One of the very best things about any week is getting an email saying ‘she got the job‘.
As a volunteer coach at Smart Works Scotland, helping to empower unemployed women back into the work place with coaching, confidence and clothes, this email says it all. We are helping women back into the economy where, if women started and scaled businesses at the same rate as men, we would add £250 billion each year. [Rose Review].
In short, Smart Works helps women to find the missing spring in their step: transforming outlooks and changing lives.
Incredibly, of the 1,000 or so women we coached between our Edinburgh and Glasgow centres last year, nearly 70% of those attending for interview coaching and dressing had a job within a month. And nationally, across our 11 centres, the statistic isn’t so very different, just under 65%.
With fire in my belly to increase the number of women whom we can help every year, I’m thrilled to be temporarily, but officially, joining the Scotland team for a couple of months as Corporate and Community Engagement Advisor.
March marks the end of a three year plan which had, as its national objective, the aim of doubling our National Impact – increasing the number of women empowered from 5,000 women to 10,000 annually. And this we have now achieved across our 11 centres, with nearly 800 volunteers.
The Scotland team is extraordinary. Compassionate, dedicated, empathetic, expert, experienced and kind. It is privilege to work alongside them as a volunteer and wonderful to be in their midst, working to deliver the same goals around our International Women’s Day campaigns.
Join the Step Up for Smart Works Challenge, taking 10,000 steps in March in solidarity with the 10,000 women we will have empowered in the last year … or join our event to celebrate International Women’s Day with a panel debating this year’s theme of Accelerating Action for gender equality.
