FINANCIAL SUPPORT

No tuition is charged for B.P.W. components (except for Entrepreneurial/Business Skills and some special interest courses). Women may also qualify for training allowances from C.E.I.C. While allowances are not as high as we would like, they do ensure that participants do not have to use family money to take part in the course. Payments to women on Unemployment Insurance are continued for the duration of their studies.

CHILDCARE

The original proposals for the B.P.W. included a full day care facility at the project site, but this was never funded. Participants in the B.P.W. have access to a daycare centre operated by the community college.

All trainees with children under 11 years of age are entitled to a dependent care allowance. This money, which in Saskatchewan is adequate to cover costs, enables mothers to purchase the childcare of their choice. In fact, during the first year, only one mother used the college day care; the others all preferred to arrange childcare in their neighborhood.

SCHEDULING

Since conflicting timetables have been a major barrier to women's educational opportunities, the BPW has made flexibility a high priority. Women can choose either full-or part-time studies, day or evening. The only group of women who still have difficulty are shift workers: they can fit use of the Learning Centre around their work but we have not been able to plan a course timetable for women who have neither day nor evening consistently free. The B.P.W. is open from 8:00 - 10:00 P.M. Monday through Friday and from 9:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M. Saturday. It has not been easy for staff: in order to accommodate these long hours, they work a complex combination of day and evening shifts.

LOCATION

The B.P.W. is located in downtown Regina at a spot well served by city buses. While we could have found less expensive space elsewhere, accessibility seemed important. The building is also fully wheelchair-accessible.

ADVOCACY

It is part of the duties of the B.P.W. staff to provide support, advice and assistance to participants in dealing with social workers, employment counselors, doctors, government officials, etc. If participants still have trouble, staff will intervene on their behalf.

With the maze of different educational programs and services available, it sometimes seems that one needs a PhD in Community Development just to find the best route to reach a goal. B.P.W. staff try to demystify the systems and make them work for women.

FOLLOW-UP

All the women who attend the orientation session, as well as those who participate in any aspect of the Bridging Program, are contacted one month, three months, and six months after leaving the program.

They are called, during the day or evening, and asked about their progress towards their goals: whether they followed through on a referral, for example; whether they are still working; whether they have begun their chosen training; how studies are progressing, etc. If it seems appropriate, the caller asks whether the B.P.W. can be of further assistance and if an interview with a counselor would be helpful. This continuing involvement helps us monitor, and we hope ensure, long term success.