To ask the Minister for Communities how many women will not be able to complete the courses and be provided with support once the Women Involved in Community Transformation programme funding ceases at the end of September 2021.

I granted the delivery partners of the Women Involved in Community Transformation programme a six month contract extension to 30 September 2021 in order to enable existing women on the programme to complete their training. In addition, this extension was also to enable a truncated programme to be delivered to women who were on a waiting list.

The delivery partners have advised that training of all participants will be completed by this date.

I can also confirm that an ‘open call’ process for the new Developing Women in the Community programme was launched on 14 September.