International Women’s Conference 2008 - Read On!
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Overview: Why this conference?
This conference was designed to respond directly to the survey findings of the National School's 2007 International Women's Conference in which women identified personal and professional blocks to their leadership capabilities and career progression.
The theme of our 2008 conference was 'Women's leadership globally and locally: for me, for them, for us'. This two day event was for women who wanted to make changes to their own leadership style/capabilities ('for me'), to influence change in organisations by helping employers to improve working practices which benefit women and men alike ('for them') and for delegates to say what else should be in place for the public sector to be an employer of choice for women ('for us').
The workshops offered women strategies and skills on how to deal with some of the personal and professional barriers. Due to the aims of this conference, and because we know from research that there is often a lack of senior role models and reduced networking opportunities for women, this was offered as a positive action event whereby all delegates were women and almost all contributors were women. By sharing their stories of leadership successes and on-going challenges, our contributors inspired delegates to focus on their leadership development and to take action in moving their careers and their organisations forward.
For summaries of all the speeches and presentations including the Live Stage Interview- Helping Women Claim and Sustain Ambition click here.
To download video clips from the conference or to see the full transcripts or PowerPoint slides of the keynote addresses please click on the links shown in the programme below.
To see the two-day programme and list of contributors please see below.
|
Wednesday 27
February 2008 | ||
|
0900-1000 |
On
arrival |
Registration,
tea and coffee |
|
1000-1015 |
Introduction |
Welcome to the
Conference |
|
1015-1030 |
Opening
keynote |
The Importance of Gender
Equality: A Meg Munn MP, Minister with responsibility for
Equality and Diversity within the Foreign and Commonwealth
Office |
|
1030-1055 |
Keynote address
1 |
Gender Equality:
A Right, A Must, A Hope The Honourable
Jocelyne Bourgon, President
Emeritus of the |
|
1055-1255 |
Plenary
activity/refreshments |
Building the
Futures We Want Dr Mee-Yan
Cheung-Judge, Organisational Development Consultant |
|
1255-1355 |
Hot buffet
lunch |
Beatrice
Suite |
|
1355-1425 |
Keynote address
2 |
Laying
Foundations for Future Generations Dayo Keshi,
President, |
|
1425-1455 |
Keynote address
3 |
Leadership
Perspectives from Berglind
Ásgeirsdóttir, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health and Click here to download a video clip and a Powerpoint presentation |
|
1455-1515 |
Keynote address
4 |
Leadership
Issues in Local Government Dame Jane
Roberts, Chair of the Councillors Commission and former Leader of
Click here to download a video clip and a Powerpoint presentation |
|
1515-1535 |
Break |
Beatrice
Suite |
|
1535-1635 |
Live stage
interview |
Helping Women
Claim and Sustain Ambition Interviewer:
Samira Ahmed,
Broadcaster and Journalist Fleur Bothwick,
Director, Diversity and Inclusiveness, Ernst and Young
LLP Ruby
Brown, Chief Executive, Management Institute for National
Development Liz
Davis, HR Director, Department for International
Development Caroline Waters,
Director, People and Policy, BT Group |
|
1635-1645 |
Plenary |
Effective
Leadership: Today's Key Messages |
|
1645-1700 |
Plenary |
Reflections on
Individual Leadership ('For Me') and Organisational Diversity Practices
('For Them') Table
Review |
|
1700-1830 |
Break |
Light evening
buffet |
|
1830-2000 |
Evening
Gala |
Women in Public
Life Awards 2008 |
|
Thursday 28
February 2008 | ||
|
0830-0900 |
On
arrival |
Tea and
coffee |
|
0900-0910 |
Plenary |
Welcome and
Outline for the Day |
|
0910-0945 |
Keynote address
5 |
Wedging the
Leadership Door Open The Honourable
Click here to download a video clip and a Powerpoint presentation |
|
0945-1115 |
Workshops |
Parallel
Leadership Workshops See details in
table below |
|
1115-1135 |
Break |
Beatrice
Suite |
|
1135-1305 |
Workshops |
Parallel
Leadership Workshops (repeated) See details in
table below |
|
1305-1405 |
Hot buffet
lunch |
Beatrice
Suite |
|
1405-1515 |
Plenary
activity/refreshments |
Pushing for
Greater Gender Equality in the Public Service: Final Plans and Collective
Actions ('For Us') Introduced by
Dr Nicola
Brewer, Chief Executive, Equality and Human Rights
Commission Led by
Dr Mee-Yan
Cheung-Judge, Organisational Development
