- Casa Taller, a permanent community space run by the Gender Directorate: Women and Diversities, is already holding 13 new workshops to strengthen the skills and personal development of Buenos Aires women.
A new and successful learning cycle is being taught by Casa Taller, an open and community space for the training of women in the commune of Valparaíso that each semester offers a variety of free workshops led by the Department of Gender and Women, belonging to to the Gender Directorate: Women and Diversities of the Municipality of Valparaíso.
On this occasion, 288 women are participating in the 13 simultaneous workshops that range from artistic training to learning and rescuing new skills and trades. Through these meetings, we seek to promote the exchange of knowledge and knowledge, where the life experiences of each woman are a central element, in addition to offering an open space to the community in which all artistic, educational and cultural expressions are welcome. .
«This year, we commit to continue strengthening the economic autonomy of the women of our city and also their physical and mental well-being, providing them with the necessary tools to encourage their participation and encounter with other women, in order to build an institutional space where equality of opportunities is a reality for all Buenos Aires women,” said Tania Madriaga, in charge of the Gender: Women and Diversities Directorate of the Municipality.
By carrying out these workshops, we seek to establish closeness with the women of the commune, in addition to ensuring them a solid support network. “In this new cycle of workshops, we continue the work carried out steadily for years by the women of the commune. Our objective is to provide a solid network of support and accompaniment, which covers all dimensions of women’s lives, guaranteeing the full exercise of their rights,” commented Amber Cofré, head of the Department of Gender and Women.
High call
More than 500 women applied to be part of the new cycle of workshops. This year, we decided to provide knowledge that is in accordance with the current needs of women leaders in their territories, who have initiatives and need tools for their development. Therefore, this semester’s offering was focused on the areas of community work techniques, digital literacy, personal care, initial carpentry, basic bicycle mechanics and singing, in addition to the classic knitting and sewing, adding on this occasion acrobatic choreographies , guitar, theater.
In this context, Verónica Becerra, a participant in the sewing workshop, highlights the opportunity to acquire new knowledge at no cost: “There are many women who want to learn and we do not have the options or the options and this is a great option to learn, The teacher is a seven and has unique patience and I love it. I come happy and wait for Mondays to come. The people here also: we all integrate very well and there is no competitiveness. We all come to learn and we help each other. That seems fantastic to me.”Likewise, Brunella Cambisi, teacher of the sewing workshop, points out that the event is designed so that the participants can undertake, as well as entertain themselves. “For these workshops, I have chosen products that they can make to sell, either for themselves, or if they don’t want to have a business, to entertain themselves. Because sewing is passion, it is art, it is a lot of things, it is therapy. And the main thing is that I have thought about the things we do in this workshop for their economic independence.”
Meanwhile, Carla Oliva, participant in the cueca workshop, highlights the opportunity to access this type of activities in a place with the necessary resources to carry them out. This is because “first of all, the spaces and opportunities are not always available, and generally in sports clubs for older people there are few and in football or basketball one cannot participate. However, these spaces are free and in special spaces. The infrastructure is there and it is the best.”
Participation in previous cycles
In the last cycle of workshops, held in the second half of 2023, more than 180 women participated simultaneously in the workshops. At the end, the women received a certificate for their attendance, as well as recognition to the 12 workshop leaders who led each space.
For her part, Luna Mix, who was in charge of the first version of the Basic Bicycle Mechanics workshop, highlighted the importance of bringing women closer to various trades. “It seems to me to be a more than beautiful, necessary instance. I think that we are very familiar with the trades, that there are not many opportunities or places to learn them. To learn mechanics myself, I went to Argentina to study, because here there was nowhere to learn it. So, I think the doors that are opening are super necessary and that they are also free of charge. I think it’s beautiful and necessary that this approach be given, particularly with bicycle mechanics. For me it is super important that it reaches these places from the Municipality, and that it begins to be on the agenda and that it begins to be empowered.”
The workshops are held in the recently inaugurated Utopian Building, a heritage building located between Huito Street and the Brasil axis, which has an infrastructure and design specially designed for the care of the community and its strengthening, through the incorporation of areas set for the realization of workshops, activities and meetings that promote inclusion, respect and dignity of people. During 2024 it will be presenting a diverse range of programs, workshops and instances to strengthen the capacities and development of women and diversities in the commune.
