Creating a safe space for women and growing with compassion: How Midlife360 CIC is navigating change and honouring our mission
Mission
“To enable women in midlife to access and thrive in their chosen work environment.”
Vision
“To create a world where every woman has the confidence, skills and ability to thrive within an age positive work culture”
Running a social enterprise for women is a mission rooted in purpose: to uplift, empower, and create a safe space and opportunities where there have historically been barriers. Every day since the beginning of Midlife360 CIC we have been driven by the conversations we have with midlife women and those around us who recognise the challenges we face. We have a feeling of responsibility to the women, employers, stakeholders and the communities in which we work and the values we stand for.
Recent changes in legislation around trans women’s rights have brought new dimensions to this work. We have always said we welcome anyone who identifies as a midlife woman, but the recent changes have got us questioning our narrative. This has stirred a real confusion, something we are still working through. What is the right way to address what is a complex conversation? How do we challenge our own assumptions? How do we protect the safe space we are creating whilst still being inclusive? As an organisation committed to inclusion and equity for women, it’s important that we sit with these uncomfortable questions and not shy away from them.
At the heart of any true social enterprise is people: their lived experiences, their dreams, their next steps. How do we define being a woman, do we look through our own lens or take the direction of those who legislate, a decision we are finding difficult. We see this as a shared journey of resilience, identity, and empowerment, one that trans women have every right to walk alongside us.
So what does this mean?
Legislation might change, debates may continue all around but for us, but we look at this with impact and depth at the heart of every decision, we opt to put empathy at the centre whilst also looking to protect the safe space we are creating.
We have taken this time to look at our constitution, theory of change and our mission and vision and we have created an outline of our values:
- To create spaces where every midlife woman feels seen and safe.
- To recognise that inclusion strengthens us, it doesn’t divide us.
- To listen actively to the diverse voices of women, and to grow with them.
- To develop as a social enterprise which is open, knowledgeable and empathetic to all who identify as a midlife woman.
- To continue to research and learn more about the challenges faced by trans women in Cambridgeshire and look for relevant signposting.
- To support women who are facing sexism and ageism in their lives.
We want to be empathetic, thoughtful and reassuring, we are already looking to review the language we use; we are revisiting our community guidelines, and we are open to having conversations with stakeholders who (like us) may feel uncertain. We want to know how you feel and what you would like Midlife360 CIC safe spaces to look like. We are part of something, and this togetherness is at the centre of what we are looking to achieve.
Building Midlife360 CIC has never been about taking the easy path. It’s about choosing integrity.
We know what it’s like to have worked hard to develop this social enterprise and to start to challenge the narrative around the perception of midlife women. While Midlife360 CIC is still in its infancy, through lived experience we have seen that there could be a temptation to guard this space too fiercely, after all, it has been hard won. Could we endeavour to share this space?
Ways in which we are looking to respond
Here are a few ways we are looking to translate our values:
- We reaffirm our commitment to inclusion whilst protecting our safe space.
- Investing in our education around gender diversity and respectful engagement.
- Creating safe and brave spaces for open dialogue within our community.
- Understanding the signposting available
- Working with key stakeholders to understand the challenges faced by trans women in the jobs market in Cambridgeshire.
Our Power, Together
CIC’s led by women have always been about more than profit. We’ve been about building systems of care, empowerment, and justice, often against the odds. It now feels we are being called to show that yet again, that our power lies not just in how fiercely we advocate for women, but how we define what our sisterhood really means to all of us.
This is not a distraction from our mission. It is an evolution of it.
While we continue to look at how MIdlife360 CIC works within the new legislation, we want to hear from you. What are your thoughts on the changes in legislation and how are you navigating the complexities of what this conversation brings. All thoughts welcome.