Making Work Work – for Edinburgh Women
Are you looking to return to work following a career break? Have you returned, but find you aren't where you would like to be?
Since 2021, the Making Work Work team at The Challenges Group have helped over 150 women across Scotland to make work work following a career beak. Making Work Work – for Edinburgh Women builds on this success and brings this innovative programme to women living in the City of Edinburgh Council area. It is fully funded and free of charge for eligible women and open to women on a career break or who have taken a career break in the past. It will help women re-enter the workplace or progress on from work where they are not working at the level, salary or hours at which they are capable.
Women can face challenges in finding work commensurate with their skills, ambition and availability after a career break (for example for childcare, elderly care, health or other reasons). Our programme helps women refresh skills and build confidence and networks for success.
The Challenges Group is delighted to have successfully won funding to support even more women in 2023 to make work work. By helping women to transition into work aligned with their values, skills and ambitions, we can raise family incomes, improve workplace diversity and help women live fulfilling lives.
Women on the programme take part in a peer-led skills refresher programme which facilitates the confidence and networks essential to finding work that works for them. With the help of our expert trainers, all women returners themselves, participants get to know other women in their situation, who provide mutual support and learning, helping each other along a transformative journey.
The programme works with women in Edinburgh looking to step back into the workplace or progress in work and who face difficulties in finding work that fits with all the commitments and enjoyment of life following a career break (e.g. for childcare, other caring, health issues / disability, redundancy, relocation or other reasons). You may be on a career break now, or have had one in the past and gone back to work.
Build confidence to help you move into or progress in work
Strengthen your networks with likeminded women
Learn about part-time & flexible working opportunities
Develop skills & your ability to identify positive working cultures
Snazz up your CV
We are looking for women who have management experience or aspirations from across Edinburgh to take part in our programme.
Don't worry if you have not had management experience - this will not exclude you from the programme. However, you need to be willing to learn about management and leadership skills - either for your a future role and/or in order to recognise supportive management practice and positive working cultures.
As well as eight weeks of group training, participants also receive one-to-one mentoring and get support with their job search, personal development and designing their (work)life blend.
Making Work Work – for Edinburgh Women builds on The Challenges Group's award-winning women returners programme, Making Work Work - for Women Returners which has supported over 150 women Scotland-wide. It is co-designed and Programme Managed by Lynn Houmdi, Scotland's Flex Influencer 2022. This new programme is for women living in the City of Edinburgh Council area only.
Making Work Work – for Edinburgh Women is offered in partnership with The City of Edinburgh Council and Capital City Partnership and is funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
Open Now
Our Edinburgh programme, in conjunction with the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and the City of Edinburgh Council, is open now!
Please contact the team on womenreturners@thechallengesgroup.com if you require any support with your application.
In Partnership With:
For further information, please contact the team on womenreturners@thechallengesgroup.com or attend one of our free, online, no obligation info sessions.