Argos Craigavon

We are a women's centre that provides education, health and well being programmes, skills based projects, creche support, a 3-4 yr old programme and counselling service. Education and Training We provide vocational and non-vocational education for local women. Subjects such as ICT, Essential Skills, Payroll, Book Keeping, personal/professional development and health programmes will form the core of our provision. By providing a range of professional and personal development courses a significant number of women will progress into paid employment and voluntary work. To enhance this provision we will provide education guidance and careers advice to centre users. We will also provide access to employment, business skills and money management training. Health and Wellbeing We provide a range of health education courses for women. We also provide access to counselling support for those who require it [1600 sessions per year]. Our focus on raising awareness of environmental issues will continue to be integrated into all aspects of our programmes. The horticulture project will continue to enable us to grow fruit and vegetables for use in the centre while providing accredited and non-accredited horticulture training for community members. Childcare Provision Crèche We provide a crèche on 5 mornings each week to enable adults to access education and training in the centre. The crèche programme however is also designed to support up to 50 children 0-3 to develop the skills, language and knowledge necessary to enjoy life within the family and community while preparing for entry into formal education at nursery and primary levels. To ensure that the quality of our childcare work continues to achieve the highest standards, we will ensure that our staff are fully qualified and continue to engage in professional training. After-Schools Programme We provide an After-Schools programme for 24 children aged 3-4 years 4 afternoons per week. Our programmes will be designed to facilitate children to develop the necessary confidence, self-esteem and aspirations to succeed in formal education and to function well within the family and community.