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Birkbeck Astrea: networking for women in professional and support roles

We've set up Birkbeck Astrea, as a grassroots organisation, to provide Birkbeck women in professional and support roles occasions to meet each other and network, to enable us all to take full advantages of the opportunities available to us and help us all make the best of what we are and have.

Why Birkbeck Astrea?

  • UCL has a professional networking group for women in professional service roles, called Astrea. It is a grassroots organisation, started by two women working in professional services, and its objectives are to ‘…empower women. And by doing so, to get women to realise their potential. We plan to do this by building a network where women can learn from each other; where our members can find mentors and role models; where they can talk about issues of common concern and where we can discuss what needs to change to reach 50/50 leadership.’
  • Birkbeck Astrea is using the model developed by UCL and developing our own ‘Birkbeck Astrea’, a grassroots organisation where women in professional service roles (as opposed to academic roles) can meet and network with other Birkbeck women, with a view to learn, develop and help to shift our organisational culture.

Birkbeck Astrea objectives

  • To provide a professional networking group, specifically for women working in professional service (as opposed to academic) roles at Birkbeck.
  • To identify the professional development needs these women want, and provide opportunities for them to develop them through our network, while signposting more formal development opportunities.
  • To provide a platform for Birkbeck’s senior women to share their experience and expertise with other women, to demystify the issue of women in leadership.
  • To enable professional service women, at whatever level, to meet and learn from each other.

Our facilitators

  • We have a dynamic group of volunteers to organise our events throughout the year. 
  • Our current list of facilitators includes:
    • Mara Arts, Events Officer
    • Christina Buchmann, Events Officer
    • Elizabeth Charles, Treasurer
    • Jana Comfort, Events Officer
    • Mary-Clare Hallsworth, Events Officer
    • Lucinda Hickey, Communications Officer
    • Bryony Merritt, Treasurer
    • Rassi Pelpola, Membership Officer
    • Jane Van de Ban, Events Officer
    • Marianna Warren, Events Officer

Our plans for 2016/2017

  • We asked our members what they want us to look at in 2016/2017. The overwhelming response was 'Empowerment and personal confidence', so we are now busy planning our schedule for the next academic year.
  • If you are a member of our network, you will automatically be notified of our next event. If you are a member of professional and support staff and are not a member, please contact any of our facilitators to find out more.

Our sessions so far

  • Since the network launched in April 2015, we have hosted the following sessions:
  • December 2016: Empowerment and personal confidence: Managing upwards and learning to ask for what you want: Building on the theme “Empowerment and Personal Confidence”, we were joined by a current Birkbeck student, Linda Ridgers-Waite, to help us explore the topic of ‘Managing upwards and learning to ask for what you want’. Linda has worked for the Civil Service for a number of years and has also acted as a senior member of staff in the civil service trade union. She has worked for the Civil Service in a variety of roles, including HR, where she brought in the HR people strategy, and performance management. Currently the lead for Wellbeing in HMRC, Linda has vast experience of management: in her last role, she led a team of 70 people in 20 locations throughout the UK.
  • October 2016: Empowerment and personal confidence: How to make an impact and get your ideas heard at work:At this event, a panel of four women considered: ‘How to make an impact and get your ideas heard at work’ – looking at topics like:
    • Knowing what kind of person you are and what that means for your professional life.
    • How to put forward your ideas effectively.
    • How to make your voice heard in an academic environment.
    • How to make a positive impact on others.
    • How to work well with people who aren’t like you.
    • How understanding your own and others’ working style can improve your success in meetings.
  • August 2016: Taking Charge of Your Career Path: Your Digital Presence: (Mosh/Alex, Birkbeck Careers and Employability Service): Thinking of your next job? It is no longer enough to polish your cv and practise your speaking skills. Future employers – whether at Birkbeck or elsewhere – are likely to check out your digital presence, whether it be LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. So it’s important you learn how to present yourself well. In this workshop, we are looking to give you the guidance you need to make the best of your digital self – and apply it in a short hands-on workshop with other colleagues.
  • August 2016: Taking Charge of your Career Path: Getting the job you apply for: (Bryony Merritt, ER, and a panel of women): A panel of four Birkbeck women will talk about their experiences in recruiting staff and share their top interview tips. How do you write an application that will get you shortlisted? How do you make yourself stand out at an interview?
  • December 2015 / April 2016: First 2 sessions in our Taking Charge of your career year:
    • Personal Impact and Rapport – Body, Energy, Dynamism and Charisma (Akbar Kurtha, Mindfulness Coach): Using relaxed body language and a clear voice allows us to have a charismatic presence and build a trusting bond with other people. Greater self-awareness allows us to modify our behaviour and engage others. This session is designed to teach you how to relax before facing a stressful environment. Using physical exercises and mindfulness techniques, Akbar will teach you how to make the most of your personal impact and build rapport with any group.
    • Finding your unique ability (Mosh/Alex, Birkbeck Careers and Employability Service): Money or happiness? Work-life balance or promotion? It is not easy to juggle keeping all elements of your personality happy. This workshop is designed to give you a deeper understanding of your values base, helping you consider what your passions are. Using this information, we will help you to identify what opportunities are relevant for you whilst finding ways to develop and enhance your strengths.
  • August 2015: Putting networking into practice: Following our last Birkbeck Astrea meeting, where we were given some great tips on how to network, we've decided to hold a meeting to help you put networking into action. So come along, meet other women at Birkbeