[Ottawa, March 8, 2025] – International Women’s Day is a time to celebrate women’s achievements while examining the systemic barriers that continue to limit their access to and success in training and employment, especially for those facing multiple forms of marginalization.
To understand and address these structural inequities, the Social Research and Demonstration Corporation (SRDC) recently led the evaluation of the Women First: Building Skills for Success (Women First) project, designed to support multiply-marginalized women and advance gender equity in employment and training contexts.
Involving over 150 participants and six service provider partners across Canada, this innovative project focused on programming for multiply-marginalized women – particularly those who are low-income, disabled, racialized, Indigenous, newcomers, or 2SLGBTQ+. These women often face multiple barriers in employment, training, and other contexts, including discrimination (e.g., racism, ableism), poverty, health challenges, caregiving responsibilities, and inadequate childcare, among others.
With service providers, Women First enhanced programming through a customized Skills for Success curriculum and comprehensive wraparound supports, demonstrating how programming can be adapted to centre women’s lived experiences and needs.
The evaluation of Women First examined five key areas: program and participant contexts, employment and skills outcomes, relationships and community belonging, wraparound supports, and strategic recommendations for lasting change. These findings provide valuable insights to service providers, employers, policymakers, researchers, and community members committed to advancing inclusion, equity, justice, and joy for women in their employment journeys.
“The Women First project broke down barriers to training and employment for women facing intersecting barriers by enhancing skills programs, expanding support systems, and cultivating environments where women could build meaningful connections with each other and their communities,” said Chloe Halpenny, Research Associate, SRDC.
Women First: Building Skills for Success was led by PTP Adult Learning and Employment Programs (PTP) and funded by Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) through the Women’s Employment Readiness pilot program.
Visit the Women First: Building Skills for Success project page to read the full evaluation report and briefs.
For media inquiries, contact:
Dianna Chepita, Corporate Communications Specialist, SRDC
About the Social Research and Demonstration Corporation
The Social Research and Demonstration Corporation (SRDC) is a non-profit research organization created specifically to develop, field test, and rigorously evaluate new programs. Our two-part mission is to help policymakers and practitioners identify policies and programs that improve the well-being of all Canadians, with a special concern for the effects on the disadvantaged, and to raise the standards of evidence that are used in assessing these policies.
Since our establishment in December 1991, our SRDC team has conducted over 450 projects and studies for various federal and provincial departments, municipalities, as well as other public and non-profit organizations. We have offices located in Ottawa and Vancouver and satellite offices in Calgary, Hamilton, Montreal, Regina, St. John’s, Toronto, and Winnipeg.
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