Issue 6 May 2016 1
Welcome to Aspire News! By Emma Barrett This month’s Aspire News focuses on male allies and how men of quality support gender equality. For too long, women’s rights have been viewed as a minority issue when inequality affects and limits us all. We need men to join in the conversations, recognise that change is needed and to actively support that change.
Although there is a lot of work to do to ensure equality between the sexes, this is definitely one of the areas where small actions can snow-ball and make a real difference. Robert, our Aspire Foundation Director has written an impassioned piece around why he believes men should be advocates for female empowerment.
One way men can make a difference is by signing up to the Aspire Foundation mentoring program. We currently have a few male mentors and mentees and we’ve interviewed Taku and Colin to find out more about their experiences of the mentoring program.
Speaking of empowerment, Fadzai attended the M.A.D. Global Leadership event in London in January and was empowered to think about how she could make a difference. Turn to Page 17 to read about her recent mission to Nepal!
I hope you enjoy this issue, please let me know what you think at editor@theaspirefoundation.org
Contents: P3 - Aspire Foundation Mentee Q&A P5 - Aspire Foundation Mentor Q&A P7 - Read about ‘We Are Africa’, our first campaign partnering with Avanade! P10 - Your invitation to the ‘It’s a M.A.D. World’ event! P12 - “Should Men Advocate for the Empowerment of Women and Girls?” P15 - Read about the 2016 Aspire Leadership Presence and Impact Workshop P17 - Fadzai Marange updates us on her mission to Nepal
Emma Aspire Newsletter Editor
P18 - Take a break and read about the #heforshe campaign
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Aspire Foundation Community Q&A Taku Chiweshe was our first male mentee! He is the founder and CEO of Concrete Crack Roses, a foundation aiming to give opportunities to orphaned, displaced and underprivileged young people in rural Africa. He was being mentored by Zoe Scaman, a Strategy and Innovation Consultant.
Q: You’re one of our male mentees, what made you decide to sign up to the Aspire Foundation mentoring program?
Q: How has the mentoring program made a difference to you? Experience is really and truly the best teacher sometimes. The difference between an idea and a movement are a few difficult but achievable steps. I now have that understanding and that is because of the mentorship. I have a roadmap of how to achieve my goals and as a dreamer that is incredibly helpful as I don't waste energy and time on routes and resources that do not work.
I wanted to be mentored by leader whose attitude to profit was the same as mine. I've been to networking events hosted by the IOD and the COC but I felt unable to connect with the individuals on a personal level as I was never money-oriented. Signing up to mentoring with the Aspire Foundation seemed a no-brainer as I've been raised by women my entire life and find the emotional connection works better for me.
Q: Is there anything you’ve done differently since starting the Aspire Foundation mentoring program?
Q: How long have you been part of the Aspire Foundation mentoring program? From the moment I sent a message to Dr Collins in February 2015, I've felt I had a mentor and cheerleader.
I have learnt many a lesson and do a lot different since my involvement with the Aspire Foundation. I am proud to be part of such an organisation so I walk with my head held high. Another lesson I've internalised is to be ruthless with my time - I've slowly but surely learnt to make every second of the day count as 24 hours aren't enough if you have dreams as big as mine.
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Q: Do you think more men could benefit from mentoring?
Q: Do you think you’d like to mentor someone?
I am honoured and privileged to be the Aspire Foundation's first male mentee. In order to build a world that is driven by humanity before capitalism, we need more men mentored by the Aspire Foundation. We also need all Leaders of the UN to go through one Aspire Leadership Conference, give World Peace a try.
At some point I'd love to return the favour but I am actually looking for a new mentor myself in this moment. At 24 I still feel there is a lot more to learn and absorb from the vast knowledge of the leaders who mentor with the Aspire Foundation.
Q: If you could provide one piece of advice to someone considering signing up to the program, what would that be?
Q: Do you think there is a difference in how women mentor to how men mentor?
I’m forever grateful to my first mentor for the advice she gave me:
I do believe there is a difference in how men and women mentor. Same as there is a difference in how some mentees respond to the lessons. It’s not to say one way is better or worse than another, just different.
