Women’s Development Forum launches in Jersey

Monday 06 October 2014

The Women’s Development Forum (WDF), a not-for-profit organisation, is to launch a presence in Jersey this November.

The organisation is dedicated to supporting women – enabling them to maximise their career potential through collaboration, networking and development initiatives – and has been successfully running in Guernsey for more than five years.

WDF Jersey will run a series of events designed to appeal to working women in order to help build strong network connections in an easy, friendly community of like-minded people.  The events will involve guest speakers, panel discussions and less formal table conversations with each meeting tackling subjects pertinent to women in the work place and their career development.

“Our membership brings together women from different industries, backgrounds, ages, experience and positions, enabling us to learn from each other’s experiences,” said WDF Founder, Michelle Johansen.

In July, thanks to support from EY who is a Founder member of the Jersey branch, a discussion group was held with some of the island’s leading business women to examine the possibility of launching WDF in the Jersey.  This was unanimously agreed.

Over the last 20 years EY has supported a diverse range of professional networks throughout its own global network, and they have become an integral part of their inclusive people culture.

Wendy Martin, EY Channel Islands tax executive director said: “Our support for the Women’s Development Forum came very naturally, as a result of our shared values. At EY we have seen the benefits of providing opportunities for people to connect with others in their local communities as they have expanded their personal networks and developed professional skills. It also helps unlock hidden potential, as people feel more empowered to be their authentic self in the workplace. WDF provides an ideal platform for engaging with the most important issues affecting women in the workplace. We are hoping that the first event will be very well-received and will initiate discussions that lead to positive action in Jersey.”

The first WDF event will be held at The Royal Yacht Hotel on Tuesday, 11 November from 12pm to 2pm.  Sponsored by EY, members and non-members will be introduced to the organisation and will focus on an interactive exploration of what women bring to leadership and the benefits of having diverse teams in the workplace.

WDF meetings cover a wide range of topics such as empowering the next generation; health and wellbeing in the workplace; flexible working; diversity and inclusion; money and relationships; and tomorrow’s workplace.

“One of our key aims is to help women value who they are in order for them to realise their potential,” said Mrs Johansen.

“We want to dispel the myth of superwoman, while at the same time helping more women step up to leadership roles.  Businesses now recognise female leaders are good for business, but it is women who often count themselves out of the running for senior jobs.

“The complexity of the 21^st Century is demanding different leadership qualities, more flexibility, empathy and collaboration – qualities more often associated with women. In the past, efforts to get more women on to boards focussed on ‘fixing the women’.  This is not something WDF does. Instead we work to help women value the qualities they already have and to become more confident in the workplace.”

Mrs Martin said: “Having good role models and mentors can be the catalyst for people in understanding their true potential for achieving work life balance and professional accolades. WDF provides women with the opportunity to have a greater pool of role models and mentors to support them than those solely accessible in their places of work.”

As a not-for-profit organisation, WDF is seeking sponsors for its series of individual events. It has already secured EY and Appleby in Jersey and is in final negotiations with a global bank.   

For full details about the organisation as well as membership and sponsorship opportunities go to www.wdforum.org.