Lone Parents, Poverty & Work - Project Coordinator
My first few months…..
I took up the post of Project Coordinator for the new Lone Parents, Poverty & Work Initiative within Fife Gingerbread in April so I still class myself as new(ish) in post – legend says it takes a good 6 months to settle into a new role properly! I had been a lone parent myself, so, armed with what I knew about the role from the job description, interview and my own experiences, both personal and professional, I had very clear ideas in my head about what the role might involve. It’s fair to say that these ideas have evolved somewhat since their inception and I haven’t slipped back into working in the third sector as easily as I had imagined I would after working in a corporate environment for 7 years - there’s ALOT to learn and things have changed just a wee bit in the 20 years since my son was born!
Fife Gingerbread’s vision is to create better todays and brighter tomorrows for children and young people in Fife who are growing up in households facing multiple and complex barriers. Lone parents are one of the priority family groups who find themselves at greater risk of surviving poverty because of the barriers they face, one of which being securing and sustaining well paid, flexible employment. In a bid to address these barriers and ultimately help to address child poverty in Scotland, Fife Gingerbread launched the Lone Parents, Poverty & Work Initiative earlier this year. The aim of this initiative is to bridge the gap between lone parents and employers and my role is to advocate on behalf of lone parents, raising awareness of the barriers they face and their need for flexible working practices and opportunities. I’m essentially trying to encourage employers to lone parent proof their workplaces!
When I started in this role and began chatting to some of the parents we support, the main challenges being highlighted were childcare and flexible hours but as the weeks go on, I’m realizing that it goes much deeper than that.
We’re all aware of the cost of living increase – fuel prices are at the highest they’ve ever been, gas and electricity prices are through the roof (and are set to rise again towards the end of the year) and many of the families we support are forced to decide between using their gas and electricity or putting food on the table. Some might say ‘go out and get a job - there are plenty of jobs out there and unemployment in Scotland has fallen to a record low’. It’s not as simple as that though and I’ll try to explain why.
For lone parents, employment has to firstly be flexible but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Employment also has to be well paid and sustainable. It’s not just about flexing start and finish times to fit around the school day - although that’s a great start. As an employer, it’s about creating a ‘lone parent positive culture’, making yourself aware of the barriers lone parents face and thinking creatively about solutions to recruit and retain talent.
Over the last few months I’ve been out and about attending networking events, conferences and also going along to the various support groups on offer to the families we work with. These include Teatime Clubs where families can come to get a hot meal whilst they spend some quality time with their children and also chat to other parents. Other sessions I’ve been along to relate to developing confidence and understanding the effects of trauma. This has been a really interesting topic and it’s helped me to understand that the effects of trauma can manifest themselves in a number of different ways, one of which being chronic health conditions e.g. Fibromyalgia, Epilepsy, Diabetes and some mental health conditions. These, and other conditions like them, can also be barriers for lone parents but with the correct awareness and management, employment can be sustained.
I’ve started having conversations with local employers and have enjoyed meeting and hearing from those who already have flexible working models in place. I’ve been engaging with businesses who are interested in hearing about how they can adopt more flexible working policies and procedures and we’re also liaising with organisations regarding vacancies and how we can work together to provide flexible, well-paid opportunities for lone parents in the Fife area.
Future plans for the project include the provision of a toolkit for employers, ‘taster sessions’ and implementing a mentoring programme. We want our parents to not only enjoy and take pride in their work but to also consider a career and thrive at what they do so it would be great to have local businesses on board to offer an insight into their organisations and possible employment / career options. I’m also looking for people in the Fife area, who have a passion for mentoring, to support those parents who are transitioning into the workplace. Mentoring can provide a number of benefits for both parties but most of all, a good mentor will empower their mentee, building confidence and encouraging them to learn and find their own way, teaching new working methods and strategies they can use on their journey. If you would be interested in showcasing your place of work or becoming a mentor with us please get in touch.
Whilst I am thoroughly enjoying this new role and getting to know my colleagues, it’s really putting my willpower to the test! Don’t get me wrong, I love networking - that’s how relationships are developed, but when I’m not trying to refuse a delicious cake, I’m refusing deliciously smelling hot breakfast rolls or buffet lunches at conferences or breakfast meetings etc. I never thought I’d say this after 2 years of homeworking and Zoom fatigue but maybe there was something good about online meetings after all………..
On a more serious note though, I can say that I’ve recently had cause to make use of Fife Gingerbread’s flexible working policy myself and as a parent who required support, I was touched by that which was provided to me when I needed it - we are after all, an organisation who supports families. From hybrid working policies to flexible start and finish times, flexible working doesn’t have to be a ‘one-size fits all’ approach. Policies will, and should, vary from place to place – what matters is that the needs of both the individual and business are met, and there are many ways to do that successfully.
You can read more about Fife Gingerbread and the Lone Parents, Poverty & Work Initiative on our website here.
If you would like to get in touch to discuss how you or your organisation can get involved, please contact me at Lyndsey.thomson@fifegingerbread.org.uk