Creating fun and educational special events has always been popular at the WISH Learning Centre and more and more women now take part in both the planning and actual participation. During the research project, we planned parties, Learner Events including movie trips, excursions, and visits to museums and the art gallery. Women became terrific at budgeting and finding low-cost or free ways to complete a trip. At one point in the development of a Learners Talking to Learners Event, we had to tell women that if we did not spend the $600 we would have to give it back! Women became so good at assessing the best deal for refreshments at movies that they took this out of the instructor's hands completely. Because it had been done "inefficiently" women gently but firmly told the instructor that, "You're not going to do this part anymore."

Planning trips and events has become an opportunity for women to take charge and show their leadership. They also help women to see and participate in a group process. When we described the list of skills in the Learners Fund report, they included:

• brainstorming ideas
• research over the phone, on the computer and in person
• assessing choices
• developing a budget
• deciding participation
• publicizing the movie trips
• planning transportation
• speaking on behalf of the group to gain discounts for refreshments
• looking out for each other during the trip
• walking each other to the bus
• taking pictures