Midlife360 CIC

After reading her viral LinkedIn post "I hate to be the one telling you this," I had an inkling I would share many similar opinions with Natasha Cleeve, Executive Headhunter. I was right. Spending an incredible hour with her discussing the 'real' world of recruitment and job hunting in 2024 was enlightening—she truly is a force of nature and I have no doubt, one of the most talented in the industry. Her eloquent and outspoken LinkedIn posts often articulate what many of us think but struggle to express or are too afraid to say. It’s not uncommon for her viral posts to generate over 200 meeting requests. She has generously compiled just some of her insights into a valuable document, which I have shared in a comment below. It’s a fantastic read for anyone looking to change jobs in this modern age where traditional recruitment practices no longer suffice. I highly recommend checking it out, (and also following her on Linkedin to find her other informative and engaging posts). Below is just a taster. And of course, if you are a midlife woman considering your options for returnship or advancement within your current role. Please do connect with us hello@midlife360.co.uk. And see our earlier post for an important workshop coming up tomorrow (Thursday 25th July), I think there may be one space left if you are quick, I will pop the booking list in the comments also. "In modern times, there are now four ‘routes to market’ available to you and you can use all or some to facilitate the positive outcome you need.  Understanding what lies behind each of these routes gives you power – forearmed is forewarned, so regardless of the scale of the challenge ahead, you can move forward knowing you are doing everything right. It is a numbers game and the more effort you make and times you try, you are stacking the odds in your favour." #recruitment #howtogetajob #numbersgame #jobseeking #jobsearch #recruitmenttips #jobhunt #midlifewomen #careeradvancement #returnships #jobmarket #transferableskills #workshop

Midlife360 CIC looks forward to the final implementation of the Public Procurement Act 2023 this October. But what exactly is it, and why are we, as a Social Enterprise, particularly enthusiastic about it? In a nutshell, our excitement stems from the Act's potential to open public procurement to new participants like small businesses (ie us) and Social Enterprises (ie us), allowing us to compete fairly with larger organisations. Current procurement prioritises the best value for money, requiring contracts to be awarded to the Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT). The new Act shifts the focus to the Most Advantageous Tender (MAT), allowing contracting authorities to place more emphasis on award criteria such as social value (ie us). While there is much more to the Act, the essential point is that it provides us with a more level playing field, so long as we can deliver both social and economic value, which we fully intend to do. For more details, you can visit The Procurement Act 2023: A short guide for senior leaders - GOV.UK https://bit.ly/3Y3SPvr

A lot to unpack with the 40 new bills proposed yesterday, but a clear message - this Government aims to unlock growth and accelerate progress in Britain, with Starmer promising hope and advancement for workers who will be rewarded for their talents and hard work. For those of us advocating for left behind groups to find inclusion and equality in the workplace, this indeed feels hopeful. A quick look at just three of relevance. Firstly, the Skills England Bill stands out as it aims to unite businesses, providers, unions, Mayoral Combined Authorities (MCAs), and the National Government to ensure England has the highly trained workforce it needs. Anneliese Dodds, Minister for Women and Equalities, who in the past praised Midlife360 CIC as 'excellent and much-needed work,' firmly believes that retraining #midlifewomen and getting them back to work is key to unlocking significant growth. She highlights the potential '£7 billion of additional economic output that could be realised if the 157,000 women in this cohort who left work since the pandemic returned to the labour market’. Secondly, the Better Buses Bill offers promise. We know that grassroots initiatives, where policy decisions are made by those living and working in the area, are the most effective. Recognising that poor public transport can be a significant barrier to employment for many, we eagerly anticipate learning more about this Bill, which will empower local political leaders to develop transport networks tailored to local needs. Of course, this is already top of the agenda for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough's own Mayor and Midlife360 CIC Advocate, Nik Johnson. Thirdly the Employment bill which could cover the pledges contained in Labour's pre-election manifesto such as day one rights for unfair dismissal and flexible working, ban on exploitative zero hour contracts, greater protection for whistle blowers, ban on employers firing and hiring under less favourable terms, and more. Could this be an equalizer for groups who need more flexibility and support? As the full details of all 40 Bills are revealed, we hope to see more equality and inclusion and we look forward to working with Anneliese Dodds to demonstrate how we can drive growth in the economy and labour market if we are, as Starmer promises, 'rewarded for our talent and hard work.' If you are a midlife woman keen to learn more about the myriad of options that are open to you and would like support to return to the workplace, please do come along to one of Midlife360 CIC Connect Events. We are looking forward to hosting Ali Gamble 🎲at our next one on July 25th in central Cambridge at 1pm - information and bookings here, all welcome - https://lnkd.in/etf_AKpy #midlifewomen #employmentbill #betterbusesbill #skillsenglandbill #devolvedauthority #combinedauthority #cambridgeshireandpeterborough #cpca #cambridgeevent #supportingwomen #policyreform #unlockgrowth