"If you take 2 steps toward your goal today, that is two steps closer than you were yesterday. With every day you work on it, you work towards it”
Q: Would you recommend the Aspire Foundation mentoring program to colleagues or friends?
So the sooner you join the Aspire Foundation, the quicker you can achieve your goals!
I very much recommend the Aspire Foundation to everyone I know. It's what I preach most to my friends finishing their degrees soon.
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Aspire Foundation Community Q&A Colin Nicklas is one of our male mentors. He is a Performance Improvement Coach and Leadership Consultant at 28Quest Ltd. He is currently mentoring three mentees!
Q: You’re one of our male mentors, what made you sign up to the program?
Q: Do you think more men could benefit from mentoring?
I saw a post on LinkedIn from a connection of mine who had just been selected as a mentor for the Aspire Foundation. As a qualified coach and experienced mentor I was curious so I followed the link in her post to discover more and applied myself there and then.
Yes, the mentoring experience is always beneficial to both parties. For men, mentoring women has the added benefit of very different perspectives that can be challenging and very rewarding for both mentor and mentee.
Q: How long have you been part of The Aspire Foundation mentoring program?
Q: Do you think there is a difference in how women mentor to how men mentor?
I have been a mentor for around 4 months. I currently have 3 mentees, all at different stages of the mentoring program.
I think there must be. Men and women naturally have different perspectives on things, which may well translate to their approach to mentoring. Men have a tendency to try and fix every problem they come across and are frequently very challenging when talking to their peers - how much of both of those traits they bring to their mentoring will be a personal thing, but I suspect both are not commonly used by women when acting as a mentor‌.
Q: Has the mentoring program made a difference to you? It has allowed me to connect with people from backgrounds very different to my own, gained me an invite to the Aspire Global Leadership Conference and has allowed me to use my skills and experience to make a positive impact in the lives of women leaders.
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Q: Would you recommend the Aspire Foundation mentoring program to colleagues or friends?
Q: Do you have any advice for our mentors on how to get the most out of their mentoring? It starts with choosing your match and challenging yourself to work with someone outside your own comfort zone, so that you can develop as much as your mentee will. After that listen, really carefully, to your mentee and then work in partnership with them to maximise the benefits of the relationship. That close, active listening will allow you to use evidenced, strength-based feedback, which is a hugely powerful tool for highlighting to your mentee just how much they have to offer and frequently creates lightbulb moments and personal transformation. Beyond that, build an effective partnership and enjoy the experience.
Yes, definitely. It’s a great way to give something back while also developing yourself.
Q: If you could provide one piece of advice to someone considering signing up to the program as a mentor, what would that be? Don’t think about it too long as there really is no downside to getting involved. Once you have taken the first step of filling in the application the rest is straight forward and the most challenging aspect is deciding who to work with from the potential mentees that the Aspire Foundation matches you with.
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The Aspire Foundation ‘We are Africa’ Win $25000 for Your M.A.D. Project! Announcing the first of our M.A.D. (Making a Difference) campaigns partnering with:
Avanade is looking to mobilize its 28,000 global employees around a common cause in Africa that will bring to life their core value,
“We change things for the better”
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What we are looking for: A defined M.A.D. (making a difference) project that positively impacts Africa Aligned with our Aspire Foundation mission “To make a difference to 1 billion women and girls by 2020�
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Conditions of Entry:
Open to all Aspire Foundation mentees or those willing to become a mentee for the duration of the project (no cost involved).
Project must be based in Africa (winner may be based outside of Africa)
Winning funds must contribute towards a tangible project that has measurable milestones over a defined time period e.g. 12 months.
Winner must be willing to have project tracked so that story and accomplishments can be shared and profiled with Avanade employees globally.
Submission Guidelines:
Please submit a video up to 5 minutes in length detailing who you are, your specific M.A.D project and what you will do with $25k. Be as creative as you can to show us who you are and your project. Videos ideally should be sent via a YouTube link or www.wetransfer.com and emailed to scollins@theaspirefoundation.org
In addition, please complete the following questionnaire: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ WeAreAfrica2016
Submissions and all questions should be directed to scollins@theaspirefoundation.org
Winner will be announced in June 2016. Be yourself, don’t worry about your words, have fun and let us know about your M.A.D. projects NOW!
