News
Staff and Students Celebrate International Women’s Day
Belfast Met has organised events for its staff and students this year to mark International Women’s Day (IWD) on Monday 8th March. This year’s theme for the IWD events at the College is ‘Celebrating Women's Achievements’.
IWD aims to forge a gender equal world and by celebrating women's achievements through increasing their visibility and calling out equality. International Women’s Day 2021 has also organised some useful online events running all day between 10am-7pm.
The national IWD 2021 campaign asks us to choose to challenge the world, as from challenge comes change. Everyone should be involved in this conversation of how we continue to explore how to forge a gender equal world.
Belfast Met is at the forefront of ensuring equality of opportunity for all of its staff and learners, and has organised free events for staff and students on International Women’s Day to help raise awareness of support available for students, and provide training for staff so that women can be supported to reach their full potential.
Our Centre for Student Wellbeing and Student’s Union has organised live online quizzes for all students with spot prizes via canvas Student’s Union page, starting from 8am until 6pm on the day. There will also be a HYPE Live Hub promoting women’s sexual health at 11am.
An online workshop for staff has been organised that kicks off at 10am, “The New Phenomenal: Supporting All Women in Realising Their Full Potential with Mind Tribe UK. Participants will learn how educators can support women through education, and how to motivate and equip educators with knowledge and skills to support women. The workshop will also explore strategies to support women in challenging, and in overcoming self-confidence issues.
There will also be a range of recordings and online courses on topics relating to IWD available, alongside links to inspiring TED Talks and local support organisations.
Some of our staff, students and graduates volunteered to join the challenge, in particular students from our Sport and Construction courses who are studying in areas where girls and women tend to be underrepresented, so look out for their inspirational words of wisdom on the college’s social media platforms on the day.
Here is what Fiona Dempsey, Head of the Belfast Business School, said about her how she has reached her goals: “Working for most of my life in a predominantly male dominated construction environment has never phased me. I deserved my place because I work hard and achieved. I always put my hand up and pushed myself when an opportunity presented itself, even when it felt beyond my comfort zone.”
There will be a range of online events celebrating IWD delivered by organisations such as the Prince’s Trust, De Montfort University and Staffordshire University – book your place at www.internationalwomensday.com/EventSearch
Join the conversation at #ChooseToChallenge #IWD #MakeItAtTheMet