Women are doing it for themselves by learning new DIY skills

The cost of living crisis is affecting thousands in the UK, the price of everyday items seems to increase week on week, it’s not only food or energy prices that are on the increase, needing something fixed, replaced or repaired now carries an extra cost as businesses try to cover their own rise in running costs.

Women are much more likely to cut back on luxuries and reduce essential spending, where possible and are also disproportionately affected by the cost-of-living crisis because they tend to earn less than men on average.

Women are also more likely to manage daily household costs, such as groceries and children’s items, which can add further strain to their budget.

Over 2 million women in the UK are paid less than the Real Living Wage, compared with 1.4 million men, according to new research from The Living Wage Foundation.

A recent Life on Low Pay poll found: 50 percent of low-paid women said their levels of pay negatively affected their levels of anxiety.

In an attempt to give female tenants more control of household budgets, Salix Homes collaborated with The Guinness Partnership to run a free DIY and home maintenance training course for women, at City Skills in Salford.

The course was offered to 15 Women, 11 of which are Salix Homes tenants, who are unemployed or on a low income and want to learn some basic DIY and home maintenance skills, such as decorating, tiling and how to carry out simple plumbing work.

These simple techniques and skills are designed so any running repairs in and around the house do not have to go unfixed as a way to save on cost. With a little knowledge and plenty of enthusiasm, the attendees of the course were able to get involved and learn some new skills and save money.

The practical training was delivered by Frameworks Social Enterprise CIC and supported by Wates, Keepmoat Homes, Jewson Partnership Solutions and Smart Works Greater Manchester – all were involved in coordinating and planning the programme and helped with funding the course.

As well as training, participants were also given advice on how to reduce their energy costs such as using reflective insulation behind radiators and eco-friendly shower heads as well as support and guidance to help them get into work, including taking part in mock interviews.

All attendees received a selection of power tools and a goodie bag as an end-of-course gift, funded by the training partners and donated by Jewson Partnership Solutions.

City Skills, part of Salford College, provided the venue for the week.

Stacey, a Salix Homes tenant who attended the training course, said: “I joined the course after leaving a career I have worked in for 15 years and looking to start a new career.

“The DIY course offers this opportunity and has been very helpful in learning about apprenticeships in the construction industry, as well as basic DIY skills I can use at home, it will hopefully encourage women to step up and have a go.

“The staff on the course have been very helpful and knowledgeable, and I am glad I attended.”

El, another Salix tenant suffered a brain injury and wanted to see if she could get some of her skills up to speed, she said:

“I had a little accident a few years back which resulted in a traumatic brain injury, I used to be able to do some DIY and it’s nice to know the skills I used to have, I can still do although it takes me a bit longer now, the course has given me the confidence to know I can do this stuff at home.  My life changed after the accident, and now it’s about adapting what I can do, and if you don’t try, you’ll never be able to do it?”

Jackie Crook, Skills and Work Manager for Salix Homes said: “Just to see so many partners come together for a common goal is great, having different partners bring different skills and things like tools or teaching skills it just works, and it’s amazing to see how engaged all the participants are.”

The course was deemed such a success that plans are already in place for further classes in the future. Salix Homes believe opportunities like this are vital to introduce new skills, build confidence and help underrepresented groups access much-needed training and potential jobs in the construction industry.