DEADLINE IS MIDNIGHT WEDNESDAY MAY 11TH, 2016
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Your invitation to ‘It’s a M.A.D. (Making a Difference) World’ Event!
You are invited to join the Aspire Foundation for an evening of inspiration and networking.
At this event hear from Dr. Sam Collins, Founder of Aspire. Award-winning entrepreneur, executive coach and best selling author, Dr. Sam Collins has been named one of the 'Top 200 Women to Impact Business & Industry' by Her Majesty, The Queen.
Dr. Collins will share how a disturbing CNN news report prompted her to found the not for profit Aspire Foundation with an unbelievable 'M.A.D.' goal: to positively affect the lives of 1 billion women and girls by 2020 through mentoring and technology. She will discuss how making an impact outside one’s regular work is a fundamental element of personal fulfillment and part of our responsibility for future generations and the planet as a whole. She will show how to advance your career and change the world at the same time.
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Dr. Collins shares the latest thinking about the business need for closing the global gender gap and why businesses that operate as vehicles for social change will be the sole-survivors and innovators of the future.
Sam is an active campaigner on the role of business in solving world issues, Sam was recently named as a global Ambassador for Women for Women International, empowering women survivors of war in Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Iraq, Kosovo, Nigeria, Rwanda and South Sudan. Her professional mantra is ... always give something back.
Attendees: By invitation, women and men from across industries and sectors. Date & Time: Thursday 19th May 2016 6pm – 8pm. Formal programme starts at 6.30pm Location: We are kindly hosted by Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Northcliffe House 26-28 Tudor Street London, EC4Y 0BQ, UK. Register: Click here to register. The event is free for Aspire Foundation Mentors and Mentees
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Should Men Advocate for the Empowerment of Women and Girls? Robert Silverstone is the new Director of the Aspire Foundation: “I am passionate about gender balance as an integral part of addressing a variety of global challenges impacting the world today. As a fierce advocate for the advancement and empowerment of women and girls, I know this is one of the most important initiatives that can help restore economic and social balance in our world for current and future generations.�
For thousands of years men have mostly dominated commerce, politics, society‌ and women. In many countries in the developing world women have been, and are today, treated as slaves, both servile and sexual. They are kept uneducated, and without many of the basic human rights of dignity, safety, respect, liberty and justice. They are used, abused, raped, mutilated and subject to domestic violence on a scale that in many cultures around the world is allowed to pass as normal, everyday behavior. In many Asian and African cultures, men prefer their wives to be very young, barely in their teens, illiterate and obedient. In such societies they are subject to discrimination, repression and oppression.
In western civilization, arguably the most advanced in history, it is only in the last hundred years that women have fought for the right to vote, to have a bank account of their own and much more recently to be accepted as valuable contributors and leaders in business, government and non-profits. Even today, in the west, gender and racial discrimination still occurs in schools, in homes, and in the workplace.
In many countries, still today, women are severely suppressed, not yet been granted (by men) the right to vote, to work or even to drive a car!
As long as men have dominated commerce and politics, the world has suffered the hardships of war, violence, hatred and disease. More lives have been lost or destroyed at the hands of men through conflict, violence and war in the last century than ever in human history at the hands of women.
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Should Men Advocate for the Empowerment of Women and Girls? Humankind is now facing its greatest crisis of all time, the potentially devastating affects of climate change. The reasons for it may be debatable but the facts are indisputable. Change is desperately needed in how we treat one another and our planet if we are to survive as a species. If one accepts the argument that it is a result of human industrial and technological advances, largely at the hands of men since the dawning the industrial revolution 200 years ago, then we must ask what are the actions, behaviors and characteristics of men that have been the greatest contributors to this crisis? How much have dysfunctional greed, ego and ruthless competition contributed to the dire straits in which we now find ourselves? What must change?
As men, we have to accept and acknowledge the part we have played in the creation of a world and society that is no longer sustainable without the total inclusion, participation, support, respect and partnership of women. Women have been in this fight for women's rights for centuries. When the pressure is on, they tend to advocate for, and support, one another. They collaborate together. They are natural nurturers and protectors. When the pressure is on, men tend to become more insular, isolated competitive, even aggressive.
