15th birthday celebrations

Having just acted as MC for the annual Women of the Year Awards, FWIN Co-Ordinator Catherine Cooke is looking forward to the continued growth of women's contribution to every fascet of the City's infrastructure.

Having been at the helm of FWIN since 2004, Catherine is well-placed to review the organisation's contribution to giving women a voice and offering them a platform to share information on a myriad of courses, personal development, childcare and health initiatives, as well as encouraging women to get involved in local community issues and being more politicised.

"I find the women in this city are eagre to engage and are eagre to learn. The women in the City I feel are the glue that has kept this society together during the Troubles and now that we are in a relative peace, the women's energies are turning to community development and reskilling themselves.

"With the closure of all the textiles and manfuacturing industries that we provide a lot of training and a lot of women are availing of that training and are looking at alernatives. A lot of women are community leaders and in a time where funding is contracting women are keen to learn transferrable skills that they can share within their own communities rather than bringing a facilitator in, they are learning to be that facilitator, so there is a great upsurge in requests for training and not just for individuals, but training that benefits local communities," said Catherine.

Describing the women she had worked with as 'change agents' Catherine said: "If women are happy and contented then it ripples out and everyone is content."

Looking back at the historic difficulties women encountered, Catherine said FWIN had been able to work with women to help them secure funding for organisations and learn to be managers of those same organisations.

"We have delivered training in organisations and FWIN have also worked to address where women are in public life in this City and encouraging women to take up the mantle," she said.

Things continue to look up for the organisation too, and for the next three years they have secured funding for a project officer, Maureen Fox, to target specific projects.

"Maureen is fitting very well into the work of FWIN, and Maureen is looking specifically at women and leadership, and women in public life. Initially there will be a programme for existing leaders and then there will be a training programme for new and emerging leaders, because sometimes there is no place for new women so this will be about creating a space for everyone. We have also decided that we will be doing some research in Scotland looking at Scotland's 50/50 quota and examinint their policiees which have been passed in Government to see the impact that has had," she said.

Don't miss next week's special picture feature looking back at the work of FWIN.