SHE Scotland in partnership with @edinburghcoll are launching the SQA Mentor Award.
Please share with anyone who would love the opportunity to learn, share and develop mentoring skills.
Scotland is to become the first country in the world to protect in law the right to access free period products.
Councils and education providers will be legally required to make period products available free of charge to anyone who needs them when the Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Act comes into force tomorrow (Monday 15 August).
Since 2017, the Scottish Government has invested more than £27 million to fund access in a range of public settings and the new law will cement this progress.
Social Justice Secretary Shona Robison said: “Providing access to free period products is fundamental to equality and dignity, and removes the financial barriers to accessing them.
“This is more important than ever at a time when people are making difficult choices due to the cost of living crisis and we never want anyone to be in a position where they cannot access period products.
“Since 2018, we have delivered ground-breaking action by providing free period products for pupils and students in all our schools, colleges and universities. We are proud to be the first national government in the world to take such action.
“The work we are doing in Scotland continues to be world leading, going goes beyond provision of free products. We have also provided funding for an educational website for employers, run a successful anti-stigma campaign, and improved menstrual health resources available for schools.
“I’m grateful to all the young women and girls who have been crucial in developing the best ways to access products to meet their needs.”
People can find their nearest collection point through the PickupMyPeriod mobile app which was launched earlier this year by social enterprise Hey Girls with Scottish Government support.
Celia Hodson, founder of Hey Girls, said: “The Period Product Act shows Scotland is leading the way in recognising that period products are not a luxury and should be freely available to all.
“Through our PickupMyPeriod app, we work to ensure no-one in Scotland is left without access to period products and are well on the way to achieving that with more than 1,000 locations highlighted to users.
“We hope the Act will help those in need and that our app will be of support to many more as our network continues to grow.”
Please see the new flyer for the forthcoming SHE Mentoring SQA Award in partnership with Edinburgh College starting in August 22.
This course is perfect for anyone starting their journey in working with communities, youth work and is particularly beneficial to developing skills to support others. Can also add to existing skills or as a refresher. The course is a mixed gender group and will aim to be 12-14max participants. Support for childcare and travel costs will be provided by Edinburgh College.
There is a small application to be completed. Please contact either Lauren or Lynn to find out more.
Please share with your staff, volunteers and community.
Karen
Ten week programe starts this Friday afternoon – see below for details
Want to find out more about SHE Scotland? This event tomorrow evening could be just the thing for you:
We are looking for like minded business, community groups, school leaders and charity owners to join us for our funders and partners night so we can work together to provide more opportunities for girls and young women.
This evening is a great opportunity for networking and explore potential synergies with other local groups.
The evening will be held on Thursday 26th May from 6-8pm in our space at 525 Ferry Road, EH5 2FF and will include talks from our members at SHE Scotland so you can find out more about what we do and how you can help us provide more opportunities for girls and young women.
This is a great opportunity for networking and we would love to see like minded business, community groups, school leaders and charity owners attend so please do spread this invite far and wide!
If you would like to come along, please do RSVP via the link below! We hope to see you there!
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SHE Voices are back!
This is such a fantastic opportunity for people aged 13+ to get together with Katie an d look at what affects them and their community and look to make a positive difference.
Email: Shescotland-katiemiddleton@outlook.com for more info
TOMORROW, Tuesday 26th October, SHE Scotland celebrates its 4th birthday with a very special event.
Embrace It Aw captures thoughts, feelings and research around the rise of social media and reduction in our self esteem.
Come along and Embrace It Aw!
AFTER 30 years pioneering the women’s Samba movement in Scotland, Beat That’s musical director, Erin Scrutton, is hanging up her whistle.
One of Scotland’s longest-running Samba bands, Beat That, is winding up too, going out with a bang at COP26 on Saturday 6 November 2021, playing in the parade for the Extinction Rebellion campaigners.
CALL TO SAMBA SISTERS
Beat That is putting out a call to women Samba players, past and present, to join in the finale celebrations at COP26. Samba sisters are invited to sign up on the band’s team site (https://teamer.net/p/fbWeZgnIPx7Zslron) to join in.
They will be sent music files to listen to and will be invited to join rehearsals in Stirling in October in preparation for the COP26 parade on 6 November.
Banging the drum for 30 years
Popular with programmers and gig organisers across Scotland, Beat That regularly led the annual Glasgow Style Mile Christmas Parade and played at the Merchant City and West End festivals. They have been stalwarts at Paisley’s Sma’ Shot and Hallowe’en festivals – always game for a dress-up.
Back home, in Stirling, each year Beat That took to the stage and streets in Stirling for events like Reclaim the Night to Hogmanay celebrations.
They’ve performed at festivals in Dublin, Berlin, London, Liverpool, Amsterdam, Italy and Spain.
A key part of the women’s movement and an expression of feminism, women’s Samba bands have featured in many International Women’s Day celebrations over the decades. To celebrate 100 Years of International Women’s Day, Erin led the drumming for an event called HumDrum when 70 women came together to sing and drum on the steps of Glasgow’s Royal Concert Hall, part of the Scottish Wave of Change.
Making a noise for women and LGBTQ+ rights
Erin, and women’s Samba bands, have played a key role in promoting the Pride movement in Scotland and abroad, celebrating LGBTQ+ people. Erin led She Boom, Scotland’s first women’s Samba band, opening the Stonewall celebrations at the Royal Albert Hall, sharing the bill with Elton John and George Michael.
