Becoming a Board member of WISH Scotland

Becoming a Board member of WISH Scotland

by Victoria Anderson, Senior Business Improvement Officer, Grampian Housing

Becoming a Board member of WISH Scotland couldn’t have come at a better time, just weeks before the first anniversary celebration held in Glasgow. Like many women in housing, I have approached conferences and networking events with a degree of trepidation but on this occasion, as I walked into the venue, Wheatley Academy, I was immediately made to feel at home by the friendly faces of my fellow WISH Scotland board members. I was lucky enough to be given the position of greeter and got the opportunity to welcome our guests to the fabulous event. At every WISH Scotland event we hope that by welcoming and introducing our guests we can create an atmosphere where networking and connecting feels effortless.

The afternoon of celebrations got off to a fabulous start as our Chair, Kirsty Wells, introduced the event and outlined WISH Scotland’s successes and achievements over our first year. She was followed by a group of sensational speakers who inspired, provoked reflection and energised the room.

Vikki McCall of the University of Stirling delved into the topic of "Intersectional Stigma of Place-Based Ageing." Her thought-provoking presentation shed light on how this concept relates to the housing sector and to us as women. It was a captivating exploration of an often-overlooked aspect of our society.

Clare MacGillivray of Making Rights Real spoke passionately about the work her organisation is doing to ensure that the human rights of marginalised women are being upheld across Scotland. She implored us all to reflect on what we can do to ensure the work we are doing in our respective organisations is rights based.

Gemma McNair of NatWest delivered a fascinating presentation on her experiences in relation to equality, diversity and especially diversity of thought within the fintech industry. Her words provided a valuable insight on the cross-sector challenges facing women and employers.

Shona Marshall of The ASM Difference shared her wisdom during a hands-on, audience participation section asking us to consider our personal brand. Her high energy delivery inspired us all to put pen to paper, or fingers to laptop keys, and start scribbling away on our personal values, goals and purpose with actions that we could take away from the event to aid in our personal development and growth.

One of the highlights of the afternoon was the opportunity to engage in meaningful conversations with women from diverse backgrounds within the housing sector. These conversations were aided by the practical tips provided by Gemma Stow of No More Hiding Ltd during her captivating presentation, as well as a few sips of delicious Isle of Cumbrae Gin kindly provided by Bronwyn Jenkins-Deas, one of the distillers. 

Attending the WISH Scotland first anniversary event in Glasgow was an outstanding experience. It reminded me of the importance of organisations like WISH Scotland and the value of the work that we do in providing a platform for women in the housing sector to thrive, grow, and support one another. Here's to many more years of growth, empowerment, and success for WISH Scotland!

The next in-person WISH Scotland event will be held in Edinburgh on 7^th December 2023.

WISH Scotland Festive Celebration Event 2023 - Save the Date!