So, another WIPL course day has passed and I have of course, loads more to write, but first I want to finish off what I didn’t complete last time!
Firstly, I spoke to Kate at WMAD who thought I was on the right track with this diary (and that the blog was a super idea!) but to double check that I was including:
- Bit of detail
- What did I learn
- What am I going to do about it?
So, I re-read what I had written…and it seemed OK, just one point from my action list:
- Inform myself further on the economy and other areas I do not feel confident in.
Realistically, this is not enough of an action point for me to actually do anything about it, so I must be stricter, actually, this is probably the case with all my actions, oh dear…I feel a spreadsheet coming on!!!!
OK, so I’m setting up a spreadsheet for actions to complete rather than personal attributes I need to adhere to, like ‘not adhering to labels’, although I might compile those on another worksheet for ease of reference!
So, how am I going to inform myself further on the economy etc??? I’m already listening to Radio 4 every morning whilst I get ready for work. I could listen to it more, but I’m not gonna lie to you, I like bopping about to pop music whilst I’m driving. So I’m gonna open it out…any suggestions please on how I can inform myself further on the economy – suggestions that don’t take up too much time please, or lots of in-depth reading!!!
Step Up Launch in the Senedd last week (October 7th)
So, the Launch. What a fantastic event. Congrats to Adam for hosting such a fab event, it was really great to listen to the Liz’s experience (another WIPL graduate!) Unfortunately my Councillor sent his apologies but it was great to be able to meet some other councillors and AMs and see the other students on an informal basis. It also gave me time to chat with Jackie my mentor which was really nice. All in all, the event really motivated me to get my arse into gear so…
I have a meeting with Councillor Nigel Howells of Cardiff City Council Tuesday morning regarding the role shadowing. He is a Lib Dem councillor and also portfolio holder for Sport, Leisure and Tourism. When I told one of the other WIPL ladies, she said he is the guy leading a controversial plan to put a road through Bute Park, so I think some interesting times ahead.
I am meeting with Paula (WMAD trainer) and my mentor Friday morning to start us off (which I must do some homework for!). My mentor is Jackie Radford. She is a researcher for Eleanor Burnham AM, Lib Dem, North Wales region. She was also fourth on the Welsh Libe Dems MEP list for the elections May just gone.
So, expect lots of diary entries next week…or maybe the week after realistically! Although I’m off to Brecon for the weekend for Christina’s 30th birthday celebrations (I suppose I can sneak dad’s laptop out again like I have this weekend (currently on the train to London! – Sorry Dad!)).
October WIPL Course Day
What an interesting day! I learnt so much!
First up was Jan, lecturer at Cardiff uni. It was meant to be a session on Women in the Democratic Process but I think she got her weeks confused as we talked about Occupational Segregation (Job Division in not so big scary words) which I think fits under the next months session: Women in the Professions
We discussed how any issue can be looked at in terms of the Individual, societal / cultural and institutional but looked at female specific issues.
For example, women in work:
Institutional: There are laws (Equal Pay Act, Sex Discrimination Act 1975) which state an employer cannot discriminate against women in the workplace.
Cultural: However, employers will not look so favourably on job candidates who are of childbearing age (any woman under 35!) so they may not “have the right skills or experience” for the role compared to a man.
Individual: Childcare is too expensive so a mother may choose not to go into the workplace
I started to think about this on an individual level for myself:
I have never felt like I wanted children, never had that ‘maternal instinct’ that some of my friends (and all ‘normal’ women?!) are supposed to feel. I’m of course very career minded so it’s never been an issue for me. But what if I did want kids…how would I reconcile the two? Or maybe subconsciously, the fact that I am career minded has made me be non-child minded as I know the two do not practically mix?!
And perhaps, if I go for a job interview in the next 7 years I should somehow make it known that I am not wanting children, so as not to affect my chances?! Is any of that fair (or equal)?
I also learnt that back in the day, women who worked for the civil service were meant to give up work once they married, so they would wear their wedding ring on a chain! Perhaps if I get married before I’m 35 I better put my ring on a chain for job interviews (and some St Tropez on the ring mark!) so they don’t think I’m about to have babies!
Hmmm, so now the hard part – what am I going to do about it!!
Well, once again, I’d be interested to hear your experiences of this…
- have you had negative experiences?
- Have you entered a certain work sector because you know they are positive towards young women?
- Are you an employer (particularly SMEs) who has had to reject someone because they didn’t have the “right skills & experience”?
Then, what can I do about it…we have the legislation, but perhaps it isn’t enough? Perhaps I should read Harriet Harman’s Equality stuff I’ve been hearing about on the radio…yep, I’ll add that to the list!
The cultural part, how on earth are we going to make a dent in that one! Light bulb moment…
By making employers realise the important contribution young women make to the workplace and so it’s worthwhile to have them despite the time off for maternity leave, and in fact this can actually benefit the employee and employer further by bringing new skills and attributes to the workplace.
Light bulb switched off…How on EARTH are we going to do that! Action point – think about this one again, making me a little too depressed on a Saturday night trip to London!!!
But this does actually lead me onto my next reflective point from class. Some employers do appreciate the benefits staff having time out (sabbaticals) can bring to the workplace. For example, my boss is supportive of me applying for a leadership and learning two month secondment in Africa. My friend has been given a 6 or 9 month sabbatical to travel in the New Year.
BUT:
- These are sabbaticals for travelling / secondments rather than for having future generations!
- My friend and I both work in the public sector (a charity and local authority), perhaps more positive about the value these types of experiences bring to the individual and therefore the company, than private sector companies, especially SMEs. My friends’ boyfriend for example, can not have a sabbatical and has to leave a job he has done for over 10 years. There is no guarantee he will get a similar job when he returns.
So, why can’t the same value be placed on maternity leave? To be fair, I think once again these sectors are actually very good with maternity leave, so maybe it’s that maternity leave is just too costly for private sector organisations and they need more government support? But once again, I think the value needs to be seen beyond monetary.
Onto the practicalities of mothers going back to work…I learnt that WAG provide 3 hours a day of childcare from age 3, so women may re-enter the workforce. Great, but:
- 3 hours a day, by the time you drop your baby off, maybe drive for 15 mins, you’re not getting long at your workplace are you! What job could you do in 2.5 hours!!!
- Maternity pay stops after 9 months; your job is kept open for another 3 months! By my calculations, and I’ll admit, I’m not a mathematician, that’s 2 years 3 months you need to be working for, especially if you want to return to your previous job, without any monetary support…something not adding up for me here…can you help me figure it out? I’d be interested in your experiences once again!
Right, gonna pop the laptop away now as 10 mins to Paddington! Gonna resist the Krispy Kremes as I said I’d bring the family back some for our Sunday dinner desert tomorrow (I hope they come in dozens, as there’s 5 of us tomorrow and I’d love to have another one Monday 
).
