Employment and Education: A Fair Deal for Women

bristol | community | press release Monday March 05, 2012 14:44 by Platform 51 bristol at platform51 dot org

Women from Bristol are invited to put forward ideas for increasing accessibility to employment and education for women in the city.
 
On 7th of March 2012, leading women’s charity Platform 51 will celebrate International Women’s Day [which takes place on Thursday 8th March this year] by organizing a conference on Employment and Education: A Fair Deal for Women. The event will give local women the possibility to put forward ideas for creating equal opportunities in Bristol.  The conference will take place at the Watershed in central Bristol between 9:30 AM – 2:30 PM.

The first part of the event will include talks on gender and class in education, apprenticeships and graduate programmes for women, racism and othering in higher education, and wider participation. Platform 51 will also present its plans for supporting women to achieve their full potential. The second part of the event will include group discussions where women will be able to put forward ideas for creating a fair deal for women in accessing employment, career progression, and skills and education.

Marisa Scott, volunteer at Platform 51  said: “Women should be able to progress in their working lives without being held back by gender stereotypes, racism or motherhood. There are also still too many women who are affected by differences in pay rates for men and women”.

In working with women across Bristol, Platform 51 is dedicated to supporting women through information, advice and guidance, confidence-building workshops and sessions on assertive communication.  This is based on the fact that we think women have a right to an education that suits them, and support when mainstream education does not work. Equally, we think occupational segregation and the gender pay gap must be tackled to unlock women’s talents and benefit the economy. This could benefit the economy by up to £23 billion.

Cezara Nanu, Centre Manager at Platform 51 said: “At our women’s centre at the Knowle West Health Park, women often tell us that they can’t access educational and employment opportunities that work for them in Bristol. This event tackles that and allows their voices and opinions to be heard.”

Notes for editors

For more information please phone Cezara Nanu on 07768701753. There will be opportunities to interview, film and photograph at this event.

Employment and Education: A Fair Deal for Women - agenda

At The Watershed, 1 Canon's Road, Harbourside, Bristol, BS1 5TX, on Wednesday 7 March

9:30 AM   Arrival, registration and coffee
10:00 AM  Presentations:

Harriet Bradley, University of Bristol: Crashing the barriers? Gender, class and education
Sally Ansell, Bristol City Council: Apprenticeships and Graduate programmes for young women
Anna Hill, Princes Trust - Get Into… Work: Opportunities available for young women in Bristol
Christien Van Den Anker, Migrants Rights Centre, Bristol: Cumulative inequality for migrant women: everyday racism and othering in higher education
Cezara Nanu, Platform 51: Supporting women to achieve their full potential
Ann DeGraft Johnson, University of the West of England:  Wider Participation = Knowledge

12:30 PM   LUNCH
1:15 PM   Break out groups
2:15 PM  Closing remarks

About Platform 51 Bristol
Platform 51 women’s centre in Bristol is based at the Knowle West Health Park, Downton Road, Bristol, BS4 1WH.  It works to support women and girls who may be: unemployed or struggling to get an education or training; suffering from poor mental health; voiceless and isolated. The centre runs drop- in sessions, accredited learning opportunities and events to support women.

About Platform 51
Platform 51 supports girls and women as they take control of their lives. Platform 51 is the operating name of YWCA England & Wales, a registered charity, number 217868. Our company number is 137113 and our registered office is New Barclay House, 234 Botley Road, Oxford, OX2 0HP
www.platform51.org
Find us on Twitter here : @platform51 and Like us on Facebook here : www.facebook.com/platform51