www.virwc.org.au

The VIRWC Social Enterprise project focuses on enabling multicultural women to be economically independent by providing a space for them to utilize their skills, earn to augment their income, and pass these skills to others.  These will include home industry skills such as traditional basket weaving, jewellery making, wall hangings, embroidery, pottery, wood carvings, temporary body henna tattooing, hair braiding, and culinary arts to name a few. Project independence will potentially create a demand for cultural crafts and products in a population with innovative and individual tastes, which the CBD area is known for.

Project Independence is also aimed at educating women with sustainable enterprise skills in order to build their capacity for the future.  Project outcomes will be:

• Channeling a creative outlet into an income-generating tool of enormous potential
• Supporting migrant and refugee women off welfare and into work
• Learning business skills and other relevant skills that enable women to succeed in enterprise
• Increasing intercultural understanding and appreciation of the various cultures by the wider Australian community, hence facilitating cultural harmony
• Opportunity to influence other migrant and refugee women in similar situations to get involved and/or start own ventures
• More confident women who will seek out leadership roles at representative levels in their respective localities to improve their lives and their communities
• Contributing to Melbourne’s image as a multicultural centre for commerce, knowledge and arts.