The duration of the grant is for 36 months and the amount for each new operator under the program amounted to ,00 divided in to four (4) payments of 6.000,00. The procedure for admission to the program was consisted of the following three stages: 1 st Stage: Procedure of submission and deadlines The candidates could submit their applications electronically from to or in print version if there was not access to the internet. Before their application the candidates should: Have gone through the process of an individualized approach by their working Advisor of the Greek Manpower Employment Organisation (O.A.E.D.). Have attended a training seminar on entrepreneurship to Employment Promotion Centres (KPA) of the Greek Manpower Employment Organisation (O.A.E.D.). 2 nd Stage: Criteria Evaluation Approval A three-member panel is assigned of the Greek Manpower Employment Organisation (O.A.E.D.) which evaluates criteria A and criteria B of each applicant. Criteria A: is checked if the details and data of applications are correct or not. Criteria B: is been examined the quality of the submitted business plan and is been evaluated from 0 to 5 (0 the lowest and 5 the highest). Specifically: A. Examine the completeness of the submitted application to: The use of standardized electronic request completed all required fields. (criterion A1) The candidate is unemployed (passed the individualized intervention process and has attended the seminar of entrepreneurship). (Criterion A2). 8

9 B. Examine if the business plan meets the following criteria: Full and complete description of the business idea of the action on the key technical and functional characteristics of the call. (Criterion B1, 0-5) Feasibility of the action and meeting the overall objectives of the program. (Criterion B2, 0-5) Relevance and adequacy to the subject of business and adequate documentation of professional experience. (Criterion B3, 0-5) Feasibility of adequate business plan. (Criterion B4, 0-5) Innovation in products or services to be provided by the company and / or in the production and disposal, giving priority to the innovative business proposals based on new technologies or activity in innovative sectors and particularly in the green economy (Criterion B5, 0-5) Existence of data networking, that is productive and other interfaces to existing business and / or partnerships between two or more unemployed for a joint venture. (Criterion B6, 0-5) Based on the total score the application submitted can be approved or rejected. 3 rd Stage: Approval The approval of the application comes after the positive evaluation of the local inspection to the company s headquarter by a representative of the Greek Manpower Employment Organisation (O.A.E.D.) and the concerned filed the necessary documents. 2. Good Practise 2: Agro-Touristic Women Cooperation of Gonni Antigonides The agro-touristic women Cooperation of Gonni "Antigonides was established in Gonni of the prefecture of Larissa in February 2004 by the rural women of the village. 9

10 The purpose of the Cooperation is the employment of rural women in production and marketing of traditional products, but also the preservation of the local cultural nutritional and non nutritional treasures.the village of Gonni is located 30 km from Larissa, very close to the national highway. In the village are living of about 2,000 residents, most of whom until recently worked in agriculture and animal husbandry. Today, the animal husbandry has been decreased and also the culture of the land is not enough in order to cover the family needs. The continuing reduction of rural income has led women to attend training programs, which had as aim the woman s population education and support, as well as their activation in the enterprising sector. They attended entrepreneurship courses, marketing courses, and courses which had to do with production of local traditional products related to cultural heritage. Afterwards the women advanced in the creation of agro-touristic cooperative of women of Gonni Antigonides which consists of active 18 members. The number of members can change if any woman can be signed to the cooperative. Initially they had cautiousness about the success of their effort in production of traditional foods. With funding from Sectoral Operational Programmes (e.g. Rural Development, Women Entrepreneurship) as well as with own contribution, they improved their installations buying new and synchronous equipment. Furthermore they bought a car for the distribution of their products. During the first years the number of their offered products was limited but the situation became better. The consumers requirements had as a result the production of more than 30 different products nowadays. 10

