WISH Midlands: Creating Space for Honest Discussions

WISH Midlands recently hosted two inspiring events that brought women across the housing sector together to learn, reflect and build meaningful connections. Both Progress Her: Skills That Move Forward and the WISH Midlands Walk and Talk created space for honest discussion, practical insight and supportive networking, with each event exploring how women can progress, lead and feel more supported within the sector.

Progress Her: Skills That Move Forward, delivered in collaboration with WISH Yorkshire & Humberside, focused on career development, leadership and confidence. The event encouraged attendees to think about the skills, behaviours and mindsets that help women move forward in their careers. A strong theme throughout the day was that progression does not always follow a straight line. Instead, careers are shaped by taking opportunities, learning from different experiences, asking questions and staying open to change.

Speakers shared personal reflections and practical advice that resonated strongly with attendees. Helen McTeer highlighted the importance of stepping into opportunities, using your voice and continuing to build knowledge and experience along the way. Helen Tomlinson explored inclusion, cultural change and confidence, reminding attendees that advocacy, education and lived experience all play an important role in creating more inclusive workplaces. Her reflections on “compound confidence” were particularly powerful, showing how confidence can grow gradually through action, support and self-belief.

Elena Kekkos encouraged attendees to stay value-driven, understand their 'why' and remain curious. She reflected on leadership as a way of enabling others, not simply holding a position of authority. Charlotte Bradley brought a perspective from retrofit and social housing decarbonisation, sharing the importance of adaptability, curiosity and giving things a go. Together, the speakers reinforced that progress is built through courage, learning, collaboration and the willingness to support others as well as yourself.

The second event, the WISH Midlands Walk and Talk, took place in Birmingham on 12 May 2026 and brought members together for an afternoon focused on women’s health, well-being, psychological safety and inclusive culture. Kindly sponsored by ARK Consultancy Ltd and hosted by Shakespeare Martineau, the session was led by Wonder Consultancy Group, with Neha Sawjani and Harah Chon guiding attendees through thoughtful conversations about workplace culture and leadership practice.

The discussion explored why women’s health and well-being should be seen as a strategic workplace issue, not something managed privately or treated as peripheral. Attendees reflected on challenges such as chronic health conditions, burnout, caring responsibilities, lack of trust or support, male-dominated environments and feelings of isolation. The session also considered where change needs to begin, including organisational culture, HR and policy, leadership responsibility, safe spaces, awareness sessions and wider sector collaboration.

A key focus was psychological safety: the belief that people can speak up with ideas, questions, concerns or mistakes without fear of punishment or humiliation. Looking at psychological safety through an equity lens encouraged attendees to recognise that people experience different barriers at work, and that fair opportunity does not always mean giving everyone the same inputs. Inclusive cultures require leaders to listen, respond well and create conditions where people can be authentic and supported.

The event then moved into a gentle networking walk around central Birmingham, giving attendees time to continue conversations in a more informal setting. The networking tips shared on the day reminded everyone that strategic networking is about building positive, mutually beneficial and supportive relationships rather than collecting contacts. Quality connections, shared learning and mutual encouragement were at the heart of the experience.

Together, these two events reflected what WISH does so well: creating welcoming spaces where women in housing can connect, share experiences and leave feeling encouraged. Whether through conversations about career progression or discussions about well-being and psychological safety, both events demonstrated the value of community, openness and purposeful action. They also reinforced the importance of continuing these conversations across the sector so that women are supported not only to progress, but to thrive.

Here are some lovely comments we received from the events:

“It's fantastic to be part of an organisation which has such positive goals to empower and connect women in the social housing sector.”

“It is so nice to meet like-minded women in the construction industry. Building a network of people who can support you both personally and professionally has been amazing and helped my confidence grow."

If you'd like to join us for a future event, please visit our regional page where you can find upcoming events, contact details and further information about our regional activities.