As the Education Manager for Belfast, I was proud to celebrate International Women's Day at our Belfast Creative Learning Centre for an inspiring morning filled with powerful voices in education, leadership and the creative sector. On Saturday 28th...
Nicole : Back in September 2025, I spoke at WomenEd NI’s annual Unconference about a ‘Feminist Approach to AI’ and wrote a follow-up blog From Paralysis to Purpose: Processing the WomenEd NI Unconference and invited collaborators to contribute to a...
Yes, I did use AI to help me write this. I'm one of those people pushed to the point of burnout, balancing multiple passions while feeling the heaviness of the world and crisis after crisis.
by Sandra Patterson @SandyZPatterson In a circle of support, we stand so strong, Guidance flows freely, where we all belong. Collaboration ignites the sparks of our dreams, Connections we foster weave powerful seams. With hearts #10percentbraver, we...
by Ann McCann Still on a high from attending my first WomenEd Northern Ireland unconference I began to consciously look for opportunities that would develop my confidence and make me 10% braver personally and professionally. A charity that supports...
by Sandra Patterson FCCT @sandyzpatterson 'If you think you're too small to have an impact, try going to bed with a mosquito.' (Attributed to many.) In March 2022 I presented for the second time at a #WomenEd Northern Ireland unconference. I had to...
by Ann McCann I can honestly say that I feel at least 10% braver after my first #WomenEd Northern Ireland unconference in Belfast on 19 th of September. I had attempted to attend a few times before but always some sort of other commitment got in the...
by #WomenEd NI @WomenEdNI From all of us in the #WomenEd NI network, we want to extend a heartfelt thank you to Parm Plummer for her dedication and support to our community. Many in our network might not realise the extent of Parm's...
by Nicole O'Connor Twitter LinkedIn Labels and identity are a staple of Northern Ireland's cultural landscape and are deeply politicised. The use of labels can often be contentious and weaponised, making them a complex form of personal expression....
by Sandra Patterson @sandyZPatterson LinkedIn Today, like most Sundays, I collected my niece from her mum and brought her to my home for dinner. This usually means that my daughter and I can go for a nice walk in the forest near their home before...
b y Clare Evan @ClareEv40077283 As a teaching principal navigating Northern Ireland's cost of living crisis, I am overwhelmed with gratitude for my team's unwavering commitment, despite the persistent pay disparity compared to their counterparts....
b y Mairéad Mhig Uaid @MaireadMhigUaid 'Mammy, what way does 10% braver work?' my nine-year-old asked. 'I suppose it all depends on your starting point,' came my sluggish reply as I thought back to when we began the #WomenEd Northern Ireland network...
by Sandra Patterson @sandyzpatterson 'The connections between and among women are the most feared, the most problematic, and the most potentially transforming force on the planet'. Adrienne Rich I write this on a beautiful Tuesday evening after a...
by Sandra Patterson @sandyzpatterson Belfast hosted the BELMAS (British Educational Leadership Management and Administration Society) conference on 14-16 July 2023. @WomenEdNI were invited to attend to host an information stand and also a conference...
by Gwawr McGirr @gwawrmcgirr As lockdown in March 2020 became inevitable I can remember feeling a sense of shock. At times like this – being a musician – I draw on the tremendous resource that is music, and I felt a really strong sense that as a...
by Claire Young @curiousCY I want more circles and fewer lines. I am at my best when I’m working shoulder to shoulder with the people around me and we can see each other eye to eye. My problem with lines is that they leave the people exposed. My...
by Chris Reddy @brightleadcoach Founder of @brightleadersUK Confession time! When I stumbled across @WomenEd a few years back on Twitter, I did wonder what it was all about. Why do women educators need support over men? It’s worth noting, I was...
by Niamh Thompson @toal_niamh Ever since a young age, I always dreamed of becoming a teacher. Suffering from severe dyslexia, however, I didn’t think this would always be possible. As I began my A levels in Sociology and Irish, my aspirations of...
by Rachel Doherty @dohertyrachel1 Teaching in a Derry City School with a student population of 500, is not for the faint hearted especially when you are a Primary 7 teacher. Being brave is a daily venture for me. I seek to challenge children to step...
by Janet Metcalfe @ch100j Let me start by saying that I feel so grateful to have found a profession that I love. It has tested me to the brink this year, but I love it. I love it because it is through the inspiring students and leaders around me...
by Geraldine O’Connor @goconnor816 10 years as Principal and I'm definitely braver and indeed wiser than I was when I naively embarked on the winding and colourful journey that is school leadership.Blessed with a healthy physical constitution, an...
by Nichola Lynagh @nicholalynagh My stand out moments, some of which have shaped who I am in the world.. At 32 I was diagnosed with a treatable non-curable cancer: Non Hodgkins Lymphoma; a word I am very familiar with now as 51 year old woman.. –...
by Cara Dooley @MissDooley90 I completed a PGCE in Primary Education at Northumbria University, graduating in 2019. In September of 2019 I embarked on my Primary teaching career. Like most newly qualified teachers in Northern Ireland I began my...