Welcome to eight new NWCI group members
Published: Friday, February 24, 2017
We have had a great start to the year with a record of eight groups joining NWCI since the start of 2017. This sends a strong message that women across Ireland are standing up and working hard to ensure women’s equality becomes central to Irish public life.
Irish Farmer’s Association Women’s Committee The IFA Farm Family & Social Affairs Committee represents farm woman and farm families within the association. It was established to recognise the role of women in farming, to deal with family and women’s issues, to increase the involvement of farm women in IFA and to participate in the Women’s Group of COPA in Brussels. http://www.ifa.ie/
Féileacáin (Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Association of Ireland – SANDAI) is a newly formed, not for profit organisation that aims to offer support to anyone affected by the death of a baby during pregnancy or shortly after. The organisation was formed by a group of bereaved parents who supported each other after the death of their own babies and have now come together to formally offer support to other parents and families who find themselves in a similar situation. http://www.feileacain.ie
SPARK Single Parents Acting For The Right of Our Kids is an organisation advocating for the rights of lone parents - of both sexes - and, therefore, those of their children. The organisation is very much member-driven, and offers support in all areas of lone parenting. The advocacy arm of SPARK is engaged in making submissions to Government, writing pre-budget and other submissions, and endeavouring to influence (and change) policy. They provide information on and conduct research among their members on issues such as social welfare payments, access to education (for lone parents and children), and also on issues relating to access, guardianship and co-parenting. https://www.facebook.com/SPARKsingleparents
MAMs Mothers Artist Makers Set up in 2016, MAM has a group membership of over 230 nationally, meeting up and down the country with children always included. Inspired by Waking The Feminist Theatre Movement, they are here to highlight the causes and effects of the disappearance of theatre practitioners who are mothers. They aim to establish structured, dignified pathways back to work for theatre practitioners who have taken time out from their career to parent. They collaborate with theatre organisations, venues and companies to develop family friendly work policy and practice. https://mamsireland.wordpress.com/
Exchange House Ireland provides Traveller specific, professional, front-line services in Ireland. They are the largest Traveller specific service provider in the country with four main services: Family Support and Crisis Intervention Service; Children and Young Peoples’ Service; Education and Training Service; The National Traveller Mental Health Service. https://www.facebook.com/exchangehouseireland/
Belong To is Ireland’s national service for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender young people. Founded in 2003 as a youth project in response to the need to provide targeted services to a marginalised minority group of young people they are now a national direct service and advocacy organisation. They work with young people aged 14 to 24. http:/belongto.org
Irish Association for Infant Mental Health is affiliated with the World Association for Infant Mental Health. Established in 2009, they have 85 members who are professionals from a range of disciplines, working with infants, toddlers and their families in primary/secondary care health and community services, to support the healthy social-emotional -psychological development of infants and young children in the context of their primary care-giving relationships. http://www.iaimh.ie
Recovery Experts by Experience is a group of people who have lived through, and live with, mental health difficulties. Having recovered enough to function fully in society, they want to contribute to society, be active and campaign on behalf of others who are living with mental health difficulties. Being a group whose membership is mainly female, they are most concerned with questioning, interrogating, unpacking and challenging the patriarchal aspect of mental health care in Ireland.