The region meeting on 19 March was awash with information from our marvellous speakers. They spoke on topics both local, federation and globally.
Keynote speaker was Natasha Fletcher, Senior Research officer from the Hampshire OPCC, who work closely with the police, the Crown Prosecution Service, local community safety partnerships and third sector providers to keep our communities safer. Natasha’s team partners with local universities Southampton, Solent, Portsmouth and Winchester in a collaboration where students gain work experience and research opportunities. This works both ways for student and the OPCC and something which we will endeavour to maximize.
She spoke about the involvement in a recent call for evidence survey, in their Violence Against Women and Girls project, an opportunity to voice concerns in relation to VAWG. That the OPCC is seeking to tackle the root causes of VAWG and prevent such offences from occurring in the first place. Hampshire Police and Crime Commissioner, Donna Jones, is leading this work and believes that everyone must stand together in this. This is a current priority to most OPCC’s across the country.
Click here for Natasha’s presentation – Natasher Fletcher OPPC March 2022
Liz Dominey, Chair of UKPAC (UK Programme Action Committee) gave us a no-nonsense view of UKPAC and what you get for your £3.50 per member. (Although C-19 has meant a fee holiday!) She also spoke about the Programme Focus report forms and their importance to the UN for raising issues and keeping them in focus, on the Sustainable Development Goal’s (SDG) particularly at the annual Commission for the Status of Women (CSW) held annually at the UN in New York. Particularly interesting was the Modern Day Slavery (MDS) plan and the Domestic Abuse (DA) plan which have been developed following the study days in 2021, as well as an update on the Special Domestic Violence Courts.
She also spoke of the valued partnerships with the 6-0 group and how we can make them more effective.
Margaret Emsley, Secretary of the Diamond Education Grant
This grant awarding body was set up by SIGBI Federation in 1972. Its purpose is to provide grants to assist women to update their skills after employment breaks or to acquire new skills to improve their opportunities for employment and promotion. Awards are made to help towards the cost of course fees or books/equipment, not for living expenses. The grants that are awarded included courses as diverse as helicopter engineering, teacher training, an MA in play therapy, a BSc in midwifery, a conversion course for an overseas qualified pharmacist and a diploma in sign language interpreting.
Click here for Margaret’s presentation – Diamond Education Grant Presentation – Margaret Emsley March 2022