FAQs

Why was Represent Women created?

The North East of England has a rich history of women and girls’ networks, groups and support systems which advocate for the sector, enabling skill sharing, the amplification of voices and advocacy at local, national and international level. In recent years some of these groups have ceased operating, become less active or have lacked funding and a central voice to collate data and experiences. Represent Women was born from a desire by individual sector organisations to build a collaborative voice for advocacy to courageously address policy and funding decisions which negatively impact both the women and girls VCSE sector and the individual women and girls they support.

What is Represent Women?

Represent Women is a representative and advocacy organisation for the women and girls’ voluntary and community sector, in the North East (including Tees Valley).
Our aim is to influence and inform decision makers using evidence led approaches which improve the lives of women and girls and sustain the organisations that support them.

 

What is Represent Women’s Vision? (Goal)

Represent. Amplify. Advocate

 A women and girls’ sector which is thriving and feels confident about the future. Is well-supported and adequately funded. Has a strong, influential voice. Recognised for its societal and economic contributions; with the capacity to act collectively whilst celebrating individuality. (short form)

A women and girls’ sector that…

  • is thriving not just surviving and feels confident about the future
  • feels supported and adequately funded
  • has a strong voice that is heard and acted on by decision makers
  • is recognised for the contributions it makes to the economy and to society.
  • feels connected and united while celebrating individual identity and uniqueness
  • Is advocated for locally and nationally. For policy that works for women and girls and not against

 

What is Represent Women’s Mission? (Method)

Represent. Amplify. Advocate

Thrive and survive – We will proactively and regularly listen to the women and girls’ sector, ensuring there are easy and accessible ways to feed into Represent Women and flag emerging issues. We will gather evidence from the sector and the women and girls it works with, to identify themes, trends and areas of opportunity or concern across our region. We will use this information to amplify the voice of the women and girls VCSE sector. (REPRESENT) 

Feels supported and adequately funded – We amplify and celebrate the women and girls sector using our newsletter, blogs, website space and public platforms. We will collate evidence and carry out research to highlight the issues faced by the women and girls’ sector to encourage more funding for the sector. We will share information about funding opportunities and showcase sector best practice to a wide range of audiences.  (AMPLIFY) 

Have a strong voice that is heard and acted on by decision makers – We will create and maintain positive and meaningful relationships with decision-making bodies and individuals. We will work with them to create mechanisms whereby the voices of women and girls are heard and their needs understood. We will create and maintain positive and meaningful relationships with local, regional and national women’s organisations and networks and work collaboratively with them so we can advocate and amplify their voices with meaning and purpose, whilst ensuring that the needs of women and girls in our region are represented (ADVOCATE and INFLUENCE) 

Recognised for the contributions it makes to the economy and to society – We will look for local and national research and evidence and collect local data and case studies. We will ensure Represent Women has a positive and trusted reputation so that we can highlight the issues facing the sector and the women and girls it represents. (EVIDENCE) 

Feels connected and united while celebrating organisations and communities’ individual identity and uniqueness – Creating opportunities where the women and girls’ sector can come together, share intelligence and collaborate on joint priorities. Supporting partnership opportunities between different organisations and groups in the sector. Identifying opportunities for the women and girls’ sector to share resources. (COLLABORATE) 

What are Represent Women’s Values?

We are courageous, collaborative and committed

What are Represent Women’s Guiding Principles?

Feminist, anti-racist, anti-oppressive and intersectional. Evidence led.

Why is it needed?

Organisations led by women, for women are crucial in the North-East due to their unique ability to address the specific needs and challenges faced by women. They provide tailored holistic support that is more effective in helping women overcome issues. Research shows that women are more likely to seek help and feel safe in women-only environments and that women-only services have a significant positive impact on service users.

But the women and girls sector face many disproportionate barriers and discrimination hampering the ability to thrive and not just survive. Lack of funding, unrealistic funding criteria, lack of representation and being under-valued to name a few.

Women and girls services are essential in supporting marginalised and excluded women, ensuring they have access to the resources and support they need to thrive. Women-led charities often focus on offering a range of services and build packages of care based on individual needs and can make adaptions. Services led by women have the unique ability to be able to lead from experience and with a connection to the work that the organisation delivers for other women.

What sort of Women and Girls groups do you represent?

Represent Women understands the women and girls’ sector is diverse with unique organisations focusing on different issues and taking different approaches and providing a range of services. From domestic abuse organisations to theatre groups. We all have a role to play in improving the lives of women and girls in our region.

Represent Women recognises that women and girls voluntary and community sector (VCS) organisations run by women and for women and girls play a critical role and they will be our primary focus.

Represent Women also recognises the wider women and girls’ VCS includes organisations that deliver important services for women and girls but aren’t solely run by woman and girls. They might also deliver services that are not just for women and girls, or also deliver projects that are for men and boys alongside their work with women.

We understand that specialist thematic organisations also have a role to play in providing services and identifying trends and themes that affect women and girls.

Represent women recognises that there are geographic and thematic women and girl’s networks and focus groups that exist and are working together voluntarily and are at times funded for one of pieces of work or projects.

Represent Women values the work of these organisations and groups who are all welcome to become members and contribute to our work as an overarching representative and advocacy organisation.

