Are female-centric office spaces the key to addressing gender imbalance in business?

With International Women’s Day just around the corner CEO of The Women’s Organisation, Maggie O’Carroll, has spoken out about the need for more dedicated spaces for women in business.

It’s been well reported that women are more than half as likely to take the plunge into starting up a business as men. 

The Unilever Foundry’s global study into start up diversity has shown that only 17% of start-ups are founded by women. While finder.co.uk has found that the typical business owner on Companies House in the UK is 51, British and male.

Liverpool based charity The Women’s Organisation, which is dedicated to the economic development of women, has found that there is a growing need for more office spaces in the business community which buck the trend in this male-dominated landscape.

CEO Maggie O’Carroll is a firm believer in the power of female-centric spaces, like the charity’s international centre for women in business at 54 St James Street, which offer the community and networks critical to improving women’s economic participation.

CEO of The Women's Organisation, Maggie O'Carroll

She explains: “For many women the prospect of taking their young start-up into the physical business world can be exceptionally daunting. This next step in taking on office space requires an incredible level of conviction and assurance - not to mention monetary resources. That’s why spaces like 54 St James Street are essential to creating safe and supportive networks, where women can feel empowered and access further support to succeed in business.”

“Another fundamental barrier many female-led start-ups face as they begin their journey is the fact that they are working from home. The experience of many of our service-users is that this only serves to compound a common issue for women who typically find themselves as primary caregivers. This prevents them from making a clear distinction between home life and working life, often reducing their capacity to focus on their business.”

Since opening its doors in 2011, 54 St James Street has helped to create over 1,000 new businesses and created over 2,000 new jobs in the Liverpool City Region through the work of The Women’s Organisation and the Enterprise Hub programme which is funded by the European Regional Development Fund.

54 St James Street is an international hub for women in business

Councillor Gary Millar, Deputy Mayor of Liverpool & Cabinet Member for Business Economy & Skills, says: “Enabling female participation in the local economy is critical to addressing the gender imbalance we see in business and that’s exactly what facilities like 54 St James Street are doing by providing the support and space needed to succeed in business. To be among a group of likeminded entrepreneurs is important to any business person to feel inspired and supported.

“Without these spaces, we risk leaving behind a pool of un-tapped female potential and talent which would otherwise be a significant contributor to driving the economy on a local and national level.”

Tenant of 54 St James Street and Director of Every Cloud Associates, Kate Morris, says: “As women, I believe that we already have a natural and shared ability to network. We are relation-seeking beings with an emotional empathy like no other. 54 St James Street offers the perfect incubation space for this to take hold and flourish.

“The peer to peer support, working alongside other passionate, female entrepreneurs who are trying to do their ‘thing’ better is a key benefit of this community. It’s hugely empowering for women to see other women lead and achieve, grow and develop. It’s like a ‘rising tide’, we bring each other on.”

Every Cloud Associates office at 54 St James Street

If you would like to find out more about the facilities available for female-led businesses at 54 St James Street and how you can become part of the community, you can visit www.54stjamesstreet.com

Meet Our Intern: Cerys Evans

Cerys Evans has joined our team as an Intern whilst studying Event Management at John Moores University to learn the ins and outs of all things marketing! She's brought a bundle of energy to our office and we're delighted to have her here.

Take a read of Cerys' blog to find out more about her ..

What’s your full name and where are you from?

Hi, I am Cerys Evans and I am originally from a tiny village called Cockshutt near Shrewsbury but currently living in Liverpool.

Tell me how you first found out about The Women’s Organisation and become part of our team?

I am currently a second-year student at LJMU studying Events Management and while looking for internships opportunities I found the Women’s Organisation. I did some research online about the background of the Women’s Organisation and after reading their website I knew that their mission and beliefs aligned with my own so therefore would be a team and company I would love to be a part of. I applied online, then had an interview with Jo and Lucy and luckily found out the next day I got the job.

What kind of things have you done prior to coming to The Women’s Organisation?

