Page 25 - Compendium

Award for innovative approach to career guidance provision to women
on maternity leave:

in in, s.r.o.
‘Get ready for work’ is a development programme developed by a private
organization - in in, s.r.o. - for women on maternity leave preparing for (re-)
integration into the labour market. Series of workshops are designed for the
specifi c group of women - mothers who often feel frustrated, incompetent,
lacking self-confi dence, because their work is not appreciated enough in
the society. By creating safe space for self-expression, participants of the
programme were asked to think about the skills acquired through the
maternity leave and turn them into their own advantage. Participants were
also guided through the practical aspects of seeking a job, i.e. help with

self-presentation and assertive communication techniques. Programme was
divided into 4 phases: information collection from prospective participants
(needs analysis); preparation of the agenda; two workshop meetings; and fi nal
evaluation and feedback session.
The purpose of the programme was to equip women with self-confi dence,
so they will be able to cope with the transition back to the labour market and
land a job that would live up to their expectations. Results of the initial survey
among prospective participants were essential for preparing a workshop
agenda, fi nancial and time burden for the participants were also took into
consideration. Both workshops lasted for three and a half hours each and
were focused on improvement of career management skills for smooth
transition into the labour market. Interactive and practice-based methods of
training were employed during the workshops to empower mothers and lead
them to a positive self-image and self-esteem building. Improvement of the

communication skills and motivation booster for further development were
also included in the programme. Feedback collection and evaluation of the
success rate were carried out after each workshop.

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