On the 23 February 2015 Women Acting in Today’s Society and the Women’s Resource Centre will call together an event to deliberate ‘Towards an improved state of the women’s sector in Birmingham’.
The event will discuss evening the playing field for women within an ever changing policy and funding environment – How can women’s organisation work smartly together to alleviate gender inequalities whilst engaging in intricate contracting processes?
Our event of thought-provoking deliberation is free but places are limited and will be assigned on a first come, first served basis.
A panel discussion will be chaired by Vivienne Hayes MBE, Commentator and Chief Executive, Women’s Resource Centre (WRC).
Confirmed speakers and panel members:
Kindy Sandhu, black feminist, social entrepreneur, and co-author of Layers of inequality
Marcia Lewinson, Chief Executive, Women’s Action in Today’s Society (WAITS)
Representative; West Midlands Combined Authority
Dianne Whitfield, Chief Executive, CRASAC, ‘the trouble with commissioning
Mashuq Ally, Director of Equalities, diversity and social inclusion, Birmingham City Council
Who is the event for?
This event is women only and for paid and volunteer staff and board/ management committee members of the following:
Political backdrop
After decades of decline, Birmingham is growing again, with a projected 100,000 more people by 2026. This will result in a population that looks different to that of today’s city, which in turn will bring different challenges for public services. The population will be diverse – by 2026 no single ethnic group will form a majority of the city’s population. By 2026, the city is likely to have 228,300 more people belonging to black and minority ethnic groups and 128,000 fewer white people. (Birmingham 2026; Our vision for the future, 2010).
It is well reported public services resources are reducing year on year. Given reduction in available resources, it is clear the public sector will no longer be able to meet solution to challenges it faces alone, i.e. inequalities, safeguarding vulnerable women and children, mental well-being, justice and crime. Birmingham already has a vibrant voluntary, community and faith organisations and networks that are at the heart of local communities, but will be required to work smarter to help public sector agencies deliver better outcomes for their communities of interest.
Over the past eighteen months significant changes have been made to national and local political and funding structures, for example, introduction of Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs), Clinical Commissioning Groups, and most recently powers that Parliament controlled in the past, to move forward with a radical devolution of funding, powers and responsibilities that will tackle the economic and social challenges a region faces. The picture is likely to be the same for Birmingham and neighbouring local authorities, as such, a separate body with such powers will likely be taken by West Midlands Combined Authority (source).
The women’s voluntary and community sector has a vital role to play in public service delivery; ensuring services are developed and delivered in a way that women both want and need. In recent years reduced funding opportunities, an increase in demand for women’s services and the shift from public sector grant giving to commissioning has had a profound impact on smaller, specialist women’s services. If the sector is to organise itself to ensure better outcomes for women and children it needs to reflect in order to present a solution to decision makers.