Before moving to Liverpool for University in 2017 I worked in my local pub and restaurant, then I volunteered myself to run their social media and website which is where I found my passion for digital marketing. When coming to Liverpool I spent my first year working at University Events and now work at Rudy’s Pizzeria while interning here too- I like to be busy!

What has surprised you about working at The Women’s Organisation?

The sheer amount of people who reach out and ask for help from the organisation, the number of people who ring up daily is incredible. The organisation is obviously vitally needed in the community and it’s amazing to see its impact it has on local women and entrepreneurs.

What’s the best thing about working at The Women’s Organisation?

The best thing is how everyone who works for the Women’s Organisation is so supportive and positive. Every single member of the team is working together to make such a huge difference and it’s very rewarding to feel like you are a part of that. Nothing is ever too much hassle or hard work, everyone just wants to help women reach their potential. I feel very empowered whenever I leave and that’s an amazing feeling.

Could you describe one of your typical workdays?

I know everyone’s said it, but no two days are the same!

My role contains a lot of content creation like blog posts, Instagram posts and tweets so I’m always busy doing that. I love finding new empowering women quotes to post on our twitter and gain a lot of inspiration for our social media from hashtags online.

My long-term project is to promote our book called Twenty-One which celebrates twenty-one inspiring women who have made a huge impact in and around Liverpool, so I am always creating social media content for that. I also spend time taking pictures of local art and buildings to put on our social media channels which I really enjoy.

What might (someone) be surprised to know about you?

I am undergoing a volunteering expedition in June for 5 weeks to Fiji where I will be aiming to help disadvantaged youth to overcome poverty issues and achieve holistic health. I will be doing this by improving education, sports development, infrastructure assistance and health promotion. I am nervous but excited, however I know it will be an amazing and rewarding experience.

What do you do when you aren’t working?

When I am not working, I should be doing University work but quite often instead I go out for food or will be watching documentaries with my flatmates! I love going home to the countryside too and being on my family farm, which is a big difference from living in Liverpool city centre.

#GEW2018: In Conversation with Nisha Katona

Global Entrepreneurship Week is a time of international appreciation for the innovators and job creators who bring ideas to life.  

During our annual celebration, we’ll be hosting an interview with true local entrepreneur turned celebrity chef, Nisha Katona. This will be followed by a panel discussion with more inspiring local women in business, to discuss their journey to success and advice.

Back in 2014, Nisha Katona was a child protection Barrister who chose to risk the roof over her head and all her security in pursuit of launching the first Mowgli on Bold Street. Nisha said: “We opened on a road that just had Leaf trading 4 years ago and my view was that even if we took the crumbs from Leaf's table, that would do. But this city of mine is a kingmaker. Liverpool with her open mind and open arms took this food and ran with it.”

Now, Nisha is the proud owner of six restaurants, has released three books, regularly films for BBC, ITV & Channel 4 and oversees a food-empire that just keeps growing.

Join us for this interesting event in partnership with Natwest when we will be quizzing Nisha on how she has built her food empire. If you are a reluctant business owner, suffering from imposter syndrome or buzzing with a passion for business and just wanting to know how to keep growing and developing – then this is one not to miss!

Join us on Wednesday 14th November aka 'Women's Entrepreneurship Day' 1.30-4pm at 54 St James Street.

Tickets are £5 for business club members and £10 for non-members. Your ticket cost will go back to supporting the valuable work of The Women's Organisation to support women's economic development.

This event is brought to you in partnership with NatWest!

Free NatWest business Accelerator programme lands in Liverpool

The NatWest Entrepreneur Accelerator gives businesses the power to start, scale and succeed via 12 hubs and other satellite locations across the UK. More than 5,000 have already passed through the fully-funded programmes and as of 2017 more than 80% were still trading.

Liverpool is to become the first satellite location to host a bespoke Pre-Accelerator programme. The Pre-Accelerator is aimed at early stage businesses and entrepreneurs looking to validate their businesses or grow a customer base. The NatWest Pre-Accelerator is being run with the support of the Liverpool City Region Local Enterprise Partnership.