It's our Earth, our home, that is demanding immediate change in order to better nurture and support humankind now and in the future. Perhaps, with a focus on the complete advancement and empowerment of women and girls the changes that are necessary to heal the planet for the survival of humankind are actually possible. So again, what must change?
We need girls to be engaged, informed, inspired and educated, not carrying water, chopping wood and out of school, working all day. We need women to have greater autonomy with careers in science, technology, health, education and business being made equally available to them should they so choose.
We need girls everywhere to have the best available education, alongside boys, so they can be better stewards of the planet we are handing to them. We need boys to be taught to have a healthier respect for girls and women so we don’t repeat similar mistakes of the past. We need potable water and sanitation to be made available to every village, community and family where none currently exists.
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Should Men Advocate for the Empowerment of Women and Girls? We need female community leaders to partner with evolved men to ensure future generations grow up with the model and example of mutual respect and fairness. We need women to take the helm in more businesses, not because they can act like men, but because they are needed to exercise their inherent feminine strengths of fairness, compassion, love and kindness. We need more women to assume positions as leaders in our governments, at global, national and local levels. We need more women as board members in major corporations to balance any tendencies of greed, ego and corruption exhibited largely by men.
Men, it's time for us step up, step in and stand out from the crowd and advocate for the women and girls of our world. They need our advocacy and we need them, in their feminine strengths, more now than ever before. Perhaps once we achieve gender balance, equality and parity in our world, our children and their children will be able to visualize and realize a better world. A world that is peaceful, healthy, sustainable and restored to its rightful place as our only one and fully respected home.
Mentoring has been recognised as key to supporting the progress of women and girls, it was even one of the International Women’s Day pledges! If you wish to be involved in the Aspire Foundation mentoring program, as a mentee or mentor, you can find out more and sign up here.
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The 2016 Aspire ‘Leadership Presence and Impact’ Event
We’re excited to announce that Dr Sam Collins will be facilitating The 2016 Aspire 'Leadership Presence and Impact' one day workshop in May 2016! Presence and Impact is consistently rated by CEOs as the number 1 most important skill needed to be a successful leader - over and above intelligence, experience and technical expertise. Often described as gravitas, authority and the intangible 'leader thing', presence and impact is one of the biggest keys to being successful, confident and making the maximum difference with others. Yet only 3% of women actually get feedback on their presence and impact and it's one of those frustratingly tricky things to measure and improve. We work with women who are seeking the stretch and inspiration to trail blaze new ways of creating bigger impact through content and an approach that is expertly tailored to you - not to mention the incredible support, positive affirmation and challenge that happens when you come out of your organisation for a day and you spend time with an external and diverse network of like-minded women in leadership.
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Join us and you will:
Build the credibility, visibility and authority to achieve bigger impact and outstanding results.
Gain practical and profound 'how to' strategies and tool kits on how to increase your presence and impact with others, especially in difficult situations and with challenging people.
Take the time out to explore and set inspiring goals for the impact that you aspire to have in your career, organisation and/or in your industry, community or world.
Discover the impact you have on others right now, receive first-hand honest and supportive feedback on your current presence and impact strengths and how to take it to the next level.
Get clear on your own authentic presence, what drives you and your unique talents and style that will maximise your presence and impact confidence in new and challenging situations.
Understand and overcome what stops you maximising your presence and impact with your boss, team, colleagues and others.
Know about unconscious bias with regards to women's presence and impact as leaders and what to do (and not do) about it.
Develop a doable action plan for back in the real world including how to implement changes, get feedback and have an empowering peer group of mentors, sponsors and role models.
Take a day out of your inbox to focus on yourself and join an inspiring external network with tangible business and personal benefits to yourself and your organisation.
Gain new ideas and contribute to your organisational diversity and inclusion goals to advance, develop and retain women leaders.
Our workshops are a unique interactive blend of inspiration, new ideas, food for thought, coaching/mentoring, networking and practical action-planning with a group of like-minded women from across industries. There is a lot of small group discussion, practical activities and a 'give and get' philosophy to capitalise on different experiences and backgrounds. Dates: Tuesday 17th May OR Wednesday, 18th May 2016. Click here for more information and to sign up!
