Today sees the publication of Footprints in the sand: Five years of the Fabian Women’s Network mentoring and political education programme.When we launched the programme our aim was to enhance the capacity, skills and confidence of women, we wanted to see more Fabian women progress into positions of power.
To date, five cohorts have been recruited, with 42 mentors drawn from high profile public roles supporting an ethnically diverse group of 125 women between the ages of 20-50+, drawn from across the country. The 10 month programme gives participants access to political and public life spaces and the skills and networks to navigate their personal journeys and find their political voices. Participants have included film makers and a doctor; writers and a farmer; lawyers and an architect; social workers and a fashion designer; teachers, scientists, an engineer and an organic food campaigner.
The evaluation report produced by Rosie Campbell and Joni Lovenduski from Birkbeck, University of London, cites the programme as ‘exemplar’ with ‘incredible results for its participants and the Fabian Women’s Network’.
We are indeed proud of the achievements of these women: one ran to be member of the European parliament for London, six were parliamentary candidates in the 2015 general election and nine others ran for selection or were shortlisted. Twenty-one women were elected as first time councillors in 2014 and many have been subsequently promoted into significant local cabinet roles.The others acted as agents and worked on campaigns.
Participants have become school governors, trustees and directors on boards such as the National Society for Deaf Children. Some have set up their own charity. Many are on the committee of their local constituency Labour party. One is running for the London Assembly and another is standing for the Welsh Assembly.
Most graduates of the programme have gained promotion in their professional lives: to a senior role in the Guardian, Which, King’s Fund, the Cabinet Office, the United Nations, a Harvard leadership training course, the Office of Rail and Road, the Food and Drink Federation, think tanks including the Fabian Society, to the first woman chair of Directors’ UK, to advisers and assistants to members of the shadow cabinet. Others have been shortlisted or gained awards including one of the top 99 foreign policy leaders under 33, young public affairs professional of the year and migrant woman 2015.
These Fabian women have spoken at conferences round the world including at a United States Institute of Peace conference in Washington; at the Nato summit for young leaders in Cardiff; on the BBC World Service and with the European Socialist party.
They have held events on childcare, FGM, disability and Europe – successfully lobbying for policy change. They have published articles in the Guardian, New Statesman, Huffington Post and LabourList. Fabiana was founded by a mentee and now provides a forum for others to contribute to. The Public Speaking Club held in the House of Commons was founded by two mentees and provides debating opportunities and training in public speaking.
We are not unrealistic about how hard we need to work to achieve a gender balance in positions of influence and power but we are enormously heartened by the progress made by the Fabian Women’s Network and the participants of the mentoring programme.
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Christine Megson co-ordinates the Fabian Women’s Network mentoring programme
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