The programme focuses on the key driver to success – the entrepreneur themselves – guidance, support and challenge are provided by the bank’s trained coaches at a kick off ‘Ignition’ event to be held at First Ark in Liverpool on Tuesday 20 November 2018. Entrepreneurs then follow a rigorous but informative eight-week online eLearning journey.

The Pre-Accelerator is fully funded by NatWest, and the bank takes no equity in any business, so it’s free to any entrepreneur that wishes to apply, and they don’t have to be NatWest customers.

To find out more, head to the website: 

https://www.business.natwest.com/business/services/accelerator.html

In the Media: UK Enterprise Expert Meets Liverpool City Region's Economic Influencers

Liverpool Business Group in conjunction with the Enterprise Hub drew together key local economic influencers for a roundtable event with one of the UK’s leading experts on enterprise research policy and practice, Professor Mark Hart, to consider how an innovative and focused enterprise policy and practice approach can inspire and propel business start-up and growth in the Liverpool City Region.

Vibrant entrepreneurship is a vital component for any ambitious city, generating wealth, creating jobs and finding innovative solutions. A start-up city is led by the entrepreneurial leaders who dare to think of something new, and their subsequent contribution to the economy is invaluable.

As the UK’s start-up revolution shows no signs of slowing down, Professor Hart provided evidenced based insights as to why creative and forward-thinking policy and support infrastructure is the catalyst to enabling a flourishing business community able to compete on a global scale, and just how we can achieve that.

To find out more about what happened at this roundtable event at 54 St James Street, head to Liverpool Business News to view Tony McDonough’s write-up HERE.

Professor Mark Hart is Deputy Director of the ERC and Professor of Small Business and Entrepreneurship at Aston Business School. Over the last 35 years, Professor Hart has worked and published extensively in the areas of entrepreneurship, enterprise and small business development and policy.  He jointly manages the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) project  in the UK and advises a number of UK Government Departments and the Devolved Administrations on enterprise issues.

Mark Russell & Ruth Hartnoll Help us Raise The Ranks on Google

Having a website and social media page is great, but is it really any use if nobody is seeing it? Building your presence online should be high on your marketing priorities, and getting to grips with SEO can certainly help to build that presence. To set the record straight on SEO and content we decided to invite some expert marketers along to our September Business Club ‘Raise the Ranks on Google: Your Easy Step Guide to Being Visible Online’ 

We were happy to welcome Mark Russell from bmirco and Ruth Hartnoll from J&R Agency to come and deliver some SEO and content magic at the event. Mark, specialising in micro businesses has 5 years’ experience in the digital marketing field and Ruth, who is the founder and director of J&R agency, works to empower small businesses to think bigger.

We had varied audience, ranging from marketing consultants to interior designers, established businesses to people thinking about going into self-employment, and they were all ready to delve into the sometimes-complex world of SEO. First up, we welcomed Ruth to the Business Club stage!

Ruth Hartnoll

Talking about the important relationship between quality content and SEO, Ruth took us through some of the DO’S & DON’TS of producing good content to help boost Search Engine Optimisation and of course, we spoke about that top position on Google

 “I see people obsess with reaching the top search result on Google, but they have to remember that’s sometimes it’s better to be third or fourth as some people find these results more trustworthy, and you’re still on the first page”

Surprising, and definitely worth focusing on! She also spoke about the importance of blogging, and focusing on long form content that outranks short form much to the dismay of our budding writers! 

"Articles over 1800 tend to do better for SEO, always try and focus on the long form content for your blog and website"

Next up to speak, we had Mark Russell, who started his presentation by telling us to “forget the algorithm” and focus on the long-term SEO goals instead.

Mark Russell

“You have to understand what question people want solving, not just now, but what they wanted solving in the past and the future”

Helping us to break down all that SEO jargon, Mark took us through on-page, off-page and local SEO that will be key to building your SEO strategy. We then touched upon link building, a task that can be difficult to start. “Link building can be hard, this is why you have to build relationships offline so you can join together for content, help share each other’s website and offer out guest blogs”

We’ve certainly took away some amazing hints and tips from the event, and we had some great feedback from our audience:

“This was really good! I got loads of useful information on things I didn’t know already”

“My first time at a Business Club event! I’m very impressed with the amount of information and help I’ve been given. I will be coming again!”

