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Awards
- ON Awards 2012
- ON Awards 2011
- ON Awards 2010
  - 2009 Case Studies
    - Advancing Women in Public Service Award
      - Birmingham City Council
      - Leicestershire Constabulary
      - London Fire Brigade
- RfO Awards 2012
- RfO Awards 2011

Birmingham City Council

What

This case study outlines Birmingham City Council’s development programme for women – named Advancing Women in the Workplace. It was designed to allow women within the council to have greater influence on their professional and personal lives and address any barriers to life progression. The programme runs for a year and includes 18 senior women, 18 women from middle management and 18 women with management aspirations. It kicks off with a networking event and a three day workshop to provide a basic framework. It utilises a mixture of one to one coaching, mentoring, networking events, and facilitated and self managed workshops. Participants are encouraged to work as a project team and ultimately create and run their own workshops. The programme’s success hinges on leveraging group support and continuous networking to enable the women to exchange skills and techniques and motivate and inspire each other. Each participant is encouraged to identify their own personal issues and barriers to progression, define future goals and aspirations and then work out how to achieve the goals or overcome the barriers.

Why

The chief executive of the council wants the organisation to be a leader in issues of equality, diversity and inclusion. He recognises that if the council is successful in creating a workplace where all can succeed it will result in greater staff engagement which will ultimately benefit colleagues, customers and the organisation as a whole. The programme was developed to enable more women to progress within the council and allow talented individuals to realise their full potential.

How

The first pilot programme was rolled out to 54 participants in eptember 2005, a further five programmes have since been completed. The council acknowledges that the extensive support of its chief executive has had a key part to play in the success of the programme. He has a dialogue with the women at the launch events, responds to personal emails, holds round table sessions and acts as a mentor for the participants. Potential candidates have to complete an application process indicating their reasons for being considered and what they believe they can contribute to the programme.

Entrants’ line managers are required to sign the application form, endorse the time away from the day job and also identify reasons why individuals would benefi t. Participants on the course are also asked to identify a personal mentor within the council who they believe will help them with their particular goals. This has enabled a wider pool of managers and leaders to become involved and part of the success of the programme.

Birmingham City Council
Advancing Women in the Workplace
Contact: Janice Morrison, Senior Project Offic erEmail: janice_morrison@birmingham.gov.uk

Over 70% of original delegates have been promoted since completing the course and 88% surveyed said they had measurably advanced in their professional lives.
A survey of the colleagues of participants showed that 53% are noticeably happier and 60% appeared to be more confident.
84% of individuals who completed the 2005/2006 programmes agree they are continuing to apply the acquired skills.