Birthday for outlook course

Press, 13 June 1984, Page 15

Birthday for outlook course

The "new outlook for women” course at the Christchurch Polytechnic will mark its twelfth birthday this month with a celebration of the way in which the course has enriched the lives of its participants. After a birthday party on Friday, June 22, there will be all-day workshops on June 23. All former participants in the course have oeen invited. “Many have found the self-confidence to develop skills which have led to

their involvement with community groups, with volunteer or paid work, and to an improvement in their family relationships," said Mrs Marjorie Manthei, a former tutor who is now head of the general studies department, which runs the courses. The course was started in 1972 as a pre-employment course for women, as a result of suggestions made by the National Organisation for Women. It now puts more emphasis on the com-

rnunity, further education, volunteer work, and social issues.

About 950 women have taken the course since 1972. Most have been in their thirties, but about one quarter have been over 50. Most were married, but one quarter were widowed, separated. or divorced.

"An interesting feature of the new-outlook women is that about half of them have had three years or less secondary education." said Mrs Manthei.

"But once they started using their brains' it seems as though it was hard for many of them to stop. Sixtvfour per cent went on to do some type of further education. including liberal studies and other university courses."

A survey of a sample group of new-outlook participants has been completed, and the results will be discussed at the birthdayseminar on Saturday, June 23.

The main purpose of the

survey was to find out what has happened to the women since we said goodbye to them at the end of the course. We wanted to get a picture of their lives, past and present, and to find out how they think the course affected them." Mrs Manthei said.

"We were surprised at the degree of health problems experienced by many of the participants. About 30 per cent had problems that seemed very severe. We felt this could be interpreted in several ways — one is the state of a medical profession that does not take women’s health problems seriously. "On the other hand, this could be the normal level of health problems for the age group. Yet again, it could be surmised that these were women who were not taking proper care of their health for various reasons." Mrs Manthei said.

"A main thread running through the lives of all the women interviewed was the stop-start pattern of women's lives. They start something like a training programme or a job, then stop because their husband's job demands a shift, or they nave a baby. Years later, they start again, then stop, then start."

Mrs Manthei said that she was amazed by the "stickability" of some of the respondents, in that despite many obstacles they were still working towards their goals years later.

The new-outlook seminar will be preceded by a birthday party at which former course leaders, including Rhonda Pritchard, from Wellington, and many visiting speakers will be present There will be a short programme of entertainment, including music from a women's group.

Registration forms are available from all public libraries and the Polytechnic Information Centre. To help with catering, registrations should be made by Wednesday, June 20.