Tell me about your membership system?

Represent Women is a membership organisation. Membership is free and enables members to contribute and collaborate. Together, we can gather the voices of the sector and the women and girls it supports and share information effectively both within the sector and with those who influence and support it.

There are three tiers of membership, which help us direct our resources appropriately, gather data effectively, and communicate efficiently with the right people about the topics that impact their work and the lives of those they support:
Tier One – Specifically for led by and for women’s and girls’ organisations and the staff who work for them
Tier Two- Other voluntary and community organisations which have a women and girls only service or project and the staff who work for them
Tier Three- Anyone else with an interest in furthering the rights and well-being of women and girls in our region, including generalist organisations, local authorities, statutory bodies and individuals

When you sign up as a member you will be added to the mailing list for the monthly newsletter and may be contacted directly by a member of the Represent Women team.

All information and contact will be appropriate, and your information and data will not be shared without consent.

Tiers 1 and 2 may receive different information to Tier 3 members.

Tier 1 members are eligible to join the Steering Group

Are you trans-inclusive?

Represent Women is a trans-inclusive organisation and will seek to be an active ally to all marginalised communities and individuals. We also acknowledge that some women’s organisations who are members of Represent Women may not be trans-inclusive. We hope that, by creating safe, trusting relationships between organisations and individuals, we can have respectful dialogue on a range of topics, fostering a culture of careful listening and better understanding.

Who is on the Steering Group for Represent Women and what does it do?

The Steering Group meets quarterly and oversees the direction of Represent Women including governance, aims and strategy. Members ensure Represent Women is representative of the North East’s women and girls’ sector and are focused on the themes and issues which impact women and girls in our communities.

  • Tyneside Women’s Health
  • WWIN (Sunderland)
  • My Sister’s Place
  • The Millin Charity
  • Women’s Workshop
  • Rape Crisis Tyneside & Northumberland
  • Women’s Health in South Tyneside
  • The Angelou Centre
  • Young Women’s Outreach Project
  • Project Resist
  • Aspire
  • The Girls Network
How do I join the Steering Group for Represent Women?

If you are interested in joining or finding out more about the Steering Group and you are from a VCSE organisation that is run by and for women and girls in the North East of England, please contact hello@representwomenne.org.uk. We are looking for courageous and committed members of all ages, from all backgrounds, who align with the vision, mission and values of Represent Women.

Who works at Represent Women?

Erin Parker Leonard is the Director of Policy and Advocacy (0.8 FTE)

Joanne Armstrong is the Member Support, Marketing and Communications Officer (0.8FTE)

Represent Women is currently hosted by Tyneside Women’s Health, and overseen by their CEO, Elaine Slater. We are working towards self-governance and charitable status by 2025

Where can I find you on social media?
      
What areas does Represent Women cover?

We cover the North East of England

  • Northumberland
  • North Tyneside
  • Newcastle
  • South Tyneside
  • Gateshead
  • Sunderland
  • County Durham
  • Darlington
  • Hartlepool
  • Middlesbrough
  • Redcar and Cleveland
  • Stockton on Tees
How is Represent Women funded?

We have been funded by the National Lottery Community Fund for five years from May 2024. The Fund listened to women’s organisations who expressed the need for a representative body to amplify their collective voice.

Duncan Nicholson, Regional Head of Funding for North East & Cumbria at The National Lottery Community Fund said:

“We are delighted to fund this important partnership, bringing together women and girls-focused community organisations from across the North East to create a collaborative and progressive network in the region.

“Supporting women and girls to fulfill their potential and thrive is important to us. Thanks to National Lottery players, we can help this network continue to inspire bold change in the community, and address issues that matter to women and girls.”

Who does Represent Women Influence?

We will develop meaningful, collaborative relationships with people in decision-making positions and have the courage to challenge and advocate on the behalf of the women and girls’ sector in these arenas. This includes, but is not limited to, Local Authorities, the North-East and Tees Valley Combined Authorities, Integrated Care Boards, and Police & Crime Commissioners.

What is Represent Women’s Equality, Diversity & Inclusion statement?

You can find our Represent Women’s Equality, Diversity & Inclusion statement here.

What is Represent Womens Complaint Policy?

You can find our Represent Womens Complaint Policy here.

Where can I find your Policies and Procedures?

Please email Joanne.armstrong@representwomenne.org.uk if you have any queries and to view Represent Women policies. As Represent Women is incubated through Tyneside Women’s Health they are working under some of their policies.

How will you listen to the sector?

We will work collaboratively to amplify voices by holding networking events, learning conversations, online evaluations and surveys, one to one conversations, learning from research and reports, theme exploration and conferences.

We will be open to feedback from members and stakeholders about any ideas that might help us listen more proactively and are committed to reflective and collaborative practice

We will consider accessibility when we plan listening exercises and endeavor to address any barriers to participation

Are we political?

We will influence and lobby political figures and elected representatives with courage and will engage in local, regional and national debates and consultations, ensuring we keep up to date on policies and legislation that affect women and girls and the women and girls’ sector. Represent Women is not affiliated to any political party and will take a cross-party approach on all issues of social policy.