Represent Women

On The Table Talk for Community Foundation serving Tyne & Wear and Northumberland with The Millin Charity and another chance to give women, space, time, and opportunity to share their views and experiences. At Represent Women, we're incredibly thankful to the women who shared their time, space, and stories yesterday. It was inspiring to hear from so many women and see first hand how funding structures, support, and lack of support impact their lives. The second picture shows the joy women feel when they have the space to share, connect, and just be 😁

'Women only receive support when there is a crisis' is an important and powerful takeaway from yesterday's discussion in South Shields. Women in our community can feel that whether it's on a national level, where laws are changed only after a heinous act of violence against a woman, or on a personal level when services only provide support when a woman is in real emergency need. Yesterday Community Foundation serving Tyne & Wear and Northumberland On The Table Talk with Women's Health in South Tyneside generated some critical discussion and we're incredibly grateful for the women in South Tyneside for giving up their time and for the support of the amazing charity WHIST

The North East Combined Authority Mayor, Kim McGuinness is consulting the public on their thoughts and experiences of public transport to improve services. We would like to reach and amplify women's voices by sharing the consultation link far and wide. Women in the UK rely on public transport more heavily than men with research showing they make a third more bus journeys than men. They tend to make more frequent shorter trips and need transport that is safe, clean, affordable, and family-friendly. Represent Women will also draw out data from our recent survey to author a briefing paper on women and transport in the region to share with NECA. Further details below. If you would like any support contributing please let us know and we'll do what we can to help. 'The North East Local Transport Plan outlines the North East Combined Authorities Mayor's vision for a green, integrated transport system that works for all. But this plan is about you and your needs, so we want to hear from you. Do our solutions address your challenges? Have we missed anything? Follow the link to share your thoughts.' https://lnkd.in/e24QnAKh

VONNE (Voluntary Organisations' Network North East) is hosting three Civil Society Covenant Engagement Events. The Covenant is a new agreement to improve the relationship between civil society and government, and we must give a regional perspective to the development of the framework. Read more about here: The Covenant will: -support collaboration between civil society organisations and government -ensure respect for the different roles we play, and protect our independence -support all public bodies and civil society organisations -build on and support existing agreements in place at a local level -complement other arrangements in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. It is important that women and girls organisations have their say in this important development that aims to shape the relationship between the voluntary sector and the Government. Represent Women will be attending workshops and forming a response. Event details below: Tees Valley event- https://lnkd.in/em9GU7pE 19th November 11:00-1.30 Online North of Tyne event- https://lnkd.in/e8499e_A 19th November 1.30-3 Online South of Tyne event- https://lnkd.in/e975ui77 20th November 2-3.30 Online

'IT'S WOMEN ONLY FOR A REASON' A great discussion at Women's Workshop in Amble last week for Community Foundation serving Tyne & Wear and Northumberland On The Table Talk. The women talked about rural women and discrimination, barriers for women in Northumberland, and ideas to create funding that better meets the needs of women and girls. And of course why women's only spaces are not just 'nice things' but necessary. Women need space to breathe and simply be, not just crisis services. One of the most powerful points raised (and there were many) was the way women, and the funding designed for women's services, often defined by so called 'women's issues'. VAWG, DV, and unequal care, are not women's issues they are discriminatory acts women are subjected to, not issues inherent to or belonging to women!

A brilliant morning hearing about the work of Feeding Families (UK) today. Great to see such a wonderful turnout. Feeding Families is a fantastic example of North East community spirit as a driving force for positive change. Growing from a grassroots organisation to an essential source of support for thousands of families and individuals year-round. We know how closely connected child and family poverty in the region is to maternal financial stability, so inevitably food insecurity charities support a lot of women across the North East, from single mothers unable to make ever-dwindling ends meet to women fleeing abuse. If you have time or funds to spare please consider donating to their appeal, setting up a food collection box in your workplace, or volunteering your time to pack boxes. Full details on the Feeding Families (UK) website.

🌱 Ascent Staff Wellbeing Session – Nov 2024 🌱 Join us for a 3.5-hour session focused on tackling burnout and improving staff wellbeing in the workplace. Learn actionable steps to create a supportive work culture, reflect on both personal and organisational needs, and share best practices to thrive together. 🗓 Date: 28 November, 2024 🚨 Limited Spaces: 20 spots available! 📍 Online Sign up now! 🔗 https://lnkd.in/ebctGdNB #AscentStaffWellbeing #BurnoutPrevention #StaffSupport #WorkplaceCulture #WRC #MentalHealthAtWork

Funding opportunity 🙌 Rosa's Voices from the Frontline Fund for 2024 has opened today. Please share widely If you'd like any support or guidance please reach out to Jo and Erin at hello@representwomenne.org.uk Further details from Rosa and links to the application are below. Link to full details and application on Rosa's website - https://lnkd.in/eY27eQHU 'The fund offers grants of up to £10,000 over an 18-month period to support campaigning and influencing work that enables women and girls to use their voice to achieve change. We are proud to champion the campaigning and influencing work that women's and girls' organisations do, as we recognise that every progress in culture, law and practice in women's and girls' lives over the last two hundred years has been pioneered by women and girls, organising and mobilising. These organisations are at the forefront of addressing social issues and offer an opportunity for women and girls who have lived experience of injustice and inequality to be heard. But there remains a critical need for funding for women's and girls' organisations to develop campaigns that raise awareness of the issues women and girls face. This is why Voices from the Frontline exists. The deadline for applications is 4pm on Monday 9 December 2024' Rosa Fund Link reminder- https://lnkd.in/eY27eQHU

If you'd like to grow your fundraising knowledge Fundraising Everywhere have a free webinar on November 28th at 12pm. If you're unable to make it you can still register and watch the recording for 30 days after the event. https://lnkd.in/epkfyPqf

Represent Women congratulates the Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves on the first budget delivered by a woman. A historic moment (which should have happened sooner)! 50:50 Parliament: has welcomed this historic moment. 💡https://lnkd.in/eAz_DzAz But what does it mean for the women and girls sector in the North East? 👩👀 It feels like a mixed bag as increased spending budgets have been allocated to certain areas and an increase in local government spending will filter down to some organisations delivering specific work. The increase in employer national insurance contributions and a rise in the national living wage will bring financial pressures and yet more difficult decisions for the Women and Girls sector which is already facing a cliff edge. We also welcome the target to halve violence against women and girls but have concerns due to the lack of an allocated budget. We will be keeping an eye on further developments and details. Please get in touch with us to share your story/situation as a result of the budget. hello@representwomenne.org.uk 👁 NCVO round up- Budget 2024: Key implications for charities   💡https://lnkd.in/ebHYRNQq Update from Women's Budget Group - Some promising green shoots for women: challenge of poverty remains 💡https://lnkd.in/eKCKxbTG Ways to take action: 💪 ACEVO and NCVO have worked together to develop a Civil Society Covenant- find out more and respond to their consultation to get women and girls sector voices heard. 💡https://lnkd.in/egrnCiuu We have added our name to the open letter to the chancellor on the impact of increased employer National Insurance Contributions for charities, you can add yours here: 💡https://lnkd.in/exqrim58