[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"doc-detail-593570-en":3,"doc-seo-593570-105":31,"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":99},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"success",{"doc_id":7,"user_id":8,"nickname":9,"user_avatar":10,"doc_module":4,"category_id":11,"category_name":12,"doc_title":13,"doc_description":14,"doc_content":15,"file_id":16,"file_url":17,"file_type":18,"file_size":19,"view_count":20,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":21,"is_downloadable":21,"audit_status":21,"page_count":22,"language":23,"language_code":24,"site_id":25,"html_lang":24,"table_of_contents":26,"faqs":27,"seo_title":28,"seo_description":14,"update_tm":29,"read_time":30,"preview_page_count":4},593570,2336478487870,"Jasmine","https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_085a072bc5b1113ac321206ff7593b45",8,"Research & Report","How a Personal Development Program Enhances Social Connection and Mobilises Women in the Community","Gender equity and women’s empowerment remain major international priorities. This article analyses lessons from a personal development program delivered to thousands of women by Australian and international community service providers, using a rigorous three-phase mixed-method evaluation. Data include pre- and post-tests for a 161-person sample, structured phone interviews with 53 participants, and third-party observations from six organisations. Findings show increased self-esteem, emotional intelligence, purpose, and mobilisation, strengthening vocational outcomes and social connection and informing policy and practice.","Australian Journal of Adult Learning Volume 54, Number 2, July 2014  \nHow a personal development program enhances social connection and mobilises women in the community  \nNandila Spry  \nHillsong CityCare, and Southern Cross University  \nTeresa Marchant Griffith University  \nGender equity and the empowerment ofwomen is a significant international issue. Successful adult education programs are vital to enhance women’s situation. Lessons learned from a personal development program provided for thousands of women are analysed. The program is conducted by community service providers in Australia and internationally, with an Australian evaluation reported here. The three phase evaluation included 500 participants, with pre-and post-tests for a sample of 161, structured phone interviews with 53 and third-party observations from six organisations. The value includes multiple measurements over time, in a thorough evaluation with mixed methods, along with policy and practice implications. Key adult learning issues canvassed include the role of empowerment, adult education and transformative learning. Key findings included that women’s self-esteem, emotional intelligence, purpose and mobilisation increased, with the latter evident in vocational outcomes and social connection. Some women expressed interest in facilitating the program  \nHow a personal development program enhances social connection and mobilises women in the community 33  \nfor other groups. As one facilitator observed ‘the program really empowers women to tap into their own gifts and talents’. Lessons learned encompassed improvements to the program including sustainable social networks, since for these women purpose in life and mobilisation were intertwined with social connection and helping other women.  \nKeywords: community, empowerment, evaluation, personal development, self-esteem, women.  \nIntroduction  \nGender equity and empowering women are significant international issues. The personal development program analysed here in Australia has international impact and contributes to these issues. The following is organised to touch on women’s empowerment, adult education and program topics of worth, strength and purpose with expected outcomesin mobilisation. The comprehensive mixed method, multi-phase evaluation is explained next. Adult learning’s impact on mobilising women is explored, followed by implications for policy and practice and limitations and future research.  \nWomen’s personal development in an international context  \nPersonal development involves a dynamic process where individuals seek purpose (Wuff, 1996). An underpinning philosophy is the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights: every individual has ‘the right to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms’(UN, 1948:24). In many parts of the world women are vulnerable (UN, 2004). The UN (2005) Millennium Development Project Goal 3 offers some solutions by promoting empowerment. Employment and business start-up programs empower women and alleviate poverty in developing nations (Kabeer, 2005). In contrast, Australia is relatively wealthy and egalitarian (Banks, 2007), taking in a number of immigrants to form a multicultural society. However, Indigenous Australians are disadvantaged as are various ethnic minorities. Despite Australia’s extensive national welfare, poverty, domestic violence and homelessness  \n34 Nandila Spry & Teresa Marchant  \nstill exist. Australia has vulnerable groups of women, represented in this research. Other more socially advantaged women are also represented but this advantage does not necessarily preclude them from suffering psychosocial issues or benefitting from personal development. Further, even in high income countries such as Australia women suffer gender inequality (Gerecke, 2013) .  \nContested notions of empowerment  \nEmpowerment is a process of helping individuals to identify as active agents on","cbCaiugRIRA9EJ3h","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaiugRIRA9EJ3h","pdf",373528,7,1,22,"English","en",105,"# Introduction\n## Women’s personal development in an international context\n## Contested notions of empowerment","[{\"question\":\"What is the main purpose of the personal development program analysed in the article?\",\"answer\":\"The program is designed to support women’s personal development in ways that enhance empowerment, mobilisation, and social connection within the community.\"},{\"question\":\"How was the evaluation of the program conducted?\",\"answer\":\"The evaluation used a three-phase mixed-method design, including pre- and post-tests for 161 participants, structured phone interviews with 53 participants, and third-party observations from six organisations.\"},{\"question\":\"What key outcomes did the program produce for participating women?\",\"answer\":\"Women’s self-esteem, emotional intelligence, purpose, and mobilisation increased, with mobilisation evident in vocational outcomes and strengthened social connection.\"}]","How a Personal Development Program Enhances Social Connection and Mobilises Women in the Community | 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