“Very informative! I’ve got some new insights and tips that I had not heard of”

Mark & Ruth

Thank you to Ruth and Mark for giving us such SEO and content wisdom! And thank you to everyone who attended Septembers Business Club. If you'd like to contact them, you can use the links below: 

J&R Agency

Website

Twitter 

Facebook

bmicro

Website

Twitter

Facebook

If you enjoyed ‘Raise the Ranks on Google’, we have more exciting networking events throughout this year....

Join us on 14th November, 1:30-4pm for 'Unleash the Entrepreneur Within: In Conversation with Nisha Katona'

 Join us on 6th December, 4-6pm for seasonal spirit at 'Festive Networking'

Tickets all available via eventbrite or alternatively, contact us on 0151 706 8111 or hello@thewo.org.uk for more information.

Meet The Team: Leanne Johnson

Our marketing team has had quite the shake-up this year. We recently introduced you to Sarah Brown, now meet Leanne Johnson! Leanne started working at The Women’s Organisation in March after deciding she wanted a career change. She brings all the humour, wit and creativity to our Marketing Team and we can’t remember a time without her. From Nandos, to The Big Apple and Primark, read on to find out more about Leanne .. 

What’s your full name and where are you from?

Leanne Johnson, I’m from Liverpool.

Tell me how you first found out about The Women’s Organisation and become part of our team?

I first found out about The Women’s Organisation when I was doing some research about the type of role I wanted to go into next. Someone I worked with had also volunteered at the organisation for a few weeks and told me what a nice place it was, so when I saw they were recruiting for a Marketing and Engagement Officer role I thought I’d give it a go! I always wanted to work in marketing, so I applied, got an interview and thankfully got the job!

What kind of things have you done prior to coming to The Women’s Organisation?

I’ve only worked for one other company before this role, I got my first job at Primark at 17 and worked my way up to a Human Resources supervisor before leaving this year! I spent my time there doing lots of varied things like staff training and UK and international store openings. I also graduated from LJMU with an IT & Multimedia Computing degree, where I also took a year out to work full time in a digital creative start-up company. I’ve always wanted to do something a bit more creative and be able to engage people so getting this role has been an absolute dream!

What has surprised you about working at The Women’s Organisation?

I think what surprised me is the high-quality support that The Women’s Organisation offers to people and how just in the short time I’ve been here I’ve already seen how massively our personal development programmes can impact people’s lives, it’s such a great feeling!

From a work point of view, how welcomed I’ve been into the organisation is the best. Within a couple of days, I felt like I’d been here for years, my team is amazing!

What’s the best thing about working at The Women’s Organisation?

The best thing about working here is how valued my opinions have been, not just on my team but throughout the entire organisation. I’ve already been working on several different projects that I’ve been able to really sink my teeth into and know that I’m trusted to get on with it. I also like that my ideas are really going to use and that I’ve got control over the work I do. It’s nice to feel like a valued member of the team and not just another number.

Could you describe one of your typical workdays?

I’m going to be that person but ‘there really is no typical day’.

All of the Marketing & Engagement team work on varied projects and at the moment I’m working on a lot of case studies and blog content for my projects. Daily, I suppose you could probably find me scheduling in relevant content for our social media pages, writing away and general promotion of our services and goings on around the organisation! I’ve also recently started conducting training for ‘Business Blogging for Beginners’ which is very exciting.

I’ve only been here gone 5 months now and I’ve already been involved in so much, some highlights include being part of the planning and live tweeting our awards event in Manchester for my project Excelerate Labs.

What might (someone) be surprised to know about you?

Maybe that I lived and worked in New York for 3 months! What can I say? Metropolitan girl!

What do you do when you aren’t working?

Fine dining (Nandos) and spending time with my loved ones!

Thanks Leanne! We’re delighted to have you here.

'Change it: Progress to Success' Catching up With Our Graduates

Over the past year we’ve supported hundreds of women across Liverpool to reach their full potential, think about their next steps in life and build on that confidence inside them. This week we were delighted to be able to invite some of the women back to join our focus group to have a cuppa and discuss how the 'Change it' journey was for everyone...

