NEWS
Creating change - Professor Jane Turner with the Lifelong Inspiration gong she won at the Tees Businesswomen Awards .
PICTURE : TOM BANKS
The Power of
Women
Jane ’ s vision of creating a force for change in levelling up the gender gap
A
movement for change to improve opportunities for girls and young women in the Tees region is gaining momentum , thanks to the passion , vision and resources of three remarkable local businesswomen .
The Power of Women is the vision of Professor Jane Turner , pro vice-chancellor for enterprise and business engagement at Teesside University .
A year ago , on International Women ’ s Day , Jane , who is also the university ’ s gender champion , invited business leaders to a university-hosted dinner following a day spent with 70 girls from a mix of Tees schools .
The girls were asked what was standing in the way of them being who they wanted to be and four clear themes emerged : problems with image and perception , personal safety , career choices and a perceived lack of having a voice .
A comment from some of the girls shocked the leaders . Jane revealed that some girls had told her that they were referred to as “ washing machines ” by their male counterparts “ because that ’ s what their role in life was going to be ”.
But bad turned to good - and to action . “ I decided then to launch a crowdfunding campaign in order to publish a really inspirational coffee table book with the life stories of women from the region who had achieved against adversity ,” said Jane .
“ Research illustrates the power of role models , so I knew young women having
24 | Tees Business access to other women and their journeys would help to inspire our girls to be the best they can be .”
The pandemic delayed plans for the book , but just in time for this year ’ s International Women ’ s Day two other women got actively involved and became part of a growing tribe to make a difference to girls ’ lives in the Tees region - businesswoman and philanthropist Frances Connolly and Tees Businesswoman of the Year Jane Armitage , managing partner at Stockton-based Jacksons Law Firm .
Frances provided the much-needed financial resource to fund the initial stages of the campaign and Jane Armitage has tasked Rebecca Logue , one of Jacksons Law Firm ’ s newly-qualified lawyers , to help with background work on governance and banking .
Jane Turner , who was winner of the Lifelong Inspiration award at the 2020 Tees Businesswomen Awards , explained : “ Our first goal is the creation of an engaging website , populated with inspiring content , with themes running through on a bi-monthly basis that girls can engage with .
“ The second is to engage with schools and colleges , make educational resources available and create an ambassadorial network of girls in the region . The third and final goal is to produce that coffee table book , featuring the inspiring life stories of women across the region .
“ It ’ s amazing that Frances ’ money will allow us to kick-start this important campaign and I still can ’ t speak about her donation without getting emotional . It means so much .”
It means so much because so much needs to be done . A 2015 Plan International report revealed that Middlesbrough was the worst place for a girl to grow up , while the 2020 report revealed Hartlepool too had slid into the bottom 10 places .
Organisers believe the Power of Women campaign is desperately needed to help create change .
And the campaign is backed by men , too . Dave Allan and Martin Walker , directors of Tees Business , the creative team behind the Teesside Businesswomen Awards , are key players , while Digital Allies Group CEO Chris March has done much background work on campaign materials .
Now it ’ s your chance to become involved . If you can contribute in any way to making the campaign a reality and make a tangible contribution to the future of girls and young women in the Tees Valley , please get in touch .
To offer your support for The Power of Women campaign , please email jane . turner @ tees . ac . uk