WEN Wales is delighted to launch the second year of our mentoring scheme and are recruiting a cohort of 25 aspiring women to take part. With a view of getting more women into public and political life WEN Wales are calling for women who are looking to develop or further a career in politics or public life to apply to be a mentee.
Taking part will enable women to develop their political skills and increase the impact and influence they can have on political and public life through mentoring from one of a number of highly influential women, along with bespoke training and peer group support.
Mentor’s include women from across political parties and with a vast range of experience within public life including,
- Members of Parliament including Madeleine Moon and Tonia Antoniazzi, and Baroness Anita Gale from the House of Lords.
- Assembly Members such as Suzy Davies, Eluned Morgan, Jayne Bryant and Leanne Wood.
- Councillors and Council Leaders including Powys Council Leader Rosemarie Harris.
- Civil servants such Torfaen Chief Executive Alison Ward, Sally Holland Children’s Commissioner for Wales, Sophie Howe Future Generations Commissioner for Wales and Welsh Government Permanent Secretary Shan Morgan.
- Senior Leaders from the third sector including Uzo Iwobi Race Council Cymru CEO, Maria Constanza Mesa Director of Women Connect First and Frances Beecher Chief Executive of Llamau.
- Business Owners and Board Members such as Catherine Brown.
If you can demonstrate a clear interest in politics and public life and a commitment to your own and others’ development, then this could be the scheme for you. To find out more and to apply visit http://www.wenwales.org.uk/what-we-do/wen-mentoring/. The deadline for applications is 24th February 2019, 18:00.
The National Assembly for Wales was the first Parliament worldwide to achieve gender parity in 2006, however since then, numbers have fallen, and we must continue to encourage women to come forward. With only 19 Welsh women MPs since 1918 and only 18% of Council Leaders in Wales being women we have a very long way to go to ensure women are visible and equal in society in Wales. WEN Wales have therefore been awarded funding under the Equality and Inclusion grant by Welsh Government to continue this mentoring scheme to get more women – and more diverse women – into public and political life.
Catherine Fookes, Director of WEN Wales said
‘Following the huge success of our inaugural mentoring programme last year, we are absolutely delighted to launch another mentoring scheme in 2019, to support and enable even more women from across Wales to become more involved in public and political life. We must continue to work to ensure women, and more women from a diverse range of backgrounds, are represented across political arenas and across our public life. This scheme is an exciting opportunity and step towards 50:50 representation for women.’