Held by our 'Change it' trainer - Jenny Wallwork, everyone shared how they had been doing since graduating from the programme, some of the women had gone on to start volunteering for organisation like Citizens Advice, some went on to change their job roles and some have even started to think about starting their own business. One of the women has taken steps to academically progress:

“Since Change it, I gave done my maths GCSE and I’m awaiting my results in August! My dream is to start pursuing my business ideas and I’ll be starting my teaching assistant Level 2 in September in Liverpool college"

We love sharing our open letter case studies featuring the amazing women we’ve supported over the past year and we’re able to see the huge impact that 'Change it' has on peoples lives. When asked about the impact on their own lives, our group spoke about how it helped reinforce their place in the world and helped them find more out about themselves.

“It’s helped me to become more confident and have the courage to make significant changes and just think about myself, I’m able to look at the positive now and not the negative”

“It has reminded me of my qualities, strengths and helped me gain my confidence back. I know have a ‘I can’ attitude and always consciously thinking positively”

Completing the programme and being able to take away tools and strategies to use in real world situations is important and from the focus group we were able to see some of the basic techniques that had a long-lasting effect such as keeping a diary, having meditation mornings and using the great ‘Stinking Thinking’ method used to banish negative thoughts 

Rounding up the focus group, Jenny asked the women one simple question:

“What makes ‘Change it: Progress to Success’ different to all the other personal development programmes you’ve been on?” 

"Change it is able to bring together women from all backgrounds, which was great and let me take something away from it"

"You're able to meet people you don't know and really open up about your life, sometimes it can be hard to talk to friends or family so it's a great outlet"

"Its the trainers, you're not being talked at and you're able to have your say during the course"

"The course content is so relevant to your life and hits all the right notes. There's also something really unique and empowering about being in The Womens Organisation building (54 St James Street) it feels like a really great safe environment"

Big thank you for all the participants that attended our focus group, it was great to have a catch up and see what amazing things you're achieving!

We have a number of Change it programmes going on around Liverpool and have recently added some new dates:

54 St James Street - Tuesday 7th August 2018 (4 sessions)

54 St James Street - Wednesday 12th September 2018 (4 Sessions)

Dingle Childrens Centre -Thursday 20th September 2018 (8 sessions)

Toxteth Firefit Hub - Thursday 20th September 2018 (5 sessions)

Everton Childrens Centre - Monday 8th October 2018 (5 Sessions)

If you'd like to find out more information about the programme or to book a place, contact us on 0151 706 8111 or email us on hello@thewo.org.uk and find out how we can support you.

Media Expert Lisa Pearson Joins The Women’s Organisation Board

We are delighted to announce that Lisa Pearson, Current Head of Marketing at Arriva North West and Wales, has joined our Board to assist in supporting and shaping our marketing strategy and vision for the future. 

Having worked with a wide variety of companies, from commercial radio group Bauer, to some of the region’s leading law firms, as well as within the leisure tourism industry, Lisa is an expert in creating impact on the local and national stage.

Lisa is incredibly passionate about empowering women to support each other in achieving great things and we can’t wait to welcome her into our team.

We sat down with Lisa to find out more about why she wanted to be part of The Women’s Organisation and her plans moving forward. Take a read ..

1) What made you want to join The Women’s Organisation’s board?

Over the last couple of years, I have been lucky enough to be involved in a number of events at The Women’s Organisation - aimed at supporting female entrepreneurs across our region with knowledge & advice to make their businesses (and themselves!) more successful.

At each event, I have been very aware of the unique sense of community that The Women’s Organisation has created and I like that! As I researched further into the areas of focus The Women’s Organisation is committed to, I felt even more inspired and wanted to ‘get involved’.

A change in my career earlier this year has brought me back to Liverpool and the vibrancy, ongoing regeneration and true uniqueness of our City continues to grow from strength to strength. I admire how passionate The Women’s Organisation is about our regions women being a part of this positive growth and change in Liverpool.

