Multicultural NSW continues to support Arts & Cultural Exchange Inc. (ACE) to deliver the Multicultural Women’s Hub. The aim of Multicultural Women’s Hub is to break down barriers to participation for women from migrant and refugee backgrounds through education, work, and entrepreneurial opportunities.
The Multicultural Women’s Hub currently offers a range of tailored programs that empower women to develop social enterprises and obtain employment through creative learning, training, and technology including:
- programs that offer training to women in specialised craft (e.g. sewing) techniques to create products to be sold at markets or online platforms
- programs that teach women practical strategies for starting a creative small business (e.g. workshops on topics such as financial literacy, tax, funding, freelancing and marketing in the creative industries)
- programs that support women in upskilling for job pathways (e.g. Teacher’s Aide, Office Administration and Bookkeeping and Accounting training courses)
- programs that support women in job readiness skills (e.g. resume writing)
In every workshop, there's an opportunity for growth. It's not just about what we achieve collectively, but how we support each other along the way.
Multicultural Women’s Hub participant
I am hoping that by becoming a Teacher’s Aide, I will be able to get back into a school environment and follow my passion, which is teaching children. The training is very interesting and more than what I expected.
Multicultural Women’s Hub participant
To ensure the programs are effective and successful in its outcomes, ACE:
- co-designs programs with participants, informed by thorough consultation and consideration of participants needs and priorities;
- offers programs for free in a culturally safe and welcoming space (either at the ACE venue or in partnership with local community organisations or schools) at a convenient and flexible time for participants; and prioritises engaging culturally appropriate and bilingual program facilitators.
Across the 2023/24 FY, the Multicultural Women’s Hub supported women from migrant and refugee backgrounds as demonstrated by the following outcomes:
- 16 hub programs delivered
- 629 unique, and 1913 sessional hub participants
- 163 hub training sessions, including 36 vocational skills workshops delivered
- 40 artists employed
- 67 participants gained employment
- 10,227 attendees at events and exhibitions showcasing the work of hub participants
This demonstrates an increase across all outcomes above from the 2022/23 FY.
Multicultural Women’s Hub participants have reported that the programs, which they find valuable and rewarding, have boosted their self-confidence in skills growth and job readiness, and increased their sense of belonging in community.
I was thrilled to participate in this training, it really brought me back to my past work in the financial sector, reassured me that I could still find a job that suited my skills… [and] reinforced my communication and interpersonal skills.
Multicultural Women’s Hub participant