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| DESCRIPTION (see details below) | POUNDS | EUROS | US DOLLARS |
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| Advanced educ. & training | 29,667 | 39,556 | 59,334 |
| Computer skills - vocational training | 18,857 | 25,142 | 37,714 |
| Empowerment workshops | 20,989 | 27,985 | 41,978 |
| Family law workshops | 20,989 | 27,985 | 41,978 |
| Institutional funding | 37,715 | 50,287 | 75,430 |
| Microfinance loan program | 10,715 | 14,286 | 21,430 |
| Residential shelter | 21,429 | 28,572 | 42,858 |
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| TOTAL | 160,360 | 213,813 | 320,720 |
Advanced education and training for 'gifted' clients
The proposed project will enable us to unleash the exceptional talent that we sometimes find within some of our more gifted clients. To our own surprise, we encounter in each group of new clients, a few individuals who show true leadership qualities and great potential for achievements beyond what we offer in our regular programs. In every graduating class there is one or two clients with exceptional talent and leadership skills, who are able to enrol in a four year university program or other forms of long term advanced training. Funding these longer term educational and training programs for these exceptional cases is proving to be financially challenging and we are hoping to raise special funds for this purpose. The first three candidates which would be the beneficiaries of this program are two clients who have been accepted to university and hope to enrol in a four year degree program, and one client who we hope to send to London to train as a Montessori teacher.
Computer skills - vocational training
Basic IT training for 50 of the young women in our care. Our computer facilities would need to be slightly expanded for this purpose. The budget includes operating costs for one year plus the capital costs of adding 8 workstations to our existing computer lab. This program is designed to enable participants to acquire the International Computer Driving Licence ('ICDL'). The ICDL certificate significantly increases their employment prospects, as does the more advanced training in computer skills that is available to them in their final phase of their stay at Omid.
The program comprises instruction, training and practice in the computer skills defined by the ICDL syllabus. Introductory training is based on the foundational 'EqualSkills' program. This is followed by training in the ICDL core syllabus, leading to the ICDL certificate, which in turn forms the basis for advanced training.
This tracks the ICDL's 'EqualSkills' entry-level certification program in end-user computer skills for complete beginners. This program is specifically designed for people with no experience of computers. This foundation training covers the following four areas: Computer Basics; Introduction to the Desktop; World Wide Web; and Email. The EasySkills program is not intended as a certification leading to employment but rather to give an exposure to basic computing and explain the use and role of technology in everyday life. Having completed the foundational phase of their training, participants move on to follow the ICDL core syllabus, leading to ICDL certification. This comprises the following seven modules: Basic Concepts of Information Technology; Using the Computer and Managing Files; Word Processing; Spreadsheets; Database; Presentation; and Information & Communication. Upon completion of the ICDL core syllabus, participants are assessed and advanced training programs are then tailored for them. The emphasis of these programs is on further enhancing employment prospects, while still taking account of individual talents and preferences. The four advanced modules of the ICDL syllabus we offer at Omid are: Advanced Word Processing; Advanced Spreadsheets; Advanced Databases; and Advanced Presentations.
Omid already has a computer lab with most of the equipment and software needed, but these facilities need to be slightly expanded. The budget below therefore includes the operating costs of the project for one year and capital costs for adding eight more computer work stations.
Empowerment workshops
A series of 12 workshops, with each workshop being presented 3 times. Each workshop will be led by a team of external experts in its designated subject, and additional input will be provided by carefully selected guest participants. These workshop series is frequently the first instance that our clients are exposed to gender issues and the concepts of human and individual rights within a conceptual and analytical framework. The topics of the 12 workshops are:
- Violence against women
Aim: to raise awareness about the roots of violence against women in patriarchal societies, the different ways in which women become the victims of violence, and ways of tackling the problem.
- Addiction and AIDS
Aim: to raise awareness and educate the target group about the different types of addiction and AIDS, and the psychological and physiological problems associated with each form of addiction, and breaking the taboos and stigmatisation regarding AIDS and the debate surrounding it.
- Communication and life skills
Aim: to enhance the personal and social behaviour of the target group through acquiring the knowledge, skills, and attitudes required for effective communication with others (e.g. empathy, anger management, constructive criticism, active listening, etc).
- Gender & gender identity
Aim: to raise awareness about the social constructs specifying the socially and culturally prescribed roles that men and women are expected to follow, which consequently lead to gender stereotypes and women's subordination.
- Entrepreneurship and micro-credit schemes
Aim: to familiarise the target group with the know-how required to set up a business, as well as introducing the concept of micro-credit schemes to facilitate income-generating activities for the target group.
