Employability programme at Vineyard

Re:Create has been developed to support women who have been long-term unemployed or find it hard to get into work due to mental health issues or low confidence.

Participants in the programme take part in a social enterprise, upcycling donated fabric and yarn into sustainable, re-usable products, such as food storage bags and spa sets. In addition to learning practical and employability skills, women can take advantage of personal development workshops and job application training.

Re:Create is based at Vineyard Compassion in Coleraine and runs on Tuesdays from 9:30am to 3:30pm.

This project enables women to develop the kind of skills and abilities valued by local employers within a supportive environment. Being part of designing and developing sustainable products also enables participants to use their creative side to help protect our natural environment. All proceeds from this social enterprise are reinvested into Vineyard Compassion projects supporting the local community, so attending the Re:Create programme also gives women the opportunity to help others.

A local woman attending the programme said: “I think the project is a brilliant idea. It not only helps the environment, it also helps the people in the project to know that they are making a difference, not only for our community but also the wider world.”