1. www.imeche.org VOLUNTEER CONFERENCE SESSION 3: EDSG & WES Anni Broadhead, CEO, Support Network Dawn Bonfield, President, WES (Women’s Engineering Society) 4 September 2015

2. WHAT IS EDSG?

3. EDSG PURPOSE Equality and Diversity Steering Group (EDSG) established March 2010 Provides guidance & advice to the IMechE Trustee Board on E&D issues Comprises 10 members (including two international members) Primary objectives are to: Encourage more people from diverse backgrounds to engage with the Institution Identify & address any perceived E&D barriers within the Institution Develop and support the implementation of the IMechE’s Equality and Diversity programme in line with the Institution’s Strategic Objectives See: http://www.imeche.org/About-Us/diversity-and-equal- opportunities/Equalityanddiversitysteeringgrouphttp://www.imeche.org/About-Us/diversity-and-equal- opportunities/Equalityanddiversitysteeringgroup

4. WHAT ARE WE WORKING ON?

5. EDSG 2015/16 ACTION PLAN Increase diversity of IMechE membership through retention of members Survey of female, international, disabled members re their membership experience Understand the problems and offer the right solutions Additional initiatives to services to enhance current experience of: Female members Disabled members LGBT members (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) International members Participation in Royal Academy DLG (Diversity Leadership Group)

6. Facilitate social support through Inter-Engineering network Disability support and/or focus group Extended Support Network responses INTERNATIONALLGBTDISABILITYFEMALE Marketing material re female mechanical engineers WISE awards Female mentoring scheme Survey focussing on gender / disability Women in India Promote International Young Member disability projects Improved data collection across IMechE & future benchmarking Lapsing members survey

7. SUPPORTING FEMALE MEMBERS

8. NEED IDENTIFIED & FURTHER PILOT RESEARCH UNDERTAKEN c.70% women in UK with STEM qualifications do not enter or leave their profession Work undertaken & resources invested to promote STEM subjects and careers yet recruitment and retention low Why? RETURN project also being undertaken by RA & WES re career break return What are the experiences of female IMechE members? Approached previous Support Network contact or Reduced Subscription applications due to career break Telephone interviews conducted by Romana Lisica, IMechE Follow up survey questions

9. SAMPLE QUESTIONS ASKED Career break duration, purpose and when taken If in an engineering role at the time What support was provided, and at what stage Whether returned on the same terms, or to the same job Experiences of returning to work Feelings on their return Feelings about their company following their career break What help was/would have been helpful When was/would that help have been most effective Advice would provide to others regarding career breaks and/or career break return

10. I wish I’d known that it was going to get easier! The company was supportive to an extent but they didn’t have the experience to deal with my situation and I felt very isolated Think through the impact of working reduced hours on your career I would like to share my experience with other female engineers as I recognise the need and value of support from someone who has ‘been there’ professionally and as a parent Company was incredibly supportive, very accommodating and supported my needs, however I would have welcomed a mentor as additional support I was disappointed as I showed so much loyalty to them and yet they didn’t keep in contact with me Felt that my job was dependant on my returning, in hindsight I would have loved to stay off for longer but felt pressured to go back

11. 6 participants returned to their same job; 2 left; 1 redundancy Of the 6, 4 returned part-time; 2 not offered any flexibility Of the 9, 5 felt that their company did enough during their career break, but 4 felt subsequent career options limited Keep in touch days & communication effective Actually doing some work most valuable = ‘still being treated as an engineer’ 100% would have liked a mentor – even those who were fine – or interested in the service now No differentiation re value of stage of support when: considering/preparing for/during/on return/after return KEY RESULTS

12. STUDY EMPLOYMENT END OF WORKING LIFE LIVING IN OLDER LIFE LIVING WITH AGE RELATED CARE NEEDS CARING FOR PEOPLE LIVING IN OLDER LIFE &/or WITH AGE RELATED CARE NEEDS IMECHE MEMBER PARTNER DEPENDANT + (FORMER MEMBERS) OWN & FAMILY ILLNESS and/or DISABILITY FAMILY TRANSITION and /or TROUBLES LIFE SITUATION(S) LIFE STAGEELIGIBILITY INTERNATIONAL Career break & Return

13. SERVICE RESPONSE: COMMISSIONED MENTORSET SERVICE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH WES

14. DISCUSSION

15. OTHER OBSERVATIONS/ NEXT STEPS Wide variety of employer responses evidenced Some excellent practice that could be replicated/adapted Where employers less helpful, due to lack of resource and/or experience rather than lack of will Support for self-employment and/or small business development transition post career break in development International provision dependant on further EDSG survey and results re evidenced needs Opportunities to volunteer as mentors with:  MentorSET (WES via Support Network)  Independent Mentoring Scheme (IMS via IMechE)

16. THANK YOU For more information please contact: Anni Broadhead, EXT. 6883 a_broadhead@imeche.org www.imeche.org/support-network