2) How do our values around women’s economic empowerment align with your own?

The Women’s Organisation is a genuine example of how ‘women empowered empower women’. I’ve always been a strong believer in the importance of women knowing their worth and how this is so dramatically linked to personal and professional development. There shouldn’t be any hidden agenda for wanting to help people and see them do well.

For those of us launching or running our own businesses, the need to feel supported and know that you can turn to someone for advice and guidance is incredibly important.

This is something The Women’s Organisation deliver time and time again – it is not dependant on backgrounds, needs or aspirations. We’re treating others the way we’d like to be treated – something I try to live my own life by, daily.

3) From your skills and experience, what will you bring to the organisation? 

My career in marketing has been very rewarding and over the last 5 years, I’ve gained knowledge & expertise around the importance of digital marketing, social media and engaging video content. If I can bring some of this marketing ‘magic’ to support the already excellent campaigns and messages coming out of The Women’s Organisation, I’ll be doing a good job.

I also firmly believe that there’s Power in People – who you know & how you can leverage your network to support a cause, campaign, event or message is sometimes more valuable than any marketing spend. I can’t wait to get out there & spreading the good word for The Women's Organisation!

4) What are you most excited about? 

This year already, I’ve been honoured to attend the Launch of our fantastic book, Twenty One (21 stories of Women who shaped our City) AND to speak about the necessity of being highly visualise with your marketing messaging at our June Business Club Event.

Events are definitely a strong point of The Women’s Organisation, bringing women together for a variety of themes and topics & I am really looking forward to our calendar over the coming months.
For me, it feels like 2018 has so far been a year of change and celebration – the #MeToo movement, the historic Eight Amendment referendum in Ireland and continued remembrance of 100 Years of Suffrage.

Women are really getting ‘stuff done’, something that has always been true for The Women’s Organisation – I am delighted to be a part of its future and what we get ‘done’ in years to come.

Meet T'shana, Our New Trainee Receptionist!

We’ve breathed new, youthful life into our W.O office in the form of two new lovely Trainee Receptionists that keep us smiling all day, Sophie and T’shana! We love staff introductory blogs, as we get to find out loads of interesting things about our new members of the team (like when Ellie told us that she has a qualification in archery).

First off, we’ll be introducing you to T’shana – if you’ve popped into 54 St James Street recently you may have had the pleasure of meeting her. Have a little read below to find out more about T’shana and just how she ended up with us here at The Women’s Organisation. And be sure to say hello to her next time you’re here! 

T'shana and Sophie

What’s your full name and where are you from?

My name is T’shana Braithwaite and I am from Liverpool.

Tell me how you first found out about The Women’s Organisation and become part of our team?

I first came to hear about The Women’s Organisation through one of my tutors at college. I had been looking for a role which offered more progression and development than my then current role at McDonalds.

What kind of things have you done prior to coming to The Women’s Organisation?

Prior to coming to The Women’s Organisation, I completed numerous traineeships and employability programmes whilst working at a fast food restaurant. I also carried out a voluntary work placement at a sheltered scheme near me, as a way of helping the elderly and giving back to my community.

T'shana! 

What has surprised you about working at The Women’s Organisation?

One of the things that surprised me about working at The Women’s Organisation is how welcoming the staff are and how quickly I have felt a part of the team. It’s also rather surprising how much I love coming to work every day!

What’s the best thing about working at The Women’s Organisation?

The best thing about working at The Women’s Organisation is the practical side of the role. For me, the thing I enjoy most is setting up for conferences and events held here at 54 St James St. It’s very hands on and it isn’t always easy, but still the best thing for me personally.

Could you describe one of your typical workdays?

No two days are the same working at the reception desk here at The Women’s Organisation. The job roles vary from setting up events to intensive filing! Some days can be extremely busy and others, not so much.

T'shana on Reception Duty

What might (someone) be surprised to know about you?

Maybe that I taught myself how to play the keyboard by ear and sometimes in my spare time I like to teach myself new songs.

What do you do when you aren’t working? 

Outside of work, I tend to spend most of my time shopping! When I am not shopping, I enjoy spending time with my boyfriend and my family. After all, family time is the best time!

