‘The best thing I ever did’
A woman who recently completed the Growing Your Potential course run by Cork City Partnership (CCP) says the course was “the best thing” she ever did.
Growing Your Potential is designed to empower women to achieve economic independence. It’s aimed at those across Cork city and environs who have been working in the home or caring for relatives and would now like to return to the workplace.
CCP is now taking applications once again for the successful course for women in Cork. The next intake will begin the course in the coming weeks.
The Growing Your Potential team tailored the course last year to cater to a digital learning format as students and teachers made the move to remote learning and now the team is looking forward to gradually re-introducing face-to-face sessions. The course’s engaging and valuable content ranges from digital skills and technology to networking, CV preparation and interview techniques.
In the video shared online by Cork City Partnership, Jill Lee says the change in mindset provided by the course was powerful: “I had been at home rearing my family and doing a lot of other things but I was lacking in confidence, so I grabbed the chance and (the course) was free which was great and it was the best thing I ever did.”
Cliona Coleman, who completed the course in the same group as Jill says: “It was an amazing group of women, all like-minded from all different places and it was hugely beneficial - your opinion is really valued.”
Chief Executive at Cork City Partnership Brenda Cahill says the continued success of the course is a testament to the hard work of all involved: “The team didn’t miss a beat in the move to online. We’ve found remote learning actually suits some women more than trying to fit in-person classes around the other demands on their time.
“We’re dedicated to making this course work for them because it’s all about encouraging them to put their needs first and do something that benefits them.”
Employment Support Worker Siobhan O’Neill is the course leader: “Give us ten weeks for this free course and we’ll give you a chance to do something wonderful for yourself. Every time I run this course I am blown away by the women’s journeys.
“The changes we see in them, how they see themselves and how we know employers will see them are phenomenal. It’s an experience that will stand to their working lives and also their social lives - many of our students have remained great friends after the course.”
Cork City Partnership can further support participants should they wish to use their new skills to find employment or start their own business. Growing Your Potential is an initiative by Cork City Partnership supported by PEIL and the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform.
Growing Your Potential is now open for applications. Anyone interested in signing up can visit http://corkcitypartnership.ie for more info. Contacted CCP by email at info@partnershipcork.ie and by phone at 021-4302310.