Erin and drummers attended the Stonewall 25th anniversary celebrations in New York.
Beat That’s last foreign foray was leading the first Pride festival in Manilva in 2019 and they were booked to return when Lockdown hit and live events were put on ice in 2020. Beat That continued to play together right throughout Lockdown, keeping spirits high with a weekly practice for the two dozen women from central Scotland on Zoom.
A leader in her field
Erin led, kicked-off, composed music for and coached the leaders of women’s bands in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Fife, Aberdeen, Irvine, Dumfries and Stirling.
Erin Scrutton Samba leader
Over the years, Erin studied percussion in Brazil, Cuba, Salvador. A skilled player and composer, she has performed with Jools Holland, The Pet Shop Boys and Horse. She has taught thousands of beginners in community and corporate workshops and been a guest tutor for groups from the Isle of Wight to Ireland and Wales.
She has been MD with Stirling-based Beat That for 30 years and in that role has taught scores of women who have become part of the Beat That family and performed at festivals, parades and gigs from Belladrum to Berlin, Ireland to Italy.
Says Jenn Pow, the community group’s chair: “We were lucky to keep Erin as our leader for 30 years. She’s been a field-leader and built a career as a samba drummer when no such thing existed. We feel privileged that she stayed loyal to our group all these years.
“Erin is an amazing teacher – a patient and kind soul. Many of us would never have lasted this long without her. Being in the band has been one of the best things in my life.
“We’re a strong tribe and we’ve grown together, supporting each other through major milestones and life’s ups and downs. We’ve gone through births and deaths together… and many a party night. With Erin calling time, it just felt like the right time to hang up our sticks and wind up the group. It’s been a blast and I’ve made friends for life.”
Recognition and legacy
Erin has a shelf dedicated to her as part of Glasgow Women’s Library’s Women on the Shelf project, recognising all she has done to ignite the women’s drumming movement in Scotland.
Film-maker, Dianne Barrie, has been commissioned by the band to document the COP26 finale and capture stories that recall the essence of the 30 year wave of change.
The band is talking to Macrobert Arts Centre about how they might plug a gap and provide drumming classes going forward, to meet the creative, social and political desires of local women. The band is prepared to donate all its kit and Erin is prepared to donate all her compositions and music files to support passing on a legacy.
An educational initiative encouraging schoolgirls to become the next generation of investment experts gets out of the starting blocks next month.
This year’s Growing Future Assets Competition, which aims to introduce senior girls to the world of investment, its impact and range of careers, begins on 6 September when teenagers from all over Scotland will vie to spot the next big investment opportunity.
Financial educators Future Asset are challenging teams of 14-18-year-olds to research, analyse and pitch a company they think will be a great long-term investment.
They will be paired with a mentor from an investment management company who will provide advice, inspiration and career insights, and have the chance to attend online masterclasses as they develop an understanding that good investing focuses on a company’s long-term prospects, profits and sustainability.
They will also be advised by Executive and Voice Coach Susan Room, to help them feel, look and sound more confident and hear from author, broadcaster and financial journalist Iona Bain on how the younger generation can invest their way to a better future.
At the same time they’ll hone transferable skills including research, analysis, communication, numeracy, working with others and presentation skills.
Now in its second year, the competition is divided into a senior contest for years S5 and S6 and a junior challenge for S3 and S4.
The teams of three to six girls will present their case in a research report and three-minute elevator pitch by 30 November. The top teams will then deliver an extended pitch to judges at the final in March next year.
At stake is: £1,000 for the winning senior team and £200-worth of vouchers of the students’ choice for each team member; £800 for the best junior team and £150-worth of vouchers each. Senior and junior runners-up will also receive prizes for the school and team members.
Helen Bradley, Future Asset programme manager, says: “Winning is wonderful but the real bonus of this sort of initiative is the wealth of additional skills and experience that it gives these young women and the window it opens onto a career they may never have considered.
“Earlier this year an investment research firm reported that more UK investment funds were run by men called Dave or David than by female managers! Future Asset is aiming to change that and this competition is a tremendous opportunity to open up a new era in female-led investment.
“We’re also very much aware that face-to-face work experience has been off the agenda for the last 18 months so we see this as a valuable chance to bring the world of work into school in a novel way.”
Future Asset believes that being female should never be seen as a barrier to progressing in a chosen career. Their goal is to enable girls in the senior phase of high school to learn how investment can change the world for the better, gain valuable, transferable skills and consider the benefits of possible future careers. They organise conferences and workshops for girls across Scotland.
For more information visit https://www.futureasset.org.uk/
Future Asset is sponsored by Baillie Gifford, Stewart Investors and Walter Scott and Partners. They are also backed by Member firms who provide volunteers and mentors, supporting the programme to engage and enthuse girls and increase gender diversity in investment management.
Following the recent girls and young women’s survey, we’ve collected the findings and wanted to share research – ‘Back in lockdown’.
We’ve been asking how girls and young women are coping with the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. It has radically changed their lives and shaped their perspectives.
In our report you can find out more about what they’re appreciating, the challenges they’ve been experiencing and aspirations for the future 
Download our report here 
https://bit.ly/3dgQwO4
