I Will Lead the Way: A cornerstone of the Women in Leadership priority The vision of the Women in Leadership (WIL) priority is to create, support and develop a future generation of women leaders in the student movement and the wider world, by removing barriers and changing cultures. One of the key initiatives as a part of this is the I Will Lead the Way scheme, which seeks to provide women full time officers (sabbaticals) with the resources they need to become successful leaders and role models. Women make up an average of 59% of students. However, only 45% of student officers are women, and a tiny 35% of women officers are presidents.

Introduction from Toni Pearce Women in Leadership Introduction from Toni Pearce

Shami Chakrabarti, director of Liberty Women in Leadership Shami Chakrabarti, director of Liberty

Women in Leadership http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykMok3MS-oo From : 10.29 mins 11 minutes clip

‘I Will Lead the Way’ coaching project Pilot began in February 2014 86 Coaching partnerships Coachee Coach Women standing for first time Full time officers Women running for president Existing president Women presidents Leading women from third sector

Why be a coach? Flexibility Different levels of coaching to suit the commitments of different coaches. Level 1- A minimum of a one hour telephone call per month Level 2- As per level 1 with additional face-to-face meetings Level 3- As per level 2 with opportunities for shadowing and/or work placements Training Training guides are provided by email. Coaches can sign up to optional webinars for extra support- as they are online they are cost effective and convenient. Career development Coaching someone else is an excellent way to develop your own skills

Intersectionality of coachees 23% 22% 20% 18% 9% * defined by NUS as African, Asian, Arabic and Caribbean heritage, and other non-European groups Data on UK students from Equality in higher education: statistical report 2013 by Equality Challenge Unit

Areas to address Use our networks to access more intersectional women. Black and Disabled women are underrepresented as coachees. We have a significant lack of Black women as coaches. Only 12% of our coaches are presidents. We need to recruit as many as possible.

Panel: Women in Leadership Toni Pearce – NUS President Miki Vyse- President of Leeds Trinity/Block of 15 Emily O’Connor-President of Sheffield Hallam Laura Jackson-President York St John Shakira Martin- President of LESOCO/Block of 15 Ellie Scouller- President of Falmouth Emily Beever- President of Aberdeen

Panel: Women in Leadership What has been your experiences of student politics as a woman? What has been your experience of the ‘I Will Lead the Way’ coaching programme? How can we use coaching in the future?

Networking tables How could coaching be used within students unions to increase women in leadership positions? How could you practically implement a coaching project? Consider: What you want to achieve? The design of the project Stakeholders Implementation Evaluation

Moving forward ‘I Will Lead the Way’ – August/September cohort Sign up as a coach Encourage women at your unions to sign up as coachees in the new academic year. Website: wwwiwillleadtheway.org.uk – sign up/more info Flyers

St Paul’s Women in Leadership Event Attend: Wednesday 16th July -7pm-9pm, London Free event- see flyers. From 9th July - Take a selfie holding up a sign that fills in the blank after “I will…” or “I won’t…” – for example:   I will lead. #womenleaders I will confront barriers. #womenleaders I won’t accept less. #womenleaders I won’t tolerate discrimination. #womenleaders I will support my women colleagues. #womenleaders I won’t be told I can’t make it. #womenleaders I will celebrate when women are bishops. #womenleaders

Closing from Toni Pearce Women in Leadership Closing from Toni Pearce