Last September NAWO was invited to attend the University of Exeter and World Associations of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts symposium focusing on how organisations can support young women in leadership.
Lucy Cole, of the NAWO Young Women’s Alliance (YWA), was among the young women who presented. Read more about the presentations and discussion – Gender Symposium

It was a very inspiring day and a strong commitment to keep the conversation alive emerged. The good news is Exeter University has been successful in securing Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) funds for a Social Policy Network project to:

• Build and foster relationships and partnerships and create a community of practice;
• Map current activities relating to understanding and addressing gender inequality;
• Share research and good practice;
• Build capacity to tackle gender inequality;
• Create a dialogue for change

This is an exciting opportunity for NAWO and the YWA to be part of this Social Policy Network. Miranda Saul, a member of the YWA, is working with me on this initiative. So far we have spent a day with the network scoping out the project brief and how we will work together and identify potential partners. Within two days of the meeting we had GLIP set up as our communicating platform. We are not hanging around –the funding has to be spent by 31 May this year. There will be another four meetings of the network including an open meeting to showcase our work. Membership of the network includes WAGGGS, Soroptimist International, UK Youth, Plan International, Duke of Edinburgh Awards, The Girls Network, Exeter University. We will provide regular updates as the work progresses. If you feel you have information or ideas you would like to share with us please get in touch with Miranda mirandasaul@mac.com