NEWS CHANNEL
Published: 18/04/2007 00:00 -
Updated: 06/01/2009 00:53
The shadow Secretary of State for Education was in town on Monday visiting city organisation MK Women and Work.
Staff told Conservative David Willetts MP about their struggle to get funding when he attended a meeting at Acorn House in central Milton Keynes.
MK Women and Work offers information, advice, guidance, training and support to women wanting to return to paid work or update their skills.
Avril Francome, who heads the organisation, said that her staff spend too much of their time arranging funding applications so that they can keep going.
She said: "We are getting people into employment. We shouldn't have to keep saying it again and again.
"We have waiting lists. The last time I looked there were 220 people on the interpersonal skills course waiting list." Mr Willetts was accompanied by Iain Stewart, the Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Milton Keynes South West.
Mr Willetts said: "This is a great project. It seems silly that you can't just say you need funding to carry on your existing project because it works.
"The question for us is what should we do to in terms of public policy to make life better for you." A chorus of women replied: "Give us more money." Computer and interpersonal skills courses are on offer, as well as parent and child courses.
Mr Willetts was introduced to several women who praised the service.
The group also offers chargeable IT courses to increase its revenue.
Women and Work was set up in 1978 to help women who came here with their partners when MK was being built.
Mrs Francome said: "The client group has changed. We've seen a big increase in the number of black and minority ethnic clients and we have a lot of lone parents, people who have no qualifications and people with lots of qualifications who don't have the confidence to get a job."
The services of the independant voluntary sector organisation are free. For more information go to
MK Women and Work offers information, advice, guidance, training and support to women wanting to return to paid work or update their skills.
Avril Francome, who heads the organisation, said that her staff spend too much of their time arranging funding applications so that they can keep going.
She said: "We are getting people into employment. We shouldn't have to keep saying it again and again.
"We have waiting lists. The last time I looked there were 220 people on the interpersonal skills course waiting list." Mr Willetts was accompanied by Iain Stewart, the Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Milton Keynes South West.
Mr Willetts said: "This is a great project. It seems silly that you can't just say you need funding to carry on your existing project because it works.
"The question for us is what should we do to in terms of public policy to make life better for you." A chorus of women replied: "Give us more money." Computer and interpersonal skills courses are on offer, as well as parent and child courses.
Mr Willetts was introduced to several women who praised the service.
The group also offers chargeable IT courses to increase its revenue.
Women and Work was set up in 1978 to help women who came here with their partners when MK was being built.
Mrs Francome said: "The client group has changed. We've seen a big increase in the number of black and minority ethnic clients and we have a lot of lone parents, people who have no qualifications and people with lots of qualifications who don't have the confidence to get a job."
The services of the independant voluntary sector organisation are free. For more information go to
