What is Empower The initial idea of the present project arose from a group of entities that have been working together for years on European projects, in the field of Social Exclusion and Social Inclusion to help social and economic integration of specific collectives living in unfavourable conditions.The project’s general aim is to enlarge the knowledge and awareness of professionals in rural areas about domestic violence and to improve the structures of prevention and attention to the victims or people at risk through the creation of regional and local networks.In particular, the Project will focus on rural areas, where as in urban areas, domestic violence has the same intensity. Nevertheless, cultural and social characteristics of rural areas mean that the problem is less visible, more difficult to detect, and more surrounded by stigma and shame.In the same way, the Project will focus on the direct participation of women that have been victims.The Project considers that the priority target groups are those who work near the victims, as professionals in education, medicine, security and social services.The project will work as a pilot experience which intends to develop and implement new methods of combating domestic violence in the rural area and of meeting the needs of victims.To undertake the different objectives planned, the Project will develop five Actions.Action 1, will be the development of a basic system of organization of the project, which will enable it to be effectively managed, and will mean key decisions can be made appropriately and efficiently.Action 2, the study of domestic violence in rural areasAction 3, Training of women victims/survivors. This Action is focused on training of the women who have experienced domestic violence, focusing on direct participation of the victims in the fight against domestic violence in the rural areas.Action 4, Information and Awareness. This action focuses on raising awareness not only in the target group, but, particularly to the rural agents.Action 5, Networks in the rural areas against the domestic violence, will aim to develop a model method for developing a network of support for victims of domestic violence in rural areas.Who is it aimed at?The project will improve knowledge of domestic violence in rural areas, will encourage women -survivors of domestic violence to participate in the prevention, attention and social inclusion of the victims, will inform and raise awareness of domestic violence amongst professional groups and will create local networks for monitoring, prevention, information exchange and improvement of methods for treating domestic violence.Which entities are involved?Extremadura Women’s Institute (IMEX) is an autonomous organization of the Junta de Extremadura. IMEX is engaged in developing equal opportunities policy, in securing equal participation of women in political, cultural, professional and social life of Extremadura as well as in eliminating all forms of discrimination.Federation of Extremadura towns and provinces, FEMPEX, is an association consisting of local companies of the autonomous region Extremadura. The association aims at protection and development of common interests of its members.SWA’s is a non-profit organization that provides services to women, boys and girls experiencing, escaping or overcoming the consequences of gender and sexual violence. SWA’s has been operating in the county Staffordshire since 1976. Apart from direct services addressed to women, boys and girls, SWA’s also conducts preventative activities and develops educational tools for gender and sexual violence, and other related topics.WeMothers Association (ZZŽ MyMamy) is committed to fighting violence against women regardless their marital status, age, number of children, ethnical origin, nationality, residence, religion or political belief . In our work we follow European Service Standards for domestic violence survivors (non- bureaucratic and fast help, advocacy, a secret address… ).Transnational meetings:The 4th Transantional Meeting, Prešov, 18 and 19 March 2010The Prešov meeting participants visited the village of Chminianske Jakubovany and met the mayor, Roma community representatives, as well as the directress, teachers and pupils of the village specialized school. It was an inspiring visit, informing about people working in difficult conditions and achieving very good results.The project representatives had also an official meeting in the Regional Government Office, in the Department of Social Affairs and in the City Council – an official meeting with Prešov mayor and the representatives of Department of Social Affairs.Agenda of the meeting:Day 1Action 2: Study of the gender violence in the rural areas.Presentation of the final results of the Action 2.§ Main conclusions of the study of the gender violence in the regions of Presov, Stafforshire and Extremadura§ Study: Exchange of information (among partners) about the conclusions.§ Good practices against gender violence in the rural areas. Presentation of a description of the practices.§ Conclusions and recommendations against the gender violence in the rural areas.§ Presentation of a summary of 15 pages of each one of the studies.§ Preparation of the edition of a joint summary of the three studies: contents, decision about a coordinator for the elaboration of the joint report, time limit…Day 2Action 3: Training of women.Development of the training activity.§ Objectives of the training action focussed to survivors.§ Description of the characteristics of the women that will be selected to participate in the training actions.§ Content of the formative actions: formative content, formative material, duration and methodology ‘Empower training package‘.§ Results to reach with the formative action.§ Exchange of information among the partners.§ Organization of the formative actions: calendarAction 4: Information and sensitizing§ Project website. Allocation of a responsible for the website by region.§ Proposal of the contents structure of the website.§ Organization of the Local Meetings: calendar, documentation that is going to provide, assistantThe Regional Conference in PrešovThe 3rd Regional Conference, Prešov, 20th March, 2010The Conference aimed to provide a discussion space for experts‘ discussion from the Czech Republic, Spain, Great Britain, Poland and Slovakia. A discussion was held mainly on the ethical dimension of social services standardization, with the emphasis on the following questions:· What does social services standardization bring to the organization and its employees?· Do social services standards strengthen or weaken the security of both clients and social services employees?· How does the introduction of social services standards influence the relationship between employees and clients?· Advantages and disadvantages of standards in social services?On the second day the discussions were held in two parallel sessions:· Ethical dimension and specific features of the standardization of social services for women – domestic violence victims· organization culture and standardization of social service