Thanks T’shana – welcome to The W.O family, it’s great to have you here. 

Next up on the blog, we’ll be introducing you to Sophie – stay posted!  

Meet One of the Newest Members of Our Team - Ellie Vick!

If you've popped into 54 St James Street recently, you may have had the pleasure of meeting one of the newest (and smiliest!) members of our team. Ellie is a member of our Admin Team and operates Reception - and after four months we can't really remember a time that Ellie wasn't here! So, we thought this would be good time to catch up with Ellie and find our a bit more about her and how she ended up with us at The Women's Organisation. Have a read and be sure to give her a hello when you visit us ... 

What’s your full name and where are you from?

Eleanor Vick and I am originally from Wallasey on the Wirral.

Tell me how you first found out about The Women’s Organisation and become part of our team?

I first found out about the women's organisation via social media, and I attended courses and kept my eye out for job opportunities on the website. It was an organisation that really appealed to me, I have been a member of the Women's Equality party from the beginning and was brought up as feminist, a place championing women's rights on a grass root level is something I really wanted to be a part of.

What kind of things have you done prior to coming to The Women’s Organisation?

I completed a degree at the University of Sheffield in History and English Literature, working two jobs to fund myself, one in the very glamorous role of a night club cleaner and one as a disability assistant (helping students with disabilities get the most out of their university experience). Following on from university I worked at the National Museums of Liverpool (the Walker Art gallery and the Museum of Liverpool). I took up a 6-month placement at the galleries in Edinburgh which was such a wonderful opportunity to work in one of my favourite cities! However, due to funding cuts the job couldn't be made permanent so I moved back to the Wirral and I took a job as a Wedding and Events coordinator at a Hotel. I decided that my future didn't lay in the hospitality industry and made the decision to focus solely on achieving a job I wanted. Which is how I came to apply for this role at the Women's Organisation.

What has surprised you about working at The Women’s Organisation?

The diversity and complexity to the influence that The Women's Organisation has, not just a local level but nationally and internationally. The many branches to the organisation astounds me. Perhaps more so, the staff each hold a multitude of roles and all play a part in achieving the goals of the organisation. The passion and unity of the office is something I have come to really enjoy working within.

What’s the best thing about working at The Women’s Organisation?

The people by far. It would be nothing if each staff member did not actively participate in the values and aims of the organisation. It's an inspiring place to work.

Could you describe one of your typical workdays?

Reception is the first point of call for the organisation and the building, so it can be a very fast paced place to work. Queries come in all forms - phone, email and in person. As receptionists for the whole building, we greet and direct all visitors to the building, so knowing the building and its occupants is crucial. With many tenants and virtual tenants, we deal with their post, take messages on their behalf and answer any queries they may have. Other aspects of our role include setting up internal/external events, processing room hire enquiries, helping with projects within the organisation and any other admin related tasks that crop up on daily basis.

What might (someone) be surprised to know about you?

Perhaps that I have a qualification in archery!

What do you do when you aren’t working? 

Most of my time off is spent with friends and family. We are close knit family but are scattered all over the country so I enjoy travelling to see them. I enjoy visiting galleries and museums around Liverpool and beyond! Most of my travel trips evolve around art! I love travelling, I can never get away as much as I would love to but I am always planning my next adventure!

Thanks Ellie and welcome to The W.O family!

Marking 21 Years of The Women's Organisation and our Collaboration with dot-art 🎈

2017 marks 21 years of The Women’s Organisation. Never one to shy away from a party, we celebrated this milestone alongside those who have helped us along the way. 

We were joined by a whole host of people, from clients to tenants, local businesses and local authorities, our Baltic neighbours and Board Members, partners to funders and anyone else that has played a part in our history and success.

The occasion also honoured our collaboration with local, independent art gallery, dot-art. Some of you may have noticed the artwork that has appeared around 54 St James Street, a flagship facility for women and business.

For the next 18 months, our lovely building will double up as an art exhibition, showcasing the work of local artists Joanne Thompson and Olga Snell. We were joined by Founder of dot-art Lucy Byrne, who championed art as an integral part of everyday life and detailed some of the huge benefits of art in the workplace.

