REC Project
This project is a REC (Rights, Equality, and Citizenship) programme that sought to increase the knowledge regarding gender based violence (GBV) in Malta and in particular how this is experienced and effects the workplace.
Reference: REC-RDAP-GBV-AG-2017. Project duration: 2018 – 2021
The co-ordinator for this project was SOS Malta. This project involved a number of organisations from the public, private and third sectors in carrying out preliminary research on the extent of gender based violence at the place of work. This data was integrated into a Level 5 2 ECTS online programme developed, produced and implemented by Advenio eAcademy which included two intakes over the period 2020-2021.
The consortium behind the project is composed of five project partners:
1. Solidarity Overseas Service Malta (SOS Malta) – Project Co-ordinator
2. Victim Support Malta Foundation
3. Commission on Domestic Violence
4. Core Platform Corporate Citizenship for Responsible Enterprise Association
5. Advenio eAcademy (AEA Ltd)
Project Objectives:
To increase the knowledge regarding GBV in Malta, specifically through a national research on the situation of GBV in Malta and in particular how this is experienced and effects the workplace.
To enhance cross sectoral collaboration in developing responses to GBV in Malta, through the set up of a steering committee and through dissemination of research findings.
To provide a comprehensive online, confidential and anonymous support system for victims of GBV which empowers victims to speak out/report their situation.
To increase the capacity of managers/HR managers to tackle GBV in the workplace through the development and implementation of a comprehensive online training programme.
To increase awareness and understanding of GBV and how to tackle it among the general public and particularly in the workplace.
Project Direct Beneficiaries:
Victims of GBV were the key target of this project and indeed the call itself. This group was chosen as there is was need to empower victims to take action and support them in doing so. This group directly and indirectly benefitted from the project activities. They benefitted directly through access to support online and indirectly through better structures implemented within their workplace and through a better awareness at the level of society of GBV. Persons over the age of 18 were targeted. Three intakes were run for the online learning programme and there were a total of 112 regsitrations across all intakes.
HR Managers/ Line Managers: As we have highlighted above it is in the interest of companies/ departments/ places of work to look after the wellbeing of their staff. Those responsible for this, such as HR managers or in smaller companies line managers or the employers themselves need to be able to support employees facing issues related to GBV. In Malta due to the prevalence of SMEs, managers are often taking on a dual role and are ill equipped to deal with psychological wellbeing of their staff. For this reason we have chosen both specific HR staff and other managers. Their participation in the online training course being developed was key to ensuring they build their capacity in that area. This project has targetted both private sector and public sector departments, as government is one of the main employers in Malta.
Providers of support services to victims: As part of the project we wished to enhance the support being provided to victims at all levels and this meant that persons providing support services to victims of GBV, in particular those providing online support through the project, were trained and able to provide specialised and tailored support including online to victims of GBV.
