The Women’s Enterprise Project (WEAVE2) aims to teach women how to make & sell fashionable hand-made products. It is a mixture of craft & business skills involving product research, evaluating market trends & colours for the year ahead, budgeting, pricing & business planning. Women are instructed by a team of Business & Craft professionals.

The aim is to test the viability of the business idea & give women an opportunity to tackle/taste entrepreneurship in a safe environment.

The programme is an opportunity to mix business with crafts & gain 3 qualifications. The year long programme enables women to obtain OCN ll in Running a Small Business (in association with North City Business Centre), NCFE level 1 in Creative Crafts (in association with WEA) and OCN ll in Perspectives in Conflict (in association with Gaslight Productions).

WEAVE2 will run on a Friday morning between 10am -1pm, with family friendly holidays. There is also an option to participate in craft fairs & gain expert advice from buyers.

This project is part-financed by the European Union through the European Union Programme for Peace & Reconciliation (Peace II) under the direction of the Training for Women Network (TWN)

Prior to WEAVE2 was the Womens Enterprise & Vocational Education (WEAVE). This Award Winning Project ran from September 2002 until March 2006. This project was also supported by EU Programme for Peace & Reconciliation through the Training for Women Network. WEAVE focused on face-to-face pre-enterprise support for Women from North Belfast and aimed to improve access to entrepreneurship & employment. Support has been given to over 60 women through the programme.

WEAVE was successful as the method of training was proven to be a successful model because it makes business relevant to womens lives in the area. It acted as an enabler in progressing women on to Start a Business Training at the Local Enterprise agency.

WEAVE was awarded the Developing Entrepreneurs of the Future Award sponsored by Invest NI and TWN’s Special Achievement Award at the Training for Women Network’s Celebration of Excellence Awards. These awards highlight best practice in women’s training and development and celebrated the successes of local organisations recognising the benefits that well trained and educated women bring to the local economy and society.

   

Products made by students include:
Linen Christening Gowns, Hand-painted Stones, Mix Medium Canvas,
Children’s Patchwork Bed linen, Wall Hangings, Vintage retro Clothing,
Make-up Bags, Press Flower Pictures, Doll clothes, Children’s Clothing,
Recycled Hand bags.