learning Archives - Dundee International Women’s Centre

Then and Now: Powerful success stories from learners at DIWC

24 July 2018 by diwc-admin 1 Comment

Then and Now: 3 powerful success stories from learners at DIWC

What do these two women have in common? They came along to DIWC and found classes where they could improve on their English, which then opened up job opportunities for each of them and helped to improve on their wellbeing. They share their stories here.

Ahu’s Story

“If I can get through this course despite health problems and studying with young children… anyone can.”

Then: When Ahu came to Dundee from Turkey, she knew barely a word of English. She had health problems and was caring for a young child while her husband worked. She was isolated and lacked confidence and self-esteem.

She joined DIWC’s cooking class where she developed a talent for demonstrating her own recipes. Meeting like-minded women gave her the confidence to try new things and she started English classes.

Now: With each success, Ahu has become more motivated to try new things. She studied at DIWC for her Driving Theory test and has since passed her driving test. She studies hard, whilst caring for two children, and is one of the first women at DIWC to pass all seven modules of ECDL.

By working hard and embracing all that DIWC offers, Ahu has managed to improve her social life, mental well-being, education and job prospects. She is truly inspirational.

Mariam’s Story

“I love coming here. I am learning skills to help me get a job I love.”

Then: Mariam moved to the UK from Mali with her husband. She spoke no English and he brought her to DIWC to learn. Mariam joined English classes and social groups and felt happy to be part of a community, meeting people from all around the world.

As her English improved, her confidence grew and she got a job working in a care home. Mariam continued to attend the centre, and she had two children whom she brought to Rise and Shine crèche.

In-between: Mariam completed an employability course in customer service at DIWC and did a placement on DIWC’s reception. Keen to gain more experience, she continued to volunteer in this role whilst expecting her third child and studying for her Driving Theory test.

Just three months after the birth of her third child, Mariam has returned to DIWC to continue to study the ECDL course.

Now: Mariam has passed her Driving Test and drives confidently every day. She has passed the ECDL course and with this experience and qualification, she has been working at DIWC for over two years as a receptionist.

#WomenOfDundee: Finding a place of learning and support for women by Maqsoodan

8 May 2017 by diwc-admin Leave a Comment

Finding a place of learning and support for women when moving to Dundee was important to Maqsoodan. She wanted to show her daughters that women have an important place in society and should encourage each other to grow and develop.

Moving to Dundee

I was born in Pakistan. My family migrated to Glasgow when I was about 3 years old.

I grew up in Glasgow and stayed there until I got married, 30 years ago. I moved to Dundee because my husband was based here. I like living in Dundee and the Asian community here is very strong. There was also a big Asian community in Glasgow, a close-knit one, but we did not live as part of the community – we lived on the outskirts of the city.

My parents were married for over sixty years. I have three brothers and I am the only girl in the family. It was hard growing up with three boys, I would have liked a sister, but we were very close siblings, maybe less close now because they all live in Glasgow. We all have our own families, with our own children and responsibilities.

Freedom to choose

My parents never enforced religion on me and my siblings. They let us choose what we wanted in our life. They were religious and they had strong morals but they did not force that on us. I was always a Muslim by birth, but now I choose to be a Muslim. I didn’t always wear a hijab, I only started wearing it about ten years ago. We started the Qur’an class in my house, a group of us got together with a teacher to study the Qur’an word to word in Urdu.

I got married at the age of 27. Nowadays, girls are studying or working but in the Asian community, 27 was considered a late age to get married. I did not want to get married at an early age – I wanted to find the right person. Now I have 3 children, 2 daughters and a son.

When I left high school I did a diploma in teaching. I am the first in my family to go on to further education. I wanted to go to University and study Geography, but that would have required residential trips which I do not think my parents were keen on. Maybe I should have pushed harder but I was intimidated by four-year degree. Instead, I spent three years at college.

After graduation, I got a job as a full-time primary teacher at the age of 20 in Glasgow. None of my children have followed me into teaching but all 3 of them have been through higher education.

Finding a place of learning and support

I started coming to DIWC when it was on Lyon street. My oldest daughter was only 12 years old at the time. I wanted my girls to have a strong identity, I wanted them to feel empowered and have the opportunity to discover themselves. I wanted them to be interested in politics, current affairs and global issues in the wider world.

