To mark International Women’s Day, Return has partnered with The Girls Network to raise funds and awareness for its mentoring programme. With over 65% of Return’s office being female, we are proud to be working with a charity that offers opportunities to girls from varying backgrounds.
The Girls’ Network
The Girls’ Network was set up by Charly Young and Becca Dean. After both teaching in secondary schools in North West London, the multiple barriers facing girls in their classroom became apparent to them.
They observed girls feeling the pressure to conform to ideals, having a lack of self-belief and little to no professional female role models in their lives. They believed that the girls needed greater access to opportunities, but also a boost of confidence to seize these opportunities and the skills to thrive in them.
In 2013, this observation led them to establish The Girls’ Network, a charity which arranges one-to-one mentoring schemes for girls from the least advantaged communities across the UK. The charity believes that no girls should have their futures limited by their gender, background or parental income.
After starting the mentoring scheme with just 30 girls, The Girls’ Network now operates across Greater London, Sussex, Portsmouth, the West Midlands, Greater Manchester, the North East, and Liverpool City Region, working with more than 1,000 girls each year.
Return
Return has partnered with The Girls Network to raise funds that will contribute towards its mentoring programme. We held two fundraising activities to raise money, a ‘Guess How Many Sweets Are In The Jar’ game and an ‘Inspirational Women Sweepstake’. We raised just under £100 overall – a great effort from the team!
Return also have two representatives from The Girls Network coming into the Return offices to chat to the team. They’ll be hosting a session to explain more about the charity’s work, their mentoring scheme and discussing opportunities for the Return team to get involved in.
We’re looking forward to working with the charity more moving forward!
International Women’s Day
International Women’s Day is celebrated annually on 8th March around the world. The day is not country, group or organisation specific; it’s a day to praise the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The global day celebrates unity and also marks an important call to action for encouraging gender equality.
To celebrate International Women’s Day, we asked some of our super-talented female team members at Return what being a woman in business means to them.
“It’s amazing to see such a strong workforce of women at Return. With over 65% of the office being female, it’s great to work somewhere that doesn’t limit anyone’s potential by their gender!” Pip Hough.
“I haven’t experienced workplace gender discrimination which makes me so thankful for the perseverance and bravery of the generations before me, my current generation and the generations after me. I am a well-respected professional within Return earned through my work, and not because of my gender – the way it should be.” Cherie Bellingham.
“During my time in the working world, I’ve been lucky enough to work for some very inspiring women. Women that not only know their industry like the back of their hand, but also who are more than willing to encourage the generation that follows them. I am very grateful for these women getting me to where I am today.” Emily Cotton.
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