Education trust boost for rural women

Press, 4 March 1988, Page 22

Education trust boost for rural women

Rural women seeking to improve their role [and contribution within the rural community have received a boost with the establishment of a Rural Women’s Education Trust. The trust was launched at Lincoln College before a gathering of rural women, community group representatives, local members of Parliament and college staff, by L'ocal Government Commission member, Mrs Heather Little, of Hawarden, [j ; The trust’s origins go back to a series of Lincoln College courses called Rural Women Stepping Out, and its primary objective is to further; promote the education of rural women. [ “We wanted to 'extend to all rural women the educational opportunities we had enjoyed," said Trust Board member, Rosie Armstrong, bf Cheviot. The trust exists to acknowledge the contribution rural women make to the New Zealand economy and to support New Zealand rural life through educational opportunities for them. ' j

In her address, Mrs Little traced the history of the rural women’s movement in New Zealand over the past 15 years. “As women we wanted: to be a recognised part of a sector of society,” she said. “In the past we had been not so much ‘rural women’ as simply 'farmers wives.’ This, of course, excluded all those] other women living in rural areas such as shopkeepers, school teachers, nurses etc.” Mrs Little said that in the past 12 years rural women had done much to highlight critical problems in their communities. They had drawn attention to issues of loneliness and isolation, stress and health. They had publicised < both the traumas and celebrations of a changing rural community-

Mrs Little spoke of a “great force of energy” as rural women came together and made their presence felt. “Among the ranks of rural women we now have scholars, entrepreneurs, and elected representatives in local

and central government." She said that the job now was to ensure that ! rural women of the future had access to the sort of ! educational opportunities she and her colleagues [had experienced — hence the establishment of the trust. The link between rural education! and rural development had been recognised |in the United States and now New Zealand too 'had to identify the relationship between education; entrepreneurial skills and rural development, she said;

The trust, a national body for; the benefit of rural women throughout New Zealand, has 13 board members including two members of Parliament, Jenny Shipley, of Ashburton, and Margaret Austin, of Christchurch. It is hoped that corporate agriculture-related businesses will support the funding of the trust. Other funding sources include general funding agencies, established Government funding operations, and membership subscriptions.