As our guests headed around the building to view the artwork, the artists were on hand to offer an insight into the thought behind the artwork.

We also had a speech from CEO of The Women’s Organisation, the incredible Maggie O’Carroll. Anyone who’s had the pleasure of meeting our Maggie will know that she has a way with words and can capture the eyes and mind of every person she speaks to. And she certainly didn’t disappoint – on 21 years of The Women’s Organisation, Maggie said: “I really have no comment to make because I can't remember most of it". 

Our Chief of Finance, Helen Millne, made sure to grab the mic and acknowledge Maggie’s incredible leadership and dedication to achieving women’s economic equality.

Maggie may be modest – but we’re happy to shout her amazing successes on her behalf. Maggie O’Carroll is an inspirational woman that has paved the way for equality and change in her own indomitable way. For 21 years, Maggie has devoted her time to levelling the playing field for women in all aspects of life.

From day one, our mission has been to ensure that women have a voice at the highest level, in business, community, political life, and in the wider world. At 21 years, we celebrate having impacted the lives of over 50,000 women, locally, nationally and internationally. However, Maggie reminded us that whilst we celebrate our success and the positive impact we have had, we still have an incredibly long way to go.

Thanks to all those who joined us yesterday and an even bigger thank you to every person who has played even the smallest role in the history and success of The Women’s Organisation. Here’s to 21 more …

The artwork is displayed throughout the building including at Reception, Siren communal areas and meeting rooms. So, if you pay us a visit anytime soon, please remember to take a look at the artwork and let us know what you think!

You can check out the photos from the event here.

Reflecting on 21 years of The Women's Organisation & Looking Ahead to the Future

2017 marks a milestone year for The Women’s Organisation, as we are celebrating our 21^st birthday! Over the past 21 years, our mission has been to make a positive impact on the lives of women by reaching out and enhancing their role in their own lives, whether that be in the local communities, in business or in the wider world.

 We wanted to level the playing field by offering women the support they need to believe in their abilities and to flourish in both new and existing businesses. We are honoured to say that we have worked with over 50,000 women over the past 21 years, that’s 21 years of women’s economic empowerment. This number is on the incline each day and although there is still a long way to go, we celebrate every success as a step in the right direction towards women’s economic equality.

In our 21 years, we also moved into our new home developed in 2011 as part of the WICED project. 54 St James Street is a flagship facility for enterprise and home to over 200 businesses as well as a meeting and conferencing centre for the wider business community. We are hugely proud of the impact we have made on the Liverpool City Region’s business community.

In true Women’s Organisation style, there will be no shortage of events and announcements throughout the year. We kicked of the celebrations yesterday with a visit from the Chairs of the Women’s Organisation board, Pat Shea Halson & Gill Moglione and an official cake-cutting ceremony, made by none other than our amazing training co-ordinator, Bernie Cox!

The afternoon included lots of photos and a speech from CEO of The Women’s Organisation, Maggie O’Carroll. It was a fantastic day for staff members to reflect on just how far we have come as an organisation. We received hundreds of well wishes from our partners, tenants, neighbours and friends and are hugely grateful for the continued support.

Tying in nicely with our 21^st celebrations was also the announcement that we are launching a new 4/8-week personal development programme for the women of Liverpool. ‘Change It: Progress to Success’ is a confidence-building programme, which over the next 3 years will assist over 500 women in building a more positive outlook at home, for work or in relationships, whilst paving the way to a more successful future. We will be working across the city to deliver the programme in a number of Children’s Centres, as well as at 54 St James Street, home of The Women’s Organisation. You can find out more by reading our blog here.

We are now recruiting for the first intake of ‘Change It’ which starts the week commencing 6th February. So if you are woman who would like to attend, or you have someone you would like to refer please get in touch today by contacting our team at The Women’s Organisation on 0151 706 8111 or hello@thewo.org.uk.

We have a lot of exciting things planned for the year ahead, so keep your eyes peeled for more 21^st announcements!