An event not to miss for midlife women currently navigating workplace challenges and / or looking to return to work - Talk & Connect with Midlife360 CIC and guest speaker Ali Gamble 🎲 from ILUX - Cambridge 25th July at 1pm. Hosted by Ingrid Fawcett, Ali will share insights into how she managed her career while juggling caring responsibilities, navigating the challenges of menopause, and successfully making a career shift. We will be discussing the strategies Ali used, the personal challenges she encountered, and the decisions she made which serve to illustrate the resilience, creativity, and determination needed to find professional fulfillment in midlife. Booking here - https://lnkd.in/etf_AKpy Midlife360 CIC #Connect events are social gatherings infused with learning, development, friendship, support, peer-to-peer networking, coaching, skills matching and so much more. Our calendar includes online and in-person activities such as picnics, walks, book clubs and guest speaker sessions. These events also offer opportunities to discover how our Advocates, who have met their own workplace challenges, launched businesses, became policy makers and had experienced significant life and career changes themselves can introduce you to their networks and assist with your career progression or return to work. To learn more about joining our community, email hello@midlife360.co.uk—it's free! #menopause #returnships #opportunities #midlifewomen #resillience #careerprogression #picnic #walkandtalk #cambridge #cambridgeshire #careersupport #fulfillment #pettycury #friendship #networking #careerdevelopment #mentorship #advocates #workexperience #handholding #workplace

Generating social mobility for an underserved demographic and connecting it to new labour market opportunities to support regional growth might seem daunting. However, it becomes less so when you establish a social enterprise in one of the ten combined authorities with devolved power in the UK. From the very beginning, Midlife360 CIC has had a seat at the table with our region's policymakers, bringing the voices of midlife women and their challenges to the forefront. Yesterday, we attended the final Shared Ambition Stakeholder Workshop with Nik Johnson, Mayor of The Combined Authority and a member of the Midlife360 CIC Advocate Programme. As I write this, Nik is meeting with Keir Starmer, underscoring the significant role Metro Mayors and our combined authority will play in the new administration One of the engaging conversations yesterday was about the citizens' voice, discussing its true meaning and how to engage everyone in decision-making. This discussion was particularly relevant following Starmer’s recent comment, "We’re a Government of service to all people, whether they voted for us or not." Our table had a notable discussion around democracy and ensuring everyone has a voice, regardless of their stance on the issue at hand. If you haven't yet had your voice heard in the Shared Ambition, you're invited to do so here: https://lnkd.in/eiQZnjxr. Please share this link widely to gather as many voices as possible before the September review. Nik also highlighted The Marmot Review, a landmark study from 2010 addressing five policy objectives, three of which are core to Midlife360 CIC's mission: enabling all people to maximize their capabilities and have control over their lives; creating fair employment and good work for all; and creating and developing healthy and sustainable places and communities. #socialmobility #labourmarket #metromayor #regionalgrowth #devolvedpower #combinedauthority #midlifewomen #democracy #sharedambition #marmotreview #socialimpact #kierstarmer #sustainablecommunities #inclusivegrowth #advocates #allyship #demnocracy #citizens #citizensvoice

As a record 11 women took up cabinet positions last week, including the UK's first-ever female Chancellor, can we look forward to a greater focus on equality, diversity, and inclusion in labour market policies? Particularly for left-behind groups such as the 20% of midlife women who face caring responsibilities as a barrier to work? There is little evidence as to how effective the exiting government's 2023 £1.5 billion spend on the Universal Support programme, WorkWell partnerships pilots, employment advisers in health services and the extension of the Restart Scheme for the long-term unemployed has been. And of course last month, we sadly saw the scrapping of the Reed in Partnership MidlifeMOT pilot in our region (East of England). A year on from the announcement of these schemes. there is still little change on the ground and the 'clearest signs yet that a weak labour market is holding back growth far more than weak growth is holding back the labour market’ according to The Institute Employment Studies. Staggeringly, despite this spend there are still 850,000 MORE people out of work than before Covid began, driven by fewer young people in the labour force, more older people out of work, and more people off work due to long-term health conditions. There is clearly a lot to do, ladies (and gentlemen) of The Cabinet. Good luck with your work ahead. #midlifewomen #excludedgroups #returnships #decentwork #wellbeingatwork #twowayflexibility #support #kierstarmer #womeninwork #11women #IES #Instituteemploymentstudies #labourmarket #midlifemot #angelaraynor #rachelreeves #yvettecooper #shabanamahmood #lizkendall #louisehaigh #bridgetphillipson #baronesssmith #lucypowell #jostevent #carers #centreforageingbetter

