Building on the solidarity demonstrated at the first Women’s Groups Networking event in March 2016, 57 representatives from 14 Women’s groups across Co. Wexford came together in Templeshannon Community Centre on November 9th to discuss women’s leadership in their communities, hosted by Wexford Local Development.The networking event consisted of workshops where participants reflected on the meaning of community leadership, with an emphasis on the importance of women as leaders in their family, in their group, in their communities and in wider society.
Much of the workshop content focused on the supportive function of diverse women’s groups across Co. Wexford, acting as a safe and friendly space for women to spend time forming new friendships, learning new skills and strengthening their sense of belonging while combating isolation.
It was recognised during these discussions that there is great potential for a more formalised network of women’s groups in the county. Plans are now in place to begin creating this network with representatives from the women’s groups acting as the driving force, with ongoing support from Wexford Local Development. A meeting of representatives is scheduled for December to actualise this process.
The networking event was also an excellent opportunity for Wexford Local Development staff to gather feedback on our work in the community. From the discussions on the day the training needs of committees were identified and will be taken into consideration when planning events and activities for 2017.
A session of line dancing got everyone on their feet and provided a nice break from the serious business of leadership development.
The day ended with networking over beautiful homemade soup and sandwiches from Templeshannon’s Community Café.