It’s International Women’s Day and we want to say a big thank you to all the amazing women who continue to support our charity, including members of staff, trustees, volunteers and customers who have all helped shape Emmaus Suffolk over the past five years.
Our team is now led by our CEO, Claire Staddon. We’ve spoken to her about International Women’s Day and the women who inspire her.
Why is it important for Emmaus Suffolk to mark International Women’s Day?
We need to actively participate in living in a community that values and respects everyone equally. We should celebrate the success of the action not of the gender, and this is definitely an ethos we live and work by at Emmaus Suffolk.
The theme for IWD 2021 is #ChooseToChallenge. How do you think you challenge yourself or others through the work you do at Emmaus Suffolk?
We meet so many different people through our work in Suffolk. Our challenge is to recognise the person and their individual story, and not focus on presenting problems or perceptions. It’s easy to think you know what will help, to decide for someone what’s best for them. It’s harder to listen, to support and to empower.
Have you encountered any related challenges in your career along the way to becoming a CEO?
I have been extremely lucky not to have suffered much active discrimination in my career, but then I haven’t taken an obvious route to get here either. In fact, one of my biggest assets is people frequently under-estimate me, which gives me a great opportunity to surprise them!
What advice would you give to any young female starting their career in the charity sector?
Separate work and private life right from the beginning, but jump in. Working within the charity sector can be hard but it’s hugely rewarding.
What woman / women inspire you and why?
I admire every women I meet as they all have such different stories to tell. To Quote Serina Williams “Every woman’s success should be inspiration to another, we are strongest when we cheer each other on”