Represent Women recently attended the “Celebrating, Connecting and Sharing ‘What Works’ to Create Opportunities in Middlesbrough” event, bringing together organisations, practitioners, funders and decision-makers who are committed to tackling poverty and creating better outcomes for local communities.
Erin from Represent Women with Amy from Her Circle at the event
It was a busy and thought-provoking day, with no shortage of important discussions about the challenges facing people across Middlesbrough and the opportunities that exist when organisations work together.
Rupal from Smallwood Trust expertly guided us through a day that struck the right balance between reflection, discussion and action. The programme began with a thought-provoking panel conversation and concluded with purposeful networking creating valuable opportunities to build connections across the room. We also took part in a series of rotating table discussions, where participants were invited to contribute their perspectives on different themes, share challenges and identify practical actions for moving forward. These sessions encouraged honest conversation and collective problem-solving, ensuring that the event was not just about discussing issues, but about exploring solutions together.
One of the highlights of the day was hearing Yasmin Khan OBE, CEO of the Halo Project, speak with both passion and authority about the realities faced by women experiencing multiple forms of disadvantage. She highlighted the importance of recognising the intersecting barriers that can make it harder for women to access safety and support, reminding those in the room that effective responses must reflect the complexity of women’s lives.
Yasmin Khan speaking at the event
During a panel discussion, Represent Women’s Director of Policy and Advocacy, Erin Parker Leonard, asked how we can ensure that women’s organisations are recognised as a valued and integral part of the local ecosystem and infrastructure when tackling gendered poverty.
In response, Yasmin emphasised the importance of centring women’s organisations within solutions and spoke about the need for cross-sector and cross-policy partnerships that focus on changing systems rather than simply responding to the consequences of inequality. She argued for a greater emphasis on prevention, describing the need to “focus on prevention instead of crisis peddling.”
This message resonated strongly throughout the event. Women’s organisations across the region consistently see the impact of poverty, violence, discrimination and inequality before those issues reach crisis point. Their expertise and trusted relationships place them in a unique position to inform preventative approaches and influence long-term change.
Another important contribution came from Agatha at Women Today NE, another Women’s Organisation here in the North East. Agatha raised concerns about young people whose immigration status remains unresolved when they turn 18. Without access to education, employment opportunities or financial support, many face significant uncertainty about their future, with serious consequences for their mental health and wellbeing.
These contributions serve as a powerful reminder that poverty is rarely experienced in isolation and is often linked to a wider range of structural inequalities that require coordinated and inclusive responses.
Erin with Women Today NE at the event
The event reinforced something we hear time and time again: if we are serious about tackling gendered poverty, women’s organisations must be seen not as an afterthought, but as a vital part of the infrastructure that helps women, families and communities thrive.
We look forward to continuing these conversations and working alongside partners across the region to create lasting change.
It was also productive to have people who not only have the ability to influence change but who are genuinely committed to addressing gendered poverty in Middlesbrough present at the event and we are grateful to the National Lottery Community Fund and Smallwood Trust for creating a space where these conversations can happen and for supporting collaborative approaches to tackling inequality.
Represent Women is proud to be funded by the National Lottery Community Fund and are grateful for the trust they put in us to be a strong voice that advocates for the women and girls sector across the region.
Their investment enables us to connect, champion and strengthen women’s organisations across the region, ensuring that the expertise, experiences and contributions of the sector are heard and valued.