Equal Opportunities for Older Women
About the initiative Content and framework conditions Organisational background Back
Spurwechsel - Ausbildungslehrgang (Training course)
Communicational details
Address:
c/o GEFAS Steiermark
Mozartgasse 14a
8010 Graz
Austria
Contact persons and their known foreign languages:
Herta Bacher, Course coach, English
Univ.Prof.Dr.Gertrud Simon, Scientific advisor, English
Telephone: 0043-316-686535
Telefax: 0043-316-373639
E-Mail: herta.bacher@styrin.com
Internet:
About the initiative
Status of the initiative: The initiative is a self-help initiative aimed at improving equal opportunities for older women through an organisation that pursues objectives which are independent of gender or age.
The initiative has the dicisive support of the following organisation:
GEFAS Steiermark
Address:
Mozartgasse 14a
8010 Graz
Österreich
Telephone: 0043-316-380-2964
Telefax: 0043-316-380-9212
E-Mail: gefas@seniorweb.at
Internet: http://www.seniorweb.at
Other supporting organisations: Universität Graz, Institut für Erziehungswissenschaften, Graz
Bildungshaus Retzhof des Landes Steiermark.
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Content and framework conditions of the project work
The initiative was founded in: 1998
The initiative was founded because of the following reasons:

Follow-up project to the 1996 EU project "Changing Track at Third Age"
The initiative was founded for a limited period of time:

Course I, Feb. 98 - June 99
Course II, Nov. 98 - Feb. 2000
Target group(s): Women from the capital and its surrounding districts who would like to be, or are already, involved in group work.
Targets: Independent coaching of groups on the themes of Physicality, Biography, Identity, Participation, in adult education institutes, church and other organisations, or at the private level.
Details of the work done by the initiative:

The prime aim of the training courses is to address older women who are willing to get involved in group processes and who feel able to take over the running of a group later and communicating the contents of the programme to others.

The themes are dealt with in 5 blocks of 3 days each, during which the lecturers provide impulses and group work and creative individual work are included.
At the same time, the coach mediates the basic know-how for adult education.
Attention is focused on the participants' lives.

The approach innovatively takes women's concerns into account on the basis of TZI (=theme-centred interaction/Ruth Cohn).
The courses end with the presentation of a certificate.
Areas of work of the initiative:
Political participation
Social contacts
Education
Success that the initiative has achieved:

The announcement of the courses in the syllabus of the Retzhof Education Centre provoked a great response.
Since the courses were initiated, there has been a lot of inquiries about repeats or continuations.
Interest on the part of organisations and public authorities, and municipal and state educational institutions has been significant.
Radio interviews and newspaper reports.
Problems that the initiative has been faced during its work:

Difficulties have been kept in check by a well selected and harmonious coach team (3 persons) and repeated reflection on the process.
The financial resources of women aged 50 and over are very limited.
Participation of the target group concerning the conception, planning and implementation of the initiative's work:

The particpating women have become more and more involved in the planning of the individual units and even designed some parts themselves, so as to test their abilities as coaches.
Women also assumed organisational tasks (planning festivities, literature lists, etc.
Co-operation:

We have been cooperaitng with GEFAS since 1996
Follow-up project after the EU start.
Information:

We are available for people interested in receiving more information on our initiative by phone, post or e-mail.
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Organisational background of the initiative
Staff:

3 salaried employees at the supporting organisation.
The total number of hours worked for the initiative is approx. 6 hours per week.
Budget:

DM 1,600 for one course, duration 16 months
Sources of funding:
Members dues
Publications or information material available on our initiative:

Documentation
Falter
Recommended literature:

- Julia Onken: Feuerzeichenfrau, Beck´sche Reihe
- Naomi Wolf: Die Stärke der Frauen, Droemer-Knaur
- Thea Bauriedl: Spät hab´ ich gelernt, gerne Frau zu sein (vergriffen)
- Frauen lernen anders - Theorie und Praxis der Weiterbildung von Frauen, Kleine, Köln
- Holle Schneider: Anstöße - Lebendige Gespräche in Frauengruppen, Klens-Verlag, Düsseldorf
Tips and suggestions for people interested in foundig a similar initiative:

Select the participants, if possible by means of individual talks, and remember that training in adult education cannot function as therapy.
Select competent supervisors for the course.
Remember that "women on the move" can develop enormous potential for action and still require supervision after the course.
Talks and advice take a lot of time.
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2001-04-25