11 For the cooperation s development a great importance to the education and training of its members is given. So, the Antigonides members attend training seminars in order to remain competitive, to observe the development of their sector and to be well informed. They attend training programs which are organized by National Bodies like the Ministry of Rural Development and Food, the Ministry of Education, Lifelong Learning and Religious Affairs and by various other institutions. These training programs are related to hygiene and food safety, marketing etc. The Antigonides women - members with artistry, taste and abundant home made care, prepare and pack with tastefulness products of high quality, with local and genuine traditional recipes, without preservatives or other chemical substances. Through a traditional, home made process, in compliance with all the necessary conditions and standards of hygiene and safety, the women produce the cooperation s products and offer traditional Greek dishes reflecting their cultural heritage. The high quality and the low prices of the products in combination to the simplicity and hospitality of the cooperation s members reward and satisfy each visitor of the region who chooses to visit the workshop of traditional cuisine and the products exhibition of "Antigonides. Moreover, "Antigonides sell their products via internet through ebloko service ( Ebloko is a type of electronic market that enables consumers to obtain products of Greek producers and manufacturers in low prices and even to receive them to their door if they prefer. So, all the products of the cooperative are presented with full details so that each of us can not just buy them in producer s prices, but to know that they are buying authentic Greek products. Products and services: Antigonides products and services include: - Local traditional sweets from various seasonal fruits, such as sweet of walnut, plum, apricot, fig, cherry, strawberry, pumpkin, watermelon, tomato, eggplant, grape, pear, mandarin, orange, apple, kiwi, pergamo, lemon 11

12 - Jams of a wide variety of seasonal fruit as peach, strawberry, pear, apple, orange, kiwi etc - Traditional sweets such as baklavas, ravani, kataifi, rice-pie, cake, cookies etc - Traditional pies and handmade little pies, pies with various kinds of vegetables and weeds, chicken pies, spinach pies, cheese pies, leek pies, meat pies, milk pies, pumpkin pies, olive pies etc. - Two kinds of trahanas, sweet and sour, prepared by the traditional way of the natural "drying" 12

13 - Several handmade noodles - Tomato sauce - Aromatic oil, spicy olives coming from the region of Gonni, olive paste and scented soap from olive oil. - Wedding or christening sweets - Liqueurs, from the nectar of fruits with sugar and brandy - The authentic local, traditional products such as the pure Olympus honey, the unforgettable for Greeks bobota, the katsamaki and the famous petimezi with ritzelia 13

14 - Catering services in very reasonable prices, for covering the needs of conferences, birthdays, opening ceremonies and for each kind of event with dishes and flavours of the local cuisine. The women cooperatives consist a very important economic, social and cultural estate for Greece. Their contribution to the development of the Greek countryside is important because through them the main objectives of the women's cooperative movement can be achieved. These objectives can be summarized as following: The reduction of unemployed rural women The creation of new job positions and new income sources The improvement of family incomes The improvement of economic and social position of women The strengthening of the women s position and role in the agricultural areas, their participation to the decision makers, the maintenance of tradition and cultural development 14

15 The contribution in the endogenous local development 3. Good Practise 3: Ergani Center Ergani Center is a non profit and non-governmental organization, which was founded in 1991 by a team of institutions of Thessaloniki, which was sensitized to women s issues. These institutions are listed below: Municipality of Sykies ( Exporters Association of Northern Greece ( Centre for Vocational Training of SEVE-SBBE-TIF ( The Network of Women Entrepreneurs of Ergani Centre Anatoliki SA, Development Agency of Eastern Thessaloniki ( Alexander Technological Educational Institute of Thessaloniki ( University of Western Macedonia ( The main objective of the center is the promotion of women in the employment and their support for the smooth integration to the labour market. Thus, the center provides support to women on issues such as: The integration or reintegration to the labour market The improvement of their working position The creation or the improvement of their enterprises The creation of new cooperatives or the development of cooperatives that already exist The familiarization and the exploitation of new technologies The services provided by the center are the following: Employment Service The Employment Service is focused on unemployed but also employed women. The main aim of this service is to support the efforts of the unemployed women to join or to rejoin to the modern labour market, as well 15

16 as the empowerment of employed women in their professional ambitions and searches. The interested women, through the Employment Service, are able to make good use of: Employment Counseling Both the unemployed and employed women have the possibility to plan their movements in the workplace, to learn methods and techniques of how to find a work and to develop their professional skills. At the same time, they can discover their strengths and weaknesses, with the method of self-knowledge. All these are achieved by an individualized process, which is adapted in their needs. Some of the counseling issues are: The development Improvement of skills The methods and techniques of searching and finding a job The relationships development for the introduction in the labour market Usually, once a week, meetings are carried out, where is provided counselling, either in groups or individually, depending on the needs of the persons which are interested in. Information for training and pre-training programs During the counselling process, Ergani Center is identifying the educational needs of the interested. Afterwards, the interested women are informed by the Ergani Centre for various training programs that are implemented. Promotion to the Employment Ergani Center has a service which records in a database the needs of employers for staff. Through this database the interested women can easily find jobs according to their skills (job matching). The database is regularly updated because there is an ongoing collabouration and communication between the Ergani Center and the employers. Exploitation of material and technical equipment The recipients can use the facilities of the Center (computer, fax, photocopier e.t.c.) for the convenience in their actions related to job search. They can also be informed daily by the Center for job positions and for issues related in the workplace, as well as the Center receives every day newspapers and information material. 16

