Athena SWAN Self-Assessment Team (SAT) Member (School of Nursing and Midwifery) (Event)

Description

As a member of the Athena SWAN Self-Assessment Team (SAT) in the School of Nursing and Midwifery at Queen's University Belfast, I contributed to advancing gender equality initiatives through a comprehensive and data-driven approach spanning two award cycles from 2014 to 2020. The SAT played a critical role in identifying barriers to gender equality, developing targeted interventions, and measuring their effectiveness through robust monitoring processes.

During my tenure, I participated in regular meetings to analyse institutional data, conduct focus groups, and develop action plans that addressed key challenges in areas such as career progression, work-life balance, and representation in leadership positions. Our initiatives included implementing mentoring programs across all career stages, enhancing support for staff pursuing higher qualifications, improving promotion application rates, and introducing family-friendly policies. The SAT's work extended beyond faculty to include tailored support for contract research staff, teaching assistants, and initiatives to promote gender balance in the student population.

A significant amount of my work involved staff development, creating awareness campaigns and digital resources relating to the promotion and awareness of males in nursing, organising charitable events, promoting SWAN to internal staff, collecting statistics, and addressing unconscious bias in our digital education materials. I played a key role in promoting gender balance in the student population through events and digital campaigns, utilising my expertise in digital content creation to reach wider audiences. I also served as a wellbeing champion in the school for many years, disseminating central information and organising activities that fostered a supportive work environment for all staff regardless of gender.

The SAT's work also extended beyond the School through beacon activities, including establishing networks with other Schools of Nursing and Midwifery across the UK and Ireland, hosting workshops to share best practices, and participating in Equality Challenge Unit review panels. This collaborative approach helped disseminate successful interventions while bringing fresh perspectives to our ongoing equality initiatives.

Period	01 Jan 2014 → 01 Jan 2020
Event title	Athena SWAN Self-Assessment Team (SAT) Member (School of Nursing and Midwifery)
Event type	Other
Degree of Recognition	Local