We have received several inquiries through Linkedin recently from midlife women seeking new roles or aiming to advance in their current positions, yet facing barriers. If you are a midlife woman struggling to enter or progress within work, at any level and in any industry, please reach out to Ingrid Fawcett. She leads an inclusive community of women who support each other, offering mentorship, training, industry advocates, and a network of opportunities, not to mention a great list of the best midlife friendly employers within our region. Ingrid is committed to providing opportunities for midlife women in the workforce, so don't hesitate to get in touch. Or check out the Eventbrite page listed in this post and maybe join a social event soon?

A Great Debate indeed last night in The Cambridge Union. Attended by many of Midlife360 CIC allies, Advocates and supporters. Which way would you have voted?

"Many of us didn’t get the careers education, inspiration or support that we needed while we were at school. My own career journey has been pretty torturous at times, and it was my frustration at how hard it was to figure out what I wanted to do 'when I grew up' that led me to starting Form the Future, with a partner, back in 2015, just as I was turning 50! As a mid-life entrepreneur, I believe wholeheartedly that it’s never too late to choose your path, but we need all the help we can get. A network of women (and some men) helping women will not only support women to achieve their goals but will give business access to some phenomenal untapped talent." It is with huge honour we share that Anne Bailey, widely respected as one of the foremost social entrepreneurs in our region and CEO of Form the Future CIC, is joining the Midlife360 CIC Advocate Programme. Anne ran BT's #CSR #education programme which served as inspiration for Form the Future, a social enterprise that helps young people find their route through education into employment, and provides employers with access to their future talent. She was awarded the Cambridge Social Innovation Prize in 2022 for her work establishing Form the Future and the impact they’ve had on the lives of young people in the Eastern region. She’s served on the boards of Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and the Eastern Academic Health Science Network, been a member of a Regional Advisory Council for Institute of Directors, Cambridgeshire Learning & Skills Committee and currently serves on the Local Governing Body for Cambridge Academy for Science & Technology, a UTC. She is an active member of the Skills group for Cambridge Ahead and served as its chair for several years. Anne’s extensive experience of working in and understanding of the skills sector means that she’s regularly called on to speak at regional and national events such as the #Westminster Forum series. Originally from Philadelphia, Anne graduated from Harvard College in 1987. She has lived in the UK since 1991, currently splitting her time between #Cambridge and Suffolk. Form the Future CIC is a (not-for-profit) careers and employment company, supporting young people as they progress through education into employment, and providing employers with access to their future talent. They were established in 2015 in order to deliver the skills service for the Greater Cambridge Partnership, and they have delivered for GCP continuously since then. In addition, they have delivered two successful #ESF programmes, #Target #Apprenticeships and the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Region of Learning. All three of these contracts involve supporting employers to establish apprenticeships to plug skills gaps and supporting young people to consider, apply for and secure apprenticeships. Welcome to the team Anne, we look forward to working alongside you and Form the Future to deliver on both of our social missions for the region.

"I understand the unique pressures women face in midlife and work collaboratively to create supportive environments where they can thrive. Whether navigating career transitions, health challenges, or rediscovering passions, I am dedicated to showing that midlife is a time of immense potential and empowerment. Supporting Midlife360 is a natural extension of my goal to enhance well-being and motivation during this pivotal life stage." Sarah Stones is a Motivation Specialist, Founder of Plain Sailing Motivation and the newest partner to join the Midlife360 CIC Advocate Programme. "I’m thrilled to share my journey and support other women through the challenges and opportunities of midlife as an Advocate for Midlife360. Living with cerebral palsy and overcoming cancer have taught me the power of resilience and the importance of aligning our lives with our true motivations. These experiences have driven my mission to help others find their passion and purpose. My professional focus is to empower individuals and organisations to discover what truly drives them. Through my speaking engagements, workshops, and group and one-on-one coaching, I aim to reignite the purpose and passion that can often become unclear during midlife." We are honoured to have you on the team, Sarah, and are grateful for your dedication and passion in ensuring that no woman is left behind or fades into the background. #motivationspecialist #stneots #advocate #cerebralpalsy #overcomingcancer #resilience #driveandpassion #empowerment #midlifewomen #returnships #support #careertransitions #healthbattles #rediscoveringpassion #potential #cambridgeshire #peterborough #plainsailing