COMMUNITY WORK WITH WOMEN OF FOREIGN ORIGIN

Neus Juanola and Montse Sanchez

Social Care Department, Alt Empordà County Council

Alt Empordà County Council

Alt Empordà County Council Alt Empordà Map with the municipalities of

Castelló d'Empúries and Sant Pere Pescador

Demographics of the region

• 1357.5 km ² territorial extention• 68 municipalities, 28 have fewer than 500

inhabitants• 28.38% of the inhabitants of immigrant origin• Main problems detected in rural areas

(insulation, high aging ...) and in coastal areas (seasonal work, housing problems ...)

*Source: IDESCAT 2011

Immigration in Alt Empordà

- Catalonia: 16'10 %- Girona counties: 21'85 %- Alt Empordà: 28'38 %

EVOLUTION OF THE FOREIGN POPULATION

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2012

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9263

25419

40732

40294

Population by nacionality - Castelló d’Empúries• Total population: 11.794 • 49,9 % immigrant population• 25% from Africa (1.481 inhabitants)

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África

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A. Sur

Ásia

Population by nationality - Sant Pere Pescador• Total population: 2.161 habitantes• 40,2 % immigrant population• 38% from África (493 inhabitants)

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Main issues worked by Social Care Dpt in Alt Empordà

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2011 2012

Housing

Economy

Labour

Health

Disability

Violence

Social deficits

Others

Needs identified by Social Care Dpt. motivating community work

- Culture shock- Low employment rates and vocational training- Low participation in social life - Language difficulties- Differences in the model of parenting (among

families)- Prejudices and stigmatization among groups

Group training and motivation for employment for RMI users (insertion income) - Castelló d’Empúries

MAIN GOAL●

● To know limitations and training, employment and personal difficulties for job placement, using group methodology to achieve individual changes

●

● SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES• Enhancing linguistic understanding.• Facilitate access municipal resources and better understanding (library, job

placement services, organizations and associations)• Provide job information that is quite unknown (contracts, payroll,...)• Promote exchange of information on language courses and driving license.

Provide information on basic health issues, linking health with work performance.• To highlight level of labour demand (short time work in school time; no customer

service or no men around) is a drawback to employment, due to the possibilities they can offer as potential workers (lack of experience, poor training …)

• Inform about opportunities on self-employment

TARGET GROUP● Women from Morocco, some Spanish nationality●

● METHODOLOGY• Group of 10 women between 25 and 40 years old, all with small children • From December to June 2011 in fortnightly sessions of 2 hours• Sessions designed and conducted by social worker and intercultural

mediator

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● HIGHLIGHTS OF THE PROJECT• The individual effort of the participants for coming• Creating an exchange and mutual support network• An interdisciplinary project (professionals from Labour services, Health,

Social Services)

Group training and motivation for employment for RMI users (insertion income) - Castelló d’Empúries

MAIN GOAL Create a space for women for mutual communication, promoting the

autonomy of participants both in everyday life and for future employment●

● SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES●

• Provide social skills through communication strategies useful for everyday life

• Environment to reflect and discuss topics of interest expressed by women themselves (special emphasis on gender issues)

• Fostering empowerment in their abilities and personal autonomy

Group training and motivation for employment for RMI users (insertion income) - Sant Pere Pescador

● TARGET GROUP● Women from Morocco, Gambia and Senegal●

● METHODOLOGY●

• Two groups of 20 women divided by level of literacy in Catalan• From September to June 2012 (4 hours/week)• Sessions conducted by the intercultural mediator and social

educator (Social Services)

●

● HIGHLIGHTS OF THE PROJECT• Combining professional profile. Mediator creates trust and

closeness.• Involving women in the whole process of the project.• Space for mutual understanding from different ways of life

Group training and motivation for employment for RMI users (insertion income) - Sant Pere Pescador

Main conclusions

1) The effort for the integration of women works

2) Learning drives change

3) Awareness of the need to improve social status from the strength of the group and training

4) Social work can help to change prejudices between communities and work for the respect for difference

5) Labour market for women is the way to autonomy in different aspects of the person

6) Employment of women is the way to greater autonomy