FLARE, a free DEI group for women who work in or with Local Authorities Highways department, has announced it will take part in the FLARE networking hour, during Highways UK from 10:30 – 11:30am on October 17 on the Local Authority Hub stand. FLARE, which stands for Female Local Authority Roads Engagement is open to women at all levels and stages of their career and the objective is to create a network of women to share resources and strategies of being a woman working in a local authority highways department.
Each month, members engage in discussions facilitated by Brightly, covering topics ranging from book recommendations to self-reflection exercises, all centred around the theme of advancing gender equality in the workplace. So far, they have covered Invisible Women by Caroline Credo-Perez, winter maintenance, equity impact assessments and Brene Brown’s knowing your values.
FLARE offers a supportive environment to connect with peers, share challenges, and nurture personal and professional growth. Engaging in FLARE discussions can also enhance mental well-being and foster a sense of belonging within the industry.
The group meet for 1 hour a-month, at each session to go through the ground rules, which are very simple and allow for a safe space to interact. Ground rules are: 1. what’s said in the group stays in the group and 2. what is shared is not representative of the place of work but own personal views.
Once ground rules are covered, the group introduce the topic and breakout into smaller groups to discuss. Groups usually include 6-8 people and enable women to introduce themselves and make connections with others in similar roles across the country. Participants then return to the main group to pool ideas and thoughts at the end.
If you are interested in joining please visit the FLARE website.
Upcoming sessions:
- Friday, 18th October: Highways UK feedback – share common themes and learnings from the conference.
- Monday, 18th November: Women’s Pain – how it’s often ignored or misdiagnosed.
- Wednesday, 18th December: Christmas special.
Brightly is a global leader in intelligent asset management solutions, offering a comprehensive suite of software and consultancy services to support sustainable community development.
For more information about Brightly and its commitment to driving sustainable communities through intelligent asset management solutions, please visit the Brightly website.
Image – Brightly