National Equality Seminars: “Together we can achieve so much!”
This year, the Equalities team particularly invites members who have never attended before. Susan writes about what it meant to her to get involved.
I am a woman of 61 years, and I joined the civil service in 1998. Many things have changed but some have not improved enough. Unfortunately, in this day and age, inequality still exists. Even within PCS, women are an underrepresented group. We need that to change - we need more woman members to be empowered and to get involved so we can address equality-related issues in the workplace.
The equality seminars are set out to provide a safe space to allow us to speak frankly and honestly. It gives us a voice and a forum to discuss how inequality happens and what we can do to challenge it. Members come together to learn new skills, to build solidarity and to get the tools we need.
When I attended the pan equality seminar last year, I felt welcomed from the minute I arrived. It was excellently organised, and I was given a seat on a table with members of all ages and different backgrounds. It was interesting to find out about each other and the work we do, and to discuss our views and opinions. The workshops encouraged everyone to get involved to the level that they felt comfortable with. We didn’t always agree with each other, but this resulted in some very interesting debates and discussions. I realised I am never too old to learn new things!
The seminar showed me what collective power meant, why it is needed and how to achieve it. Through listening to other people share their experiences and advice, I found myself empowered and motivated to return to the workplace, upskill my colleagues and find ways together to deal with equality-related issues. We can’t do it on our own but together we can achieve so much! We need members from all ages and experiences to come together, take part and set a plan of action. The seminars gave me the confidence and skills to achieve exactly this.
If you’re thinking about registering, especially if you’ve never been before, find out more about the National Equality Seminars.