Inspirational Women – A series of Interviews to Celebrate International Women’s Day.
3SC is delighted to celebrate International Women’s day 2021 and share with you some interviews with our partners, team members and friends all of whom have been nominated because they are inspirational!
2021’s theme is #ChooseToChallenge because a challenged world is an alert one. 3SC is an organisation that fights against gender bias and inequality and celebrates the achievements of women everywhere.
We believe firmly in a fair, equal and diverse world and we welcome initiatives that support this aim. In 2021 let’s celebrate women’s achievements, raise awareness of bias and take action for equality.
Sara Flay – Legacy International
Sara Flay is Chief Executive of Legacy International, a group of businesses, not for profits and projects that seek to deliver actual change not just great conversation. They identify where people are being let down and do something about it.
At 23, Sara was told that she would never work again due to disability. Now she is the top of her company and tells employers why underestimating disabled staff is their most costly mistake.
More information on Legacy International and the projects they deliver can be found here.
Angela Murphy – Tomorrow’s Women Wirral
Angela Murphy is the CEO of Tomorrow’s Women Wirral – a charity that is uniquely run by women for women. Angela is a former employee of the Probation Service who along with the chair of the Organisation, Maureen Thompson set up the charity which was launched in 2011 by Baroness Corston. This year is their 10th anniversary.
Angela lives in and is committed to the Wirral and endeavours to allow those women, who are often underrepresented, to have their voices heard , be given opportunities, support and motivation to make their lives better.
More information on Tomorrows Women Wirral and the projects they deliver can be found here.
Jane Knight – Successful Mums
Jane founded Successful Mums Career Academy with a mission to support all mums back to work or to start a business no matter whatever their circumstances. The academy has since gone on to support 6,000 mums through their funded (free) training courses and 121 coaching.
With a background of teaching, coaching and funding Jane has heaps of experience working with a range of women looking for career advice. Having previously run training programmes and women returner days for corporates, community partners plus specialist women’s organisations, including HM Prison, inclusivity remains at the core of the Academy. Jane has been commissioned on a number of occasions to advise government career advisors and working across industries has wide experience of different skill sets needed across sectors.
This inspirational mum of two continues to work with her now, team of 10, to provide a friendly, professional platform designed for mums by mums.
Find out more about Successful Mums at www.successfulmums.co.uk.
Joanne Cholerton – 3SC
Joanne Cholerton is Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of 3SC. She has been named as one of the Natwest Top 100 Women In Social Enterprise in two consecutive years, 2018 and 2019 which recognises 100 of the most inspiring and influential women in social enterprise, impact investment and social innovation across the UK.
Joanne has decades of experience working for third and public sector organisations managing the partnerships, commissioning and delivery of projects and programmes that improve quality of life for individuals and local communities, implementing transformational change and improving performance in public services.
Find out more about Joanne Cholerton and 3SC in an interview here.
Liz Sewell – Belina Grow
Liz Sewell has over twenty year’s experience in employability programmes. Her company Belina provides tailored support to women to develop their confidence, motivation and employability skills. Her GRoW programme, which has been Highly Commended at the National Employment awards 2019 and 2014 is currently being delivered on the Troubled Families and Building Better Opportunities programmes.
Liz is on the Employment Related Services Association Board, She is a former Chief Executive of the lone parent charity ‘Gingerbread’, where she worked closely with the Government on the New Deal for Lone Parents and was a National Vice President of the NUS and ran their Women’s Campaign in the 80s. She was also the Chair of Trustees at the Welfare Rights Charity LASA for a decade and was made a Fellow of the IEP in 2016. Her programmes have twice been Highly Commended by ERSA for Innovation and has also recently become a Board Member of ERSA.
Belina specialises in supporting women with complex barriers to employment. Their unique approach motivates them to get ready for work through cost effective, community based, voluntary programmes. Belina Consulting has nine year’s experience running group session employability programmes – across London and in the West Midlands. They have supported over 2000 people and trained more than 250 staff from over 50 organisations, with the help of a dozen highly motivated staff with her team.
Petra Kennedy – Merthyr Tydfil Institute for the Blind (MTIB)
Petra is an Employment & Training Manager at Merthyr Tydfil Institute for the Blind who are an established charity and has provided training, development and employment opportunities for disabled and disadvantaged people to gain and sustain employment since 1923.
Through collaborative working with 3SC, Petra managed the DWP Specialist Employability Contract (SES) for MTIB from 2015 to 2020 where the programme supported individuals who are blind or who have a visual impairment which was a great fit for their organisation.
Petra has been a valuable ambassador for MTIB during the SES contract and has provided expert knowledge and advice that 3SC also shared with our other delivery organisations delivering on the contract.
Find out more about Petra Kennedy and MTIB in an interview here.
Lisa Higgins – Catalyse Coaching
Lisa Higgins is one of the newest coaches on our Neuro Diverse Strategy Coaching Programme. Lisa was nominated by a number of our 3SC Team as one of our Inspirational Women 2021.
Find out more about Lisa Higgins and Catalyse Coaching in an interview here.
Michelle Whelan – Calan DVS
Michelle Whelan is the Chief Executive of Calan DVS who provide domestic abuse support to men and women in Wales. Calan DVS are one of our 3SC Members. Michelle has spear-headed the professionalisation and diversification of the Calan DVS portfolio throughout the COVID-19 crisis. Calan has one of the largest domestic abuse support footprints in Wales and provides core domestic violence services for female and male victims as well as support for children and young people.
Find out more about Michelle Whelan and Calan DVS in an interview here.
Helen Laycock – 3SC
Helen Laycock works for 3SC in our Justice Programmes Team. Helen has been nominated as one of our Inspirational Women 2021 not only because she is just about to adopt 2 children but because she is awesome at her job! This is her interview:
Find out more about Helen Laycock in an interview here.
Diane
Meet Diane, who lives on the Wirral. She has two daughters and a grandchild. She has worked at B&M throughout the lockdown.
Diane had not been in the criminal justice system before, but was referred to Tomorrow’s Women Wirral as part of her court order, where she received an Unpaid Work (UPW) Requirement.
Tomorrow’s Women Wirral are a leading women’s provider for women on the periphery of the criminal justice system as well as those within it. They remained open for women at risk and vulnerable women throughout lockdown. They also supported women like Diane who, despite the lockdown, were still expected to complete their UPW requirement by the court.
Today Diane completes her UPW at TWW and is happy to speak to us today about herself and her life challenges.
Kathryn Jellings, Head of Employment Programmes, 3SC