- Human rights
Aim: an introduction to the concept of human rights and the interrelation between the concepts of "right", "humanity" and "human rights."
At the end of the workshop, the target group will be required to draw up their own declaration of human rights and compare this with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
- Planning and organisational skills
Aim: to familiarise the target group with the basic principles of planning, and how to draw up a simple plan.
At the end of the workshop the participants should have a reasonably sound knowledge of prioritisation, collective planning and planning methods, and should be able to compile simple but effective plans which will be potentially beneficial both in their private and professional lives.
- Companionate Family
Aim: to familiarise the target group with the principles of equality within the family. The principles and behavioural patterns of different types of family structures (traditional, modern, and companionate) will be discussed. In addition, the workshop will focus on marital laws and the impact of these laws on women's lives as well as the potentials of change in the law in order to establish the basis for equality within marriage and the family.
- Pre-marital consultation
Aim: to raise awareness about the principles guiding marriage in today's society.
- Women and the law in the Islamic Republic of Iran
Aim: to familiarise the target group with the law of Iran as it pertains to women, with a special emphasis on the law relating to marriage and the family.
At the end of the workshop, the target group will have a basic knowledge of the laws that most affect their lives.
- Anger management
Aim: to highlight the need of dealing with anger and not letting anger dominate one's life and relation to society.
- Adapting to a new work environment
Aim: to highlight the need of fitting into one's work environment, working with co-workers, and developing a realistic sense for expectations from and responsibilities towards employers.
Family law workshops
A series of 12 workshops, with each workshop being presented 3 times. Each workshop will be led by a team of external experts in its designated subject, and additional input will be provided by carefully selected guest participants. These workshop series is frequently the first instance that our clients are exposed to their rights and obligations within the context of family, marriage and society within a conceptual and analytical framework. The topics of the 12 workshops are:
- Family equality
In this workshop, the different models of family- traditional, modern, companionate - will be discussed, along with the assigned roles of men and women, and children within each model.
In addition, this workshop will look at the concepts of 'love' and 'duty' as they pertain to marriage.
- The marriage proposal and contract
The aim of this workshop is to familiarise the participants with the formal and informal traditions and laws of contracting marriage.
Issues discussed will include: different types of marriages prevalent in contemporary Iranian society; rules and guidelines pertaining to each type of marriage; duties and obligations pertaining to each type of marriage; conditions of each type of marriage.
- Marriage obstruction
In this workshop, impediments set out by law in contracting a marriage will be discussed.
- Marriage covenants
In this workshop, various stipulations/conditions that a woman can include in the marriage contract will be discussed.
The participants will be familiarised with how exercising their right in including various conditions in the contract, will help set the scene for a more equal/companionate marital relationship.
- Contents of the marriage contract
Issues discussed will include: the roles and duties of each spouse; bride-price; dowry; alimony; remuneration (financial entitlement of the woman within marriage).
- Family planning and reproductive rights
Issues discussed will include: prevalent ideas/myths regarding family planning; different methods of family planning and the law as it pertains to each; hygiene.
- Safe motherhood
Issues discussed will include: pregnancy; giving birth; potential illnesses or complications arising during and/or after pregnancy.
- Child rearing
In this workshop, different approaches to child rearing will be discussed.
- Domestic violence
In this workshop the participants will be familiarised with the meaning of violence; the root causes of violence; and the different types of violence that can take place in families.
Issues discussed will include: the law as it defines violence within families; how to prevent and overcome violence within the family.
- Marriage dissolution
In this workshop the contemporary divorce laws will be discussed.
- Child support, alimony and custody
Issues discussed will include: different theories regarding the impact of divorce on children;
potential psychological and /or physiological damage of divorce on women and children; the rights and entitlements of women and children in divorce.
- Reviewing and prolonging the marital partnership
In this workshop the marital relationship at different points of the family life cycle will be discussed. In addition, participants will be familiarised with the various prevalent theories on how to achieve a prolonged and satisfactory marital relationship.
Microfinance loan program
A credit facility for our graduates to obtain interest free loans in order to make the rental down payment for a flat or purchase equipment that they require for practising their trade. We frequently encounter situations where our graduates require some financial assistance in the form of an interest free loan on their path to economic self-sufficiency. Frequently this occurs at the time when a graduate needs to rent a flat. In the Tehran rental market a substantial down payment needs to be paid to the landlord, which is beyond the means of our clients. Alternatively those clients who choose professions such as a seamstress need to purchase pieces of equipment in order to be able to practice their trade, for which they need financing. We intend to put a program in place which would allow these clients to obtain the necessary funds from us in the form of an interest free loan, repayable over an appropriate time period of 6 to 24 months.
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