WOCPSN with AGWN: The Concrete Ceiling – Challenges, opportunities, and the case for change
Hosts: Women of Colour in the Public Sector Network (WOCPSN) and Auckland Government Women's Network (AGWN)
Venue: Online via Teams
Date: 28 November 2024
Facilitators:
- Shahd El-Matary (WOCPSN Committee Member)
- Natasha Lewis (AGWN Deputy Chair)
Speakers:
- Maulupeivao Dr. Betty Ofe-Grant, Senior Lecturer, Management Auckland University of Technology
- Savita Bhaskaran, Qualitative researcher
- Dr. Fatima Junaid, Senior Lecturer, Massey University
Last month saw an incredible turnout for this collaborative online event discussing the concrete ceiling experienced by women of colour in the NZ workplace.
This event featured three academics, Maulupeivao Dr. Betty Ofe-Grant, Savita Bhaskaran, and Dr. Fatima Junaid who discussed the challenges faced by women of colour (WOC) in the New Zealand workplace. Gently unlearning the hierarchical mindset and advocating for oneself ranked high on speakers’ advice to support WOC reaching their professional potential. All speakers emphasized this does not mean WOC have to be “imposters” or change themselves or their values systems, but rather take a more proactive approach to career growth.
The Women of Colour in the Public Sector Network would like to thank the Auckland Government Women’s Network and Virginia from Te Kawa Mataaho for their support in this successful webinar.
Key takeaways
- The importance of building resilience but also the value of support from other WoC who have similar experiences.
- Be vocal, provide feedback, continuous learning, join professional networks, be comfortable with self-praise.
- How as an ally, I can support women of colour.
- Some great tips on getting ahead in the world as a woman of colour - being your best advocate, networking, finding support.
- A good variety of women from different ethnic makeup who shared similar stories and also solutions. I enjoyed hearing from the panel, I felt heard and comforted that there are others out there who face the same things as me.
- Ideas around recruitment practices, a better understanding of some cultural differences that I should keep in mind as someone who chairs recruitment panels for my team.
Feedback
- Really good content, lunch time one hour very well spent.
- Great to have co-hosted model and support women to attend by having good write ups and snippets after.
- I really enjoyed the session. I am a Muslim Pasifika WoC so I resonated with Dr Fatima and Betty a lot. I love hearing from strong WOC.
- I sent this to two women in my team and they thought it was a great session. Being young and at the beginning of their careers, they appreciated the insights and experience presented. We had a very healthy discussion immediately after the session and they are keen to attend the follow up.
- This is such a great group, and I've really appreciated the work that has gone into arranging these events, and allowing us space to talk and engage with each other on topics that make non-POC uncomfortable. As you say, a safe space. This is so empowering for those of us that have had a limited voice until now.