Consultant Click here to download a video clip and a Powerpoint presentation |
|
1515-1600 |
Keynote address
6 |
Response to
Plans Sir Gus
O'Donnell, Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Home Civil
Service |
|
1600-1615 |
Plenary |
Effective
Leadership: Key Messages from Day 2 |
|
1615-1630 |
Plenary |
Closing
Comments |
|
1645 |
Plenary |
Close |
|
Parallel
Leadership Workshops | |
|
|
Day Two 0945-1115 and repeated at
1135-1305 |
Workshop
1 |
Leading Communities, Charities
and Social Change - the Challenges and Opportunities of the Third Sector
Jointly led
by Tracy Beasley, Manager of the Third Sector Leadership
Centre, Deborah Jack, Chief Executive, National AIDS
Trust Click here to download a Powerpoint presentation and a handout |
Room:
Edward
| |
|
Women play a key
role in the Third Sector - not only are there more female than male
employees, it boasts a higher proportion of women leaders than the public
or private sectors. Many of the largest organisations - such as Amnesty
International, NSPCC and Oxfam - are led by women and a recent ACEVO
survey found that women running the largest Third Sector organisations
earn more than their male counterparts. This interactive workshop aims to
give an insight into the Third Sector, discuss some of the unique
challenges of leading a voluntary organisation and explore the reasons why
women are both attracted to, and perform well within, this
sector. | |
Workshop
2 |
Women Working in
Difficult Environments: Leadership Challenges in Fragile Situations
Jointly led
by Dr Zarina Rahman Khan, Professor, Catriona
Laing, Head of DFID Sarah Sanyahumbi, Deputy Head of DFID Rahela Hashim Sidiqi,
Senior
Advisor to the Chairman of the Independent Administrative Reform &
Civil Service Commission (IARCSC), and Head of Executive Committee of
Afghanistan Experts Program (AEP/LEP) Click here to download 3 Powerpoint presentations |
|
Room: Edward | |
|
| |
Workshop
3 |
Embodied
Leadership Jointly led
by Margi Gordon, Principal Consultant, Leadership
& Management, Roffey Park Institute Susan Nichols, Master Somatic Coach and Teacher,
|
|
Room:
Albert | |
|
This interactive and practical
workshop will introduce the concept and practice of embodied leadership, a
new and exciting approach to leadership from the Strozzi Institute,
| |
Workshop
4 |
Navigating the Glass Cliff
Led
by Della
Cannings, Former Chief Constable of
Click here to download a Powerpoint presentation and a handout |
|
Room: Edward
| |
|
It has been suggested that the
'Glass Ceiling' has been replaced by the 'Glass Cliff'' where senior
professional women take on 'risky' posts that others care not to. Are you
in such a role? Hear from a former Chief Constable who changed a
potentially failing police force into a high achieving one in fast time.
In this workshop you will explore the tools required to navigate such a
challenge and succeed. Come prepared to share your vignettes of success
(however small) and perhaps, discuss where things went wrong, so that you
can discover new ways of managing dynamic change with strategies for
reducing personal and professional risks. | |
Workshop
5 |
Leadership and
Spirituality Jointly led
by Sharon Brockway, Principal Consultant, Personal
Effectiveness, Roffey Park Institute Helena Clayton, Director, Roffey Park
Institute |
|
Room: Edward | |
|
To explore spirituality is to
explore your core purpose, that is, what is of utmost importance to you
and your deepest values. How might your leadership be enhanced by a better
understanding of your spirituality? How can you lead more effectively by
paying attention to the vital area of 'spirit' that often gets suppressed
or ignored in organisations? You will be introduced to a new model,
originating in | |
Workshop
6 |
Surviving and
Thriving at the Top of the SCS Led
by Dr. Vanessa Lawrence, CB, Director General and Chief Executive,
Ordnance Survey Sue Owen, Acting Permanent Secretary, Department
for International Development |
|
Room:
Edward | |
|
All senior leadership roles are demanding but potentially incredibly rewarding. Working in the Senior Civil Service is no exception to this. It offers tremendous opportunities, range and variety of work. Fully engaging with the role requires leaders to recognise the realities and risks that come with these big challenges. In this workshop you will hear from women sharing their stories about how they survive and thrive in very senior roles. | |
Workshop
7 |
Gender Barriers
- a Balkans Perspective Jointly led
by Spomenka Krunic, Director, Republika Srpska Gender Jelena Milinovic, Officer for PR, Coordination and
Cooperation, Republika Srpska Gender |