What is the Advocacy Development Programme?
The Women’s Workplace Wellness (WWW) Advocacy Development Programme is part of a package of support provided by the Women’s Workplace Wellness project. The fully-funded online workplace training programme is designed to empower employees in small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to become champions for women’s health in the workplace.
Why is it important?
Evidence shows that when businesses neglect women’s health in the workplace, the UK economy loses £20.2bn a year. (Centre of Economics and Business Research) Many aspects of Women’s Health remain taboo in the workplace – for instance the negative way that menstruation and menopause is often portrayed. Symptoms can coincide with other life events e.g. childcare, older parents, finances, relationship breakdown, and can lead to presenteeism, absenteeism, & disengagement.
By equipping participants with the knowledge and confidence to address menstrual, maternal, menopausal health issues, and broader women’s health concerns, this workplace wellness course builds confidence in employees to become advocates for women’s workplace wellness.
Through identifying where adaptations can be made, support provided, resources signposted, and changes implemented, participation can result in a supportive and inclusive work environment that benefits both employees and businesses. This course assumes no prior assumption of knowledge and so starts with the basics.
“The insights gained have been invaluable, and I am eager to implement what I’ve learned to create a more supportive and inclusive workplace.” – Attendee
Who is this workplace training course for?
- Those working in a business with 250 employees or less (SME)
- Business owners
- Those in managerial or team leader positions
- Employees with an interest in workplace wellness
– This course assumes no prior assumption of knowledge and so starts with the basics.
How is this course structured?
The Women’s Workplace Wellness Advocacy Development course is delivered through a pre-recorded programme split into six sessions.
- Session 1 Why the advocacy development programme is relevant and important, plus the benefits
- Session 2 Menstrual Health
- Session 3 Maternal Health
- Session 4 Menopausal Health
- Session 5 Women’s health at work in a wider sense
- Session 6 Role of an Advocate
– Each session includes a reflection and action planning session so that attendees return to the workplace ready to step into their role of WWW Advocate.
What do course attendees receive?
Open Awards Badge of Excellence: Open Awards Badge of Excellence attendance certificate which can be added to their CV / LinkedIn profile and can count towards workplace training initiatives.
Become part of the WWW Advocates Network: Become part of the WWW Advocates Network: On successful completion of the Badge of Excellence, attendees of this wellness course become WWW Advocates, and will become part of the WWW Advocates Network where they can access a range of resources and information and receive on-going support, updates, and invitations to participate in additional sessions to further their development in the role of advocate.
Leafyard Free Trial: On successful completion of the Badge of Excellence, attendees can access a Leafyard Free Trial: Leafyard is a web application that combines science and study to motivate people to take control of their own mental health.
Leafyard Mental Health First Responder Course: On successful completion of the Badge of Excellence Workplace Wellness course completers receive 5 free places for their organisation on the Leafyard Mental Health First Responder Course.
What do WWW advocates do?
- Signpost to relevant information about menstrual, maternal, and menopausal health at work.
- Be a contact for information for a colleague who may not be comfortable talking to a line manager.
- Facilitate helping a woman to speak with another woman or someone who has gone through (or is going through) similar experiences.
- Be a first point of contact or an initial “listening ear”. Help to identify achievable workplace adjustments that women may need.
- Be an important source of information for managers about what women are asking for to support their health needs.
- Work with managers to develop or update policies to support women’s health at work.
Access this free course immediately through the Women’s Workplace Wellness Platform.
Please Note: This workplace training and wellness course has been designed to help small businesses to support women’s health in their workplace. It is not intended to be a source of medical information. We are not medically trained and therefore cannot answer individual medical enquiries either during the programme, over the telephone, by post or via email. If you or any of your colleagues have a health worry, your first port of call should be your GP (doctor) or you could contact NHS 111.
Funded through the VCSE Health and Wellbeing Fund, part of a partnership programme between Department of Health & Social Care, NHS England and UK Health Security Agency.