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M.A.D. Women Last month Fadzai Marange told us about how mentoring and the M.A.D. Global Event had inspired her to collect books for a school in Zimbabwe an d to go on a mission to Nepal. Here she tells us more about that mission...
Linda Cruse runs a program called ‘Be The Change’. It is a ‘hands up not hands out’ model supporting disaster victims to get their lives back on track. I joined the team in Kathmandu and Deupur in Nepal and was amazed to see that, despite the devastation of the earthquake they suffered in 2015, the villagers of Deupur show great love for one another. They carry a great spirit of contentment and it does not take much to satisfy them - a simple hug restores a huge smile on their faces.
The program also helped a young man with disabilities become independent. We gave him some goats because they are easy to tend to and inexpensive to feed. They will become a sustainable income for this man. As well as helping people on a one-to-one basis, the program also sets up community events such as football tournaments to help raise people’s spirits and creating a feeling of togetherness. It has been a wonderful experience to be involved in this program and to make a difference to people whose lives have been devastated.
The program supports people in different ways. We helped one woman learn to sew, she will now earn money sewing uniforms for local schools. Hopefully, with mentoring, she will be able to make this a thriving business which has a ripple effect helping other women in the village.
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#HeForShe “Violence against women and girls is a global problem; it harms women, families, communities and societies. We can only stop it by working together. Women and men.” Ban Ki-Moon, UN Secretary General.
Have you seen the #HeForShe hashtag on social media and wondered what it all meant? HeForShe is a United Nations solidarity movement “for gender equality that engages men and boys as advocates and stakeholders, to break the silence, raise their voices and take action for the achievement of gender equality” (HeForShe Action Kit information) which was launched on 20th September 2014 by the UN’s Goodwill Ambassador for Women, Emma Watson.
Inequality against women takes many forms and is not confined to a particular class, culture or country. Action against gender inequality has been largely led by women, through women’s rights organisations and feminist movements, however progress has been unequal across the world, and there is still a huge amount of inequality.
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In 2014, the world is such that, in developed countries, women earn around 23% less than their male counterparts. Rough estimates from the United Nations Population Fund suggests that up to two million women are trafficked across international borders (this doesn’t include domestic trafficking, so the number may be as high as four million) and UNICEF estimates that, of women currently aged 20-24, one-third of them were married before the age of 18.
Gender equality would mean that both men and women are free from prescribed social roles and gender stereotypes. This campaign acknowledges that gender inequality affects men too – estimates on male victims of domestic violence vary due to being under-reported, possibly due to social stigmas, and over three times as many men as women commit suicide (2012, ONS). As Emma Watson said, when discussing why she is a feminist, “when at 15, my girlfriends started dropping out of sports teams because they didn’t want to appear muscly. When at 18, my male friends were unable to express their feelings. I decided that I was a feminist, and this seemed uncomplicated to me.” It’s important that conversations regarding gender equality include everyone, it isn’t ‘us v. them’.
So, how can men get involved? Activist group MenEngage is encouraging men to ‘live your like’: “supporting gender equality…means more than a click, a social media post… It means acting interrupting, intervening and challenging other men, and also supporting other men when they disrupt, intervene or challenge.” Women can support by speaking to men and boys about the state of play with regards to inequality, and provide support if we see men calling out other men on their behaviour.
The last words on this go to the HeForShe website (www.heforshe.org) – “HeForShe is a solidarity movement for gender equality that brings together one half of humanity in support of the other half of humanity, for the benefit of all.”
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John Legend
All men should be feminists. If men care about women’s rights, the world will be a better place. We are better off when women are empowered - it leads to a better society.
Men of quality have been quite vocal in their support of gender equality...
Daniel Craig
Women are responsible for twothirds of the work done worldwide, yet earn only 10 percent of the total income and own 1 percent of the property… So, are we equals? Until the answer is yes, we must never stop asking.
Equality is not a concept. It’s not something we should be striving for. It’s a necessity. Equality is like gravity.
Joss Whedon
Prince Harry
When women are empowered, they immeasurably improve the lives of everyone around them—their families, their communities, and their countries.
I call myself a feminist. Isn’t that what you call someone who fights for women’s rights?
His Holiness, the Dalai Lama
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“Mentoring is a brain to pick, an ear to listen and a push in the right direction� John C. Crosby, American Politician
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