Southside Partnership’s RePower programme is designed to support women into education and/or employment. Providing a range of modules and supports, it allows for personal and skills development and educational opportunities.
RePower Programme: Priscilla’s Story
Priscilla came to Dublin from Brazil in 2017 when her husband relocated here for his work. She had a strong Human Resources career in Brazil but had it in her mind that she would not be up to the standard being sought in Ireland. Her husband’s Stamp 3/Critical Skills visa technically allowed her to seek employment but the process was cumbersome. In the meantime, Priscilla realised she had the chance to work on her English and re-consider her career path.
Priscilla found the RePower programme while she was looking for a way to learn English in a context that would also allow her the chance to build relationships with other women in her age group. In the autumn of 2018 she enrolled in both the RePower QQI Level 4 ESOL course and the Personal Development course. “Having a supportive group was important – every day I left the course, I left a stronger person. The Personal Development course helped me to be stronger and recognise the fears are just my brain sabotaging myself.”
With her confidence growing in herself and in her English ability, Priscilla took the RePower Job Seeking Skills workshop in February 2019 and when the Stamp 3/Critical Skills Visa restrictions changed in March 2019, Priscilla was ready to hit the jobs market with new vigour and strategies.
“The ESOL, the Personal Development, the Job Seeking Skills – all of these courses gave me support and encouraged me to believe in myself. I got so much information from all of these – not just feelings of confidence or self-esteem but also information. Finding a job in Ireland is completely different than finding a job in Brazil so the information I got on how to find a job here was so helpful.”