Equal Opportunities for Older Women
About the initiative Content and framework conditions Organisational background Back
"Neue Chancen nach der Lebensmitte SPURWECHSEL?" Ein Orientierungskurs für Frauen ab 55 ("New Post-midlife Opportunities: LANE CHANGE?" An Orientation Course for Women over 55)
Communicational details
Address:
Verein für Fraueninteressen e.V.
Maximilianstr. 6
80539 München
Germany
Contact persons and their known foreign languages:
U. Dziallas, Organisational Administration and one of 5 Counsellors, English, French
Telephone: 0049-89-2904463
Telefax: 0049-89-2904464
E-Mail: Verein@Fraueninteressen.de
          Spurwechsel@Fraueninteressen.de
Internet: www.Fraueninteressen.de
About the initiative
Status of the initiative: The initiative is an 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:
Verein für Fraueninteressen e.V.
Address:
Verein für Fraueninteressen e.V.
Maximilianstr. 6
80539 München
Germany
Telephone: 0049-89-2904463
Telefax: 0049-89-2904464
E-Mail: Verein@Fraueninteressen.de
          Spurwechsel@Fraueninteressen.de
Internet: www.Fraueninteressen.de
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Content and framework conditions of the project work
The initiative was founded in: 1994
The initiative was founded because of the following reasons:

In its efforts to address contemporary social problems faced by women, the Association for Women's Interests decided to offer a reorientation course for elderly women. As the Association already offers a course entitled "A New Start at 35", for women wishing to re-enter the professions, it seemed logical to offer a complementary course for women approaching the end of their professional lives.
Target group(s): The course is directed at women who on their journey through life have reached a point where they need to reorientate themselves - women between 50 or 55 and 70 or so.
Targets: The goal of the course is to make aging a purposeful process. Participants are made aware of the need to take personal responsibility for their own physical, mental and spiritual health, as well as of the need to look after their own interests, and to cultivate and make sensible use of their talents.
Details of the work done by the initiative:

The common theme of the various course offerings is "memory, experience, expectations". Morning and evening courses on biography are complemented by courses on socio-political themes and hands-on art courses. Imaginative methods of instruction ensure plenty of movement, balance, and a positive group atmosphere and - especially important - a sense of togetherness among the participants.
The concept is oriented towards the needs of the course participants, i.e. their own experiences in relation to the themes of the courses are always taken into consideration. Discussions take place both in the plenum of (usually) 16 women and in small groups.
Four courses a year are offered: courses for women who are no longer working take place from January to March and from October to December for 10 weeks each, on two mornings a week. On three weekends in April and November we hold a "compact seminar" for working women entitled "Neue Chancen nach der Lebensmitte SPURWECHSEL - Vorbereitung auf den (Un)Ruhestand" (New Post-midlife Opportunities: LANE CHANGE - Preparing for the rigors of retirement).
Areas of work of the initiative:
Leisure/sport
Material aid
Political participation
Social contacts
Education
Health
Sexuality
Living circumstances
(Re)discovery of one's own creativity and joie de vivre
Success that the initiative has achieved:

The initiative's goal of helping women to help themselves was attained in nearly every case; individual participants have been supporting each other, and in some cases the groups met/have been meeting for a very long time on their own.
Some participants have most definitely "changed lanes" and have been able to alter their dead-end personal situations for the better.
Problems that the initiative has been faced during its work:

We have a space problem because we do not have our own, or any suitable, seminar room. Usually we borrow a room which is generally too small.
Our financial situation is unstable. We do not know whether financial support will be approved from one year to the next.
Publicity work is expensive and we get too little coverage in the daily press.
Participation of the target group concerning the conception, planning and implementation of the initiative's work:

The target group participates only indirectly in conceiving and planning the course, through the questionnaire they complete at the end. Some 80% of the women contribute to discussions during the courses.
Co-operation:

Since 1993 the Deutsche Frauenring (German Women's Circle) has been the umbrella organisation of the Verein für Fraueninteressen e.V. (Association of Women's Interests, a Registered Charity). We learned of the LANE CHANGE course through the German Women's Circle. Since 1993 we have been participating in the German Women's Circle's further education program.
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:

2 salaried employees at the supporting organisation.
5 salaried employees at the initiative.
5 volunteers/honorary members.
The total number of hours worked for the initiative is approx. 20 hours per week.
Budget:

DM 40,000 (c. 20,000 Euro) for the four courses
Sources of funding:
Local government funds (in F department)
Revenue from the project work
Funds from the supporting organisation(s)
Members dues
Subsidies from foundations
Publications or information material available on our initiative:

Two articles in the "Süddeutsche Zeitung" newspaper, an article in the Munich BISS (BITE) magazine, presentations in the annual reports, leaflets and a poster.
Recommended literature:

V. Fintelmann: Alterssprechstunde; U. Bergmann: Erfolgsteams; E. Lukas: Urvertrauen gewinnen; Funkkolleg "Altern" DIFF 1996; verschiedene Literatur zur Biographiearbeit
Tips and suggestions for people interested in foundig a similar initiative:
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2001-04-25