I found the girls group in DIWC was great. A lot of mums felt very comfortable with the centre and the staff. It was great having the Muslim community being involved in this group. Through that, I think my girls have progressed well in their lives. They have been involved in residential trips, hill walking, fundraising, art projects – to name but a few. Being involved in the girls group has given them confidence. Both my daughters said it helped them in university with presentations and public speaking. They both served on the board at DIWC before going on to other things.

A chance to give something back

I have been volunteering at the centre for the last 14 years. Volunteering has been very rewarding for me as I get a lot of satisfaction by giving back to the community.

I used to volunteer in the Bazorg group; the group for older women. I volunteered with this group because my mother became a member but she was not keen to stay at the group meetings on her own. It was a brilliant experience! They are such a laugh and I have great memories of my time there. Auntie Narinder, who sadly passed away recently is to this day one of my role models. My own mother passed away four years ago so I am now volunteering in another capacity with the beginners English class.

The future

I think in today’s world, full of conflict, women would rather solve problems by other means because we want a peaceful future for our children. Our children are our legacy and we need to empower each other for a great future for them. I think DIWC is unique that it allows us women to learn, support and encourage each other. People come here from all over the world and this organisation is willing to help anyone.

I hope the centre keeps going from strength to strength and is here for future generations. I believe that learning is a never-ending process and a day not spent learning is a wasted day. And what better way to learn than in an environment that is a melting pot of world cultures and beliefs.

Maqsoodan Arshid #womenofdundee

Flourish Activities: A look at what the classes are and who are they for?

20 March 2017 by diwc-admin 1 Comment

Flourish Activities -A Quick Guide

If you want to know more about what the Flourish classes are all about and who they are for, along with examples of some of the activities held – you can find all that information here:

Who are the classes for?

All DIWC members who wish to make friends and build a social network as well as learn new skills through a variety of planned workshops

What is the class for?

Fighting social isolation by making friends in an informal, inclusive environment,
Increasing team working skills
Increasing spoken English practice
Building self-confidence and value oneself, engaging and participating in team games and activities., engaging in the class and asking questions
Learners who require support and one to one sessions to talk about how to overcome barriers and their challenges

What will attendees learn in the lessons?

Learn different skills for promoting positive parenting and different types of play
Basic baking techniques (including practising numbers and measuring)
Learning to cook international recipes and the different types of methods used in cooking by different cultures
Healthy baking alternatives (by substituting ingredients)
Reading and understanding ingredients on food labels
Learning about healthy eating and their benefits
Why it is important and how to apply a healthy diet for their children and families
Car safety, road safety, dental health, home and fire safety etc.
Building a healthy attachment to their children.
Internet safety
Exercises and relaxation techniques to promote mental wellbeing

Below are some examples of some of the activities the classes have held:

#WomenOfDundee: Flourish taught me valuable life-saving skills I was able to put into practice

1 November 2016 by diwc-admin 2 Comments

Sarish Rizwan has been attending the Flourish program on and off for the past two years, she is from Pakistan and has two sons. She has given permission to speak about her personal story that has helped her save two peoples life since doing the First Aid course, which was organised by staff in the DIWC Flourish group.

Learning valuable life-saving skills to put into practice

The first time was when Sarish had gone to Pakistan to visit family there was an incident where her uncle started to have chest pains and breathing difficulty. Sarish said she immediately remembered what she had learned and how to recognise if someone was having symptoms of a heart attack. She called for an ambulance and put him in the recovery position. As her uncle’s condition worsened, she was able to carry out CPR which was vital, until the paramedics came, after which they took over. Thanks to her quick thinking and remembering the training she had received, her uncle is alive and so grateful to Sarish.

Another time was when Sarish was feeding her baby he choked on a pea and was having difficulty breathing. She performed the Heimlich manoeuvre and CPR, which saved her baby’s life.

Sarish says: “I am so grateful to DIWC and Flourish for delivering the First Aid workshop, without it, the outcome might have been very devastating. I am now able to perform emergency first aid until help arrives if needed, which makes me feel, that I have learnt a very valuable skill which could save lives. Thank you Flourish”

To find out more about the Flourish classes, click here.