A Joyous Own My Life Facilitator Meet-Up in Birmingham

Our Meet Up: Katie, Sadia, Danielle, Karen, Natalie, Jacky

There is something truly special about bringing Own My Life facilitators together. A chance to share stories, celebrate the difference we are making, learn from one another and, of course, enjoy a few coffees and cakes!

We recently had the joy of gathering with some brilliant Own My Life facilitators in Birmingham. It was a time full of warmth, generosity, inspiration and, as always, a shared determination to make sure women are supported to own their lives.

Around the table were women whose journeys with Own My Life look different, but whose commitment to the work is unmistakable.

Karen works in homelessness services and has been running Own My Life one-to-one with women at a local wellness centre. She shared some beautiful reflections on the difference Own My Life is making as she brings Own My Life principles into her work with women who are homeless.

Katie, who has run numerous Own My Life courses for the Birmingham Family Drug and Alcohol Courts (FDACs), spoke about the impact she has witnessed in the family courts. She shared how much judges value Own My Life, recognising the difference in women who have completed the course. It was wonderful to hear that when women own their lives, this is being noticed and valued within the court system.

Jacky and her organisation have been delivering Own My Life since 2020. Her organisation, WE:ARE, runs multiple courses every week and is a beautiful example of what can happen when women are invited and supported to become their biggest and best selves.

Danielle is exploring exciting possibilities for taking Own My Life to Jamaica. She shared her plans for an upcoming trip to explore what might be possible, alongside her desire to find ways to bring Own My Life into her work locally.

Sadia has recently retired from being an Own My Life Trustee. She has previously facilitated the course, after seeing the difference Own My Life made for women in her work as a child protection lawyer.

Each woman brought stories of change, possibility and hope. We never tire of hearing about the difference Own My Life makes to women, and it is always a privilege to learn from the women who are making that difference happen.

The challenges, as well as the joys

Of course, our conversations weren't all about celebrating successes. There was also space to talk honestly about the ways women continue to be failed, the obstacles that get in the way of making Own My Life available to women, and the ongoing frustrations of insecure funding.

These conversations matter. We know that brilliant women are doing extraordinary work, often in systems that make it unnecessarily difficult. We know that access to Own My Life can depend on funding, organisational priorities and opportunities that are far too often outside facilitators' control.

And yet, women keep finding ways.

Once part of the Own My Life sisterhood, always part of the sisterhood

One of the things we treasure most about these gatherings is seeing just how far the Own My Life community reaches.

We are often contacted by women who have moved into a new role or joined a different organisation and are desperate to find a way to introduce Own My Life to their new workplace. Some have retired, some have been made redundant, and others have simply taken a different career path. But their commitment to Own My Life and the women who need our work hasn't disappeared.

That was certainly true for some of the women around the table in Birmingham. Even though their current roles may no longer involve delivering Own My Life, or they are still finding a way to introduce it, they made the time to come along. They showed up because they care. Because they believe in the work. Because they are excited to remain part of something that changes women's lives.

We think that is rather wonderful.

The preciousness of coming together

So much of our work happens online, and we are grateful for the connections that technology makes possible. But there is something precious about being in a room together. Sitting around a table, sharing a few coffees and cakes, listening properly, laughing, sometimes feeling frustrated, and remembering that we are part of something bigger than ourselves.

For us, these meet-ups are about more than sharing delivery experiences. They are an opportunity to hear how important the training is to the women who have undertaken it, to understand what it enables them to do in their work, and to be reminded of the extraordinary commitment that exists throughout the Own My Life community.

To Karen, Katie, Danielle, Jacky and Sadia: thank you. Thank you for your honesty, your generosity, your stories and your continued belief in Own My Life.

What a gift each of you is. What a joy to be part of this sisterhood.

And what a privilege it is to keep doing this work together.

AI was used to draft this article.