17 Entrepreneurship Service The aim of Entrepreneurship Service is the promotion of woman s entrepreneurship and self-employment. Those women who are planning to start their own business, and women who already have their own businesses and want to update them, may require the help of the entrepreneurship s consultants. The Entrepreneurship Service is helping the future business women to introduce clearly their idea, to create a business plan and to be informed about the ways of financing their business. Moreover this Service gives advises to the women who already have their own business about issues such as advertising and promotion of enterprise, organization and management, methods of financing e.t.c. The Entrepreneurship Service enables the women to use: The Entrepreneurship Counseling which is concerning meetings with the consultants individually or in groups and is including issues such as: establishing business operations, marketing, methods of financing business, public relations, organization and administration. Training on the preparation of a business plan. The training includes theoretical and practical part. The duration of the training is about one month and the implementation is done by qualified trainers who provide educational materials in printed and electronic form. The interested women who participate in the training in groups of persons, must have initially determined their business idea, so they could draw up, through the training, their business plan. Integration in the Network of Business Women Entrepreneurs of Ergani Center: The Interested women, who will join the network, will have the opportunity to organize common events for promotion, to develop public relations and to cooperate between each other. Psychological Support Service This service helps the women concerned to solve problems that could arise in their marital, professional or social life. The psychologists of the Service determine individual or common meetings in which are discussed the subjects of the interested. 17

18 Legal Counseling Service The Legal Counseling Service advices and informs the women concerned about subjects on working legislation, legal subjects of enterprising activity, subjects that concern the familial right as well as subjects that concern special social teams such as refugees, immigrants, etc. Mentoring The Mentoring Service is a special service of Ergani Center whereby those who are newcomers to the business sector, are recipients both of knowledge and experience by top businessmen of the area. New Technologies Club Particular importance is given by the Centre in the use of new technologies. This is achieved through seminars that the Center is organising. The training subjects that concern the new technologies are the following: Basic Computer Operation Word & Excel Use of Internet, 18

19 2. GOOD PRACTICES: POLAND Good practice 1 Title of the action: An active woman a woman of tomorrow Kind of action: ESF Funding, Programme SOP HRD, measure 1.6 Coordinator: Social Assistance Centre in Rybnik, Summary: According to statistics in the whole of Poland more women than men are unemployed. In Silesia industrial and rural areas, where the traditional model of the mother who stays at home is still common, the problem is particularly visible. Women have more problems than men to successfully balance family and work life. Maternity leaves, parental leaves, days off in order to care for children or the legal regulations protecting women in the workplace all this means that it is more difficult for women to be in the job market. It is even more difficult to return to find job after a longer break. The Social Assistance Centre in Rybnik decided to help women who had been unemployed for more than two years and created the programme An active woman a woman of tomorrow aimed at 100 women affected by unemployment. The Centre selected a group of over 400 women who were receiving social aid. 212 of them declared an interest in taking part and 100 aged from 23 to over 50 were accepted. In choosing the group of participants, we took into account the family and financial situation explains Teresa Rajczyk, the director of the organisational and work issues department in the Rybnik centre, and project coordinator. Single mothers bringing up children had priority. The first stage were motivational courses. At this point most of the participants were very sceptical about their chances and possibilities. They didn t believe in themselves, they doubted whether they would cope, says Teresa Rajczyk. The course trainers of a five-day session achieved a miracle. The women became aware of their own value, discovered hidden talents and motivated each other. They learnt their way around the job market, how to write a CV, cover letter, how to behave during a job interview. After the course more than one woman with tears in her eyes said Wow, I can actually go to work!. Eight of the participant were affected so positively by the course that they found work themselves before the course ended. The other women went on to vocational training which was divided into seven specialisations: 19

20 modern salesperson, warehouse worker, small-restaurant chef, care for the elderly and young children, florist, personnel and finance department issues and service of small companies. The next stage was professional practice at the employers who were then able to offer positions. Before the start of the programme we estimated that from 100 women, 40 would find work. In the end 59 were successful. Most of the women began to be more confident in the job market and stopped worrying about even changing from one job to another, says a pleased Teresa Rajczyk. Participants stories: Jolanta Wachowicz was unemployed for a number of years. After finishing school she stayed at home to bring up her children. Thanks to the programme from the Rybnik centre she was able to finally change her life. Jolanta got a job in the Social Assistance Centre in Rybnik which had a position for an accountant. Thanks to this I was reborn. Sitting at home made me pessimistic. Today I m full of optimism. This job gives me not only financial security but also satisfaction, she emphasises. Hanna Drobot has a similar story. School, marriage, a baby but there was no place for career development. After two years sitting at home she decided that it was time for a change. Today Hania works with accounts in a large insurance company. Life has become more interesting. I meet new people, I m more confident and happier, she says. But if anyone had told me some time ago that in a few months I would find a job, I would have never believed it. Aims: to motivate and activate women who were unemployed for more than 2 years so they can find employment. Key elements: 5 day sessions with trainer working on : motivation, preparation for job searching: documents, job interview, etc. Vocational training which was divided into seven specialisations: modern salesperson, warehouse worker, small-restaurant chef, care for the elderly and young children, florist, personnel and finance department issues and service of small companies. The next stage was professional practice at the employers who were then able to offer positions. Results: In the beginning of the project the coordinators estimated that from 100 women, 40 would find work. At the project end 59 women were successful. 20

21 Innovative elements: The actions foreseen in the project provide individual work with a vocational guidance, psychological support, regular contact with a social worker, and care for the dependent person (especially children under the age of seven) In the actions emphasis will be on: * Breaking the phenomenon of transfer of bad patterns (passivity, apathy, denial) to the young generation, * Active participation of beneficiaries and partners in the management, implementation, and dissemination activities to facilitate the return to local labour market * Unlocking the motivation to actively seek work, * Supplementing the skills and acquire new skills, * The training of the employer, * Gaining practical skills, * Shaping the atmosphere of equal opportunities and incentives to employ people at risk. Information about the action: Project coordinator: Teresa Rajczyk Good practice 2 Title of the action: Project Believe in yourself Kind of action: Local Initiatives to raise vocational activity in rural areas, measure 6.3 Coordinator: Foundation Europa+ Project duration: 01/01/ /06/2009 Summary: The project aimed to improve the employability of the twenty long-term unemployed women through a comprehensive preparation for active job search. Training was aimed at women from the community Podegrodzie who did not have higher education. Training and workshops were held during the period from March to May At the beginning of the project the participants were offered a meeting with a professional advisor, who pointed out not only the abilities and personality traits of a particular woman, but also introduced the possibility of complementing skills, so that project participants could be more attractive candidates to employers. 21

22 The benefits of participation in the project: "A comprehensive preparation of the project s participants to actively seek work. "Improving mobility in the labour market. "Enhancing self-esteem and confidence. The project developed a brochure Active in the labour market, collection of developed application documents, frequently asked questions during the interview, the basic information of the employment contract (types of contracts of employment, salary, leave, termination of employment contracts). Thanks to this each of the participants received together in a single document important information relating to employment. Impressions of the program participants: I liked the classes of active and effective methods of job searching and learning how to write application documents. During these classes I have met many new methods of job searching, what I did not know yet. In addition, the training enabled me to prepare a CV and cover letter. These documents have been checked by experts, who showed me their strengths and weaknesses. Thanks to this during the meeting with the employer I knew that the documents are well prepared, what gave me confidence. Very helpful to have classes in makeup and style. Facilitator revealed to us that, when applying for a job not only our documents are important but our appearance as well. She showed us how to select makeup and dress for an interview. It was also valuable experience gained during the simulation interview with a specialist recruitment and in particular the issue related to the questions asked during the interview. The knowledge gained during the project, "Believe in yourself, " proved to be useful not only when looking for work, but also in everyday life. We really liked individual meetings with a professional advisor, who reminded us of our professional skills and pointed to possible future directions of education and training. Aims: to improve the employability of the twenty long-term unemployed women through a comprehensive preparation for active job search. Key elements: 22