What is FLARE?
Female. Local. Authority. Roads. Engagement.
New! A free DEI group for women who work in Local Authorities in Highways departments, supporting all activities. This group is open to women at all levels and stages of their career, the objective is to create a network of women to share resources and strategies of being a woman working in a local authority highways department.
In light of the previous Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s urge for councils to cut spending on diversity and inclusion programmes, Brightly would like to provide a mechanism for women to connect for free.
Initial feedback has shown that the group is keen to collaborate and share on topics related to their work. The first topic, chapter one from Invisible Women by Caroline Credo-Perez was about winter maintenance and this led to a good discussion around how this is scheduled and different viewpoints on how this is perceived. At Brightly, although we’ve worked with local authorities for 30+ years to operate and maintain their network with our software Confirm, at the end of the day we specialise in software and not salt spreading! Knowing that we don't have the skills to navigate this type of discussion into the future, we have arranged for members to guest chair meetings based upon the topics.
How does it work?
We meet for 1 hour a month, at each session we go through the ground rules which are very simple and to allow for a safe space to interact.
Ground rules:
1
What’s said in the group stays in the group.
2
What is shared is not representative of our place of work but our own personal view.
Once ground rules are covered, the topic is introduced and then we go into smaller groups to discuss. The Brightly staff in attendance will usually facilitate by giving a couple of pointers and check-in to each breakout room to check the conversation is flowing.
To join the next group please register here.
If you’re a woman asking - what’s in it for me?
It’s an opportunity to meet other women in the sector and share experiences and challenges, great for your mental health, it’s a safe space to talk.
If you’re a man asking - what’s in it for me?
We’d love you to support your female colleagues to attend, increased engagement means greater innovation and productivity, as well as a sense of well-being.
The session
1 topic shared a month plus 1-hour teams meeting to discuss.
The topic might be a book recommendation, a news article, an exercise in self-reflection – all to drive the conversation but not necessarily to complete before the meeting – you can still join and share or just listen.
The meeting will be facilitated by Brightly, a Siemens Company.
Testimonials
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"The FLARE Women's Group has provided me with a sense of belonging in an industry where women are often underrepresented. The resources and support offered here have been instrumental in my growth, both professionally and personally."
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"The group activities and networking opportunities have empowered me very much, I've met incredible women who inspire me daily, and the support I've received from this community is encouraging"
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"The group’s focus on professional development and peer support has given me the tools and confidence I need to excel in my career. The connections I’ve made here are invaluable, and the positive energy is amazing!"
