P EOPLE
Making a difference The Women in SAPCA initiative was launched in 2020 – but what is it and what does it aim to do?
I
n early 2020, just days before the first COVID-19 lockdowns came into force, a new professional networking initiative was launched to improve representation of women across the
sports and play construction industry. The initiative is the brainchild of three industry women – Dr. Kathryn Severn, Christine Quinn and Hayley Wilson – who pitched their idea to industry body SAPCA in late 2019. With the support of the association, Women in SAPCA was launched in February 2020 and has since grown into a thriving © SAPCA
community, providing a useful networking platform for women working in the sector.
Supportive network While the pandemic has severely limited
core objectives. “Our goal from the start
The first ever
face-to-face networking opportunities
has been to use this group to improve the
networking event
during the past two years, Women in
representation of women within the sports
took place in
SAPCA has remained active since its
and play construction industry,” Quinn says.
February 2020 at
launch. It has organised a number of virtual
“The other key goals are to provide a
events – from “Share-a-Cuppa” online
supportive network to empower individuals
catch-ups to web-based workshops on
to achieve their fullest potential and
confidence. When possible, it has organised
to encourage greater visibility of the
face-to-face events too, such as a talk on
opportunities on offer in the sector –
leadership, given by Dr Rachel Malcolm,
especially around education, training
captain of the Scotland women’s rugby
and development. We want Women in
team, during the 2021 SAPCA Golf Day.
SAPCA to be a real force for inclusivity
Christine Quinn says that networking events are central to Women in SAPCA’s
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and positive change for our industry. Organising events which have an educational
Edgbaston cricket stadium
