“I am so passionate. What I went through to where I am today…
it’s bittersweet. There is so much work to do.”
– Workshop Participant in Thompson
it’s bittersweet. There is so much work to do.”
– Workshop Participant in Thompson
Thompson,
November 15, 2006
Summary of Consultation with
Social Policy class
(Thompson, October 25, 2005)
Thompson Workshop #1
(October 26, 2005)
Facilitators: Jennifer deGroot, Becky Thiessen & Janis Dahl
Participants: 5 women
« Read the following article on this workshop, that appeared in The Thompson Citizen, November 17, 2006.
The following ideas were generated by workshop participants as part of our gender budget consultations. Please note that this list does not represent the official position of the UN Platform for Action Committee Manitoba (UNPAC). Neither UNPAC nor all of the participants have endorsed these suggestions.
1. What are key concerns for women in your community?
- Housing
- Not enough affordable
- Low-income
- More supportive housing for people who cannot live independently
- Violence against women
- No strong organized women’s voice
- Need more education for young women so that good choices are made for future
- Justice
- Limited support for victims
- Limited/lack of services
– Only one Legal Aid lawyer - Family court meets only once a month
- Lawyers don’t understand women’s issues
- No advocate for women
- System allows men to have power over women
– Use kids as leverage
– Women lose power of being mother
- Counselling
- Should be free
- Waiting lists of 3 months
- Childcare
- Need more spaces
- Need more centres
- More after/before school care
- Program for “latch-key” kids
- Home day cares not licensed
– Regulations?
– Safety issues?
- Employment
- How can work places be more supportive to women?
- Stressful workplaces
- Many low paying jobs
“I want to speak up more. Once you’ve
got power you don’t want to give it up.
Writing that letter was powerful but being in the paper is scary.
It’s still scary to be that person who speaks up”
– Workshop Participant in Thompson
Writing that letter was powerful but being in the paper is scary.
It’s still scary to be that person who speaks up”
– Workshop Participant in Thompson
2. a) What Government programs and services have really worked to meet women’s needs and concerns? How could they be expanded upon or made better?
- Faculty of Social Work
- YWCA
- UCN (University College of the North)
- Futures — action program for children
- New Beginnings
- Baby’s Best Start
- Women’s Shelters
* All programs need to use more of an empowerment model instead of a dependant model *
2. b) What ideas do you have for programs and services that could meet women’s needs?
- Rape crisis line
- Elder abuse/support program — will new personal care home provide this service?
- Women’s Resource Centre
- Advocacy groups
- Education/empowerment
- Mentorship for women leaders
- More mental health services
- More therapy
- Employment — better support, flextime
- Programs for life changes for women
- Health prevention program
- Mammography drop-ins
3. Women often do not have enough money to do the things they need to do and they often do not have enough time to do the things they need to do either. Where are you crunched for time? What could the government do to give you more time to do the things you need to do?
- Not enough personal time
- “If I qualified for student loans I wouldn’t have to work…”
- Used-book options at the University so don’t have to buy all books new
- Free University
- 4-day work week
- Higher wages
- Universal childcare programs
- Homework club for kids
- Less homework for kids — why do they have so much work?
- School day should correspond with work day — could also offer lunch programs, open school doors earlier in the morning so kids can get in when parents drop them off
4. What ideas do you have on how the Government could earn more money? Examples include: raising existing taxes, introducing new taxes, or stopping programs that don’t work. Use the creativity you have learned from your experience as a woman living with a tight budget.
- Raise individual income tax
- Raise corporate income tax — make big box stores responsible
- Spirited Energy — waste of money
- Reduce government expenses — fewer fancy meals
- Reduce wages for executives
- More citizens’ input into government budget — participatory budgeting
- More incentives to get ahead “not just one kick at the can”
- Free education for people on assistance
TAKE ACTION!
- Be a strong woman mentor
- Start talking
- To each other
- Build supports
- Hear different perspectives
- Be informed, know your facts
- Media
– Letters to Editor
– Critique media
- Educate/empower yourself and your children
- Meet with your elected leader
- MLA, MP, Mayor
- Bring diversity of voices, perspectives & experiences
- Get creative on how to reach people
- Bring forth solutions, not just complaints