First Steps Women's Centre have two new courses available - Learning to Earning and The Competent Helper.

LEARNING TO EARNING
The aim of the project is to provide participants with the confidence and qualifications to get them set on the road to employment or further education.

The programme will cover training in three key areas:
Personal Development – stress management, confidence building
IT – Word Processing, Internet and E-mail
Preparing for work – Job search skills, interview techniques, application form filling, CV building.

Training will take place once a week over 2 hour sessions for approximately 6 months - Thursdays  – 12.00pm-3.00pm

Course Duration:  20 weeks x 3 hour classes

THE COMPETENT HELPER

There are 3 Modules:

1. General Counseling/Helping Skills (8 weeks)
Examines in detail the range of skills and sensitivities that are needed for effective helping. Since a pre-requisite for effective helping is a good understanding of oneself, there will be opportunities for participants to examine their own life experience.

2. Practical Application of Counseling/Helping Skills (6 weeks)
During this module participants will use case study materials to test out a range of skills

3. Advice and Support in a Community Setting (6weeks)
Shows participants how to become economically active within their communities and how to be effective signposts for others.

AIMS
To provide counseling, advocacy and advice-giving skills that will enable participants to work effectively with vulnerable groups within their communities.
To be cross-community in approach and be accessible to all community groups throughout Northern Ireland.
To be fully participative and jargon-free in style and in the presentation of course material.

The Competent Helper is Peace 111 funded through the Institute of Connselling and Conflict Research. The Counselling sessions attached to this course will run on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 10.00-1.00p.m.

 Women can book up to 10 free one hour sessions with a paid counsellor(Roma Casey). The service is available until June 2010.