Being a Gender Equality Network Lead in Oasis Community Learning

In today's society, the role of a Gender Equality Lead in any organisation is more important than ever. As we strive towards creating a more inclusive and equitable world, it is imperative that multi- academy trusts such as Oasis Community Learning play a pivotal role in fostering gender equality.

As the Gender Equality Network Lead in Oasis Community Learning, I have the responsibility to ensure that all of our Oasis family, regardless of gender identity, have equal opportunities to achieve their God-given potential. 

The first port of call on this has been to create a network, open to all, of our staff and volunteers. This network of voices meets once a half term to discuss a range of different issues and how we can move forward. Sometimes these are topical issues due to certain international dates, such as how to celebrate International Men's Day or International Women's Day. Sometimes this is to garner feedback on something the trust's People Directorate are working on like a menopause policy for example. And sometimes this has been to gauge interest in an offer that OCL are rolling out - we did this when we were planning how to offer back to work coaching for new parents.

One of the key reasons why my role is crucial is because it helps to creature a culture within Oasis Community Learning in line with our ethos. We are driven by a 'Passion to Include' and therefore one objective is to break down traditional gender stereotypes and biases that have long plagued our society. But this isn't just within our staff, one of the parts of my role is to work with our National Lead Practitioner of our Personal Development curriculum because by championing gender equality in education, we need to also empower our students to challenge societal norms and pursue their own passions without limitations based on their gender.

However, being a Gender Equality Lead also comes with its own set of challenges.

One of the main challenges is resistance to change in some peoples' hearts and minds. Some people's own prejudices may be an immediate mental block. When I suggested that we celebrate International Men's Day throughout the trust, I was met with some jests 'Isn't every day International Men's Day?' without people realising the challenges that some men and boys face. But this was useful in its own way - it showed me that there was work to be done on educating my colleagues about these issues.

Some may not see the importance of gender equality initiatives or may be hesitant to disrupt the status quo - if a system is something that they benefit from, why change it? Some people see the official legislation in place and believe that's enough, 'gender equality is achieved because the laws are in place', without understanding that it's the micro aggressions, the cultural and societal expectations on women, the language used to describe women, the prejudice towards women that are newly married or have just had a baby that's really what is creating the glass ceiling. 

So its essential for me as the Gender Equality Lead to effectively communicate the benefits of promoting gender equality and work towards building consensus among all stakeholders. I need to win them over and make sure they are on board so that I can use their influence too. I'm truly blessed to be able to say that this has not been difficult within Oasis Community learning- and the leadership team are really enthusiastic about this too.

Overcoming these challenges is really rooted in creating a non negotiable culture within OCL, ensuring that gender equality for women isn't just something that has been magnanimously afforded to us, but is something that becomes normalised by the dedication, persistence, and a strong commitment to driving meaningful change not just by myself, but my every member of this trust.

Despite these challenges, the past 12 months since I have been in this role have seen so many successes. We have ensured we have a meaningful menopause policy in place and are now in the process of training up staff members in our academies to be 'menopause champions'.

We have collaborated with the MTPT project and are now able to offer four free sessions to any parents returning from parental leave.

We have celebrated International Men's Day on a trust wide level and delivered learning and development resources to educate our staff about the inequities that men face in terms of health, family, the law, and education.

My personal highlight has been this past month of March. 

For the first time ever Oasis Community Learning have celebrated 'HerStory Month- empowering and inspiring the women and girls of Oasis'. This has been a trust-wide initiative focused on leadership mentoring, girls leadership opportunities, staff celebrations, careers talks and so much more. It's been incredible and I encourage all those that want to champion gender equality to do the same.

In conclusion, being a Gender Equality Lead in an education trust is a rewarding yet challenging role. By advocating for gender equality in a Multi-Academy Trust, it's not only shaping the future of individual students but also contributing to a more equitable and inclusive trust as a whole. 

The work is definitely challenging, something completely new for me (I'm a teacher!) but I have learned so much already and already feel that the impact is invaluable.