History
1996 Counting Women in Community-based Economic Development
How did we start? By listening. A program called Counting Women in Community-based Economic Development (CED) formed the foundation of the WEE Society. At 172 kitchen tables and community centres across the province (and with the assistance of 58 regional and local facilitators), 1540 diverse women gathered to talk about their communities, the roles they play, the contributions they make, and the challenges women must surmount to become full and equal participants—especially women living on low incomes and those experiencing racism and discrimination. Women considered all aspects of their lives—economic, social, educational, environmental, spiritual and cultural. Many spoke of their need for training, education and employment to address economic insecurity. They emphasized the need for childcare and transportation services that would make these opportunities accessible. There was consensus about the lack of credit for home-based businesses and the impact of the lack of funding for local community projects and enterprises.
Some spoke of the need to play a greater, more collective role in local development—to get representation on the boards and committees of local organizations, to develop closer ties with agencies and governments and to access information about CED and training for local facilitators.
Many also commented on the support necessary for their entrance into more public forums. Personal isolation and low self-esteem, the undervaluing of women’s unpaid work and the lack of public awareness and action about the issues of racism and discrimination were all put on the agenda.
Counting Women in CED became the foundation of our organization’s work, and building a holistic, women-centred CED model became our goal.
1998 The Women’s CED Network
The WEE Society developed and launched the Women’s CED Network. We hired local facilitators in the counties of Cape Breton, Antigonish and Annapolis to respond to the issues women identified in Counting Women in CED. In partnership with a broad range of collaborators including governments, community organizations, women’s centres, RDAs, C@P sites and local agencies, we worked together to support women’s full participation in CED.
1999 The CED Learning Series
The Network demonstrated the need for training materials about women-centred CED. In a partnership with the Bay St. George Women’s Council of Newfoundland and the Women’s Network PEI, a 2-volume CED learning series, Tea You Could Trot a Mouse On … The elements of Community–based Economic Development was launched and distributed to organizations, libraries and community groups across the region.
The Network expanded its women-centred, plain-language training resources by creating the Home-based Business Guide, Your Guide to E-Business and Using a Computer for Home-based Income.
2000 Women On-Line
Women spoke of needing to learn about computers in safe and supportive environments, so we launched Women On-Line. We hired and trained young women in the regions, who in turn, provided basic computer skills training to women in local C@P sites and community centres.
2001 Shelburne County Women's CED Network
The Network expanded to Shelburne County through a partnership with Shelburne County Women's CED Network.
2001 Rural Women Get Credit
Through the Network, women spoke of their lack of access to credit, so we responded by building the Rural Women Get Credit project. We talked with women about their experiences trying to access credit and documented their stories. We also conducted extensive research regarding the challenges rural women face when accessing credit for small business development. We created two guides, A Credit Guide for Women and Making Change—Strategies that Enhance Women’s Access to Credit.
2002 Caring for a Living
In partnership with the Eastern Shore Family Resource Association, we researched and gathered information about establishing a home-based childcare facility. A women-centred, plain-language guidebook entitled, Caring for a Living was produced for women interested in starting home-based childcare businesses.
2002 The Equality in Technology (ET) Project
The WEE Society, in partnership with the Hypatia Association and the Nova Scotia Community College, sponsored the ET Project to assist and support 20 diverse women to enter science and technology programs at the Kingstec and Annapolis Valley Campuses. The project also examined program and policy issues relating to the recruitment and retention of women in these fields. A report entitled, The Digital Divide—A Framework for Action documented our findings.
2003-05 Changing Lanes: Women in Science and Technology
To respond to the learnings from the ET Project and to begin to address the systemic issues women face, the WEE Society partnered with the Hypatia Association and worked with female students, teachers and administrators in high schools and the Nova Scotia Community College. The project allowed us to explore and develop strategies to improve opportunities for women in science, trades and technology careers. As a result of this initiative, a series of three guides were developed for those audiences entitled, In the Picture…a future with women in trades, science and technology.
2005-08 Indigo
Through Indigo, WEE worked with diverse young women in the community of Spryfield, as they upgraded their educations, developed their interpersonal and life skills; and first honed, then test-drove their employment skills with supportive, local employers.
2007 Women & Co.
Returning to our CED roots, Women & Co. helped diverse groups of women meet their entrepreneurial goals through training, assistance and through connecting them with others who could, in turn, offer specialized support.
2003-11 IT Works for Women
This program, which started in Halifax County and spread to Colchester, Cumberland and Guysborough Counties, engaged diverse women in learning new computer skills. Through gathering small groups, using local community C@P sites and centres, offering child care and transportation subsidies, IT Works for Women was able to remove barriers to women’s participation in this exciting learning adventure. As well, this program offered unique Build Your Own Computer courses, through which women were assisted as they put together the component parts of a computer, downloaded freeware onto their systems and then took their own computers home with them. Please look under the Programs section of this web site for more information on our current IT Works for All Women program.
2005-11 Women Unlimited
Building on our experiences through Changing Lanes, WEE and Hypatia built Women Unlimited, a program designed to support unemployed women explore, prepare for, obtain and maintain employment in trades and technology fields in Nova Scotia. In a strategic partnership with the Nova Scotia Community College, Women Unlimited is located at four college campuses. Please look under the Programs section of this web site for further information on Women Unlimited.
2008-11 NOW Program
The New Opportunities for Women (NOW) Program grew out of Indigo. We recognized there was a need for a program for mature women who had been in receipt of Income Assistance for a longer period. NOW works with the women while they upgrade their skills and prepare themselves for employment or further training. Please look under the Programs section of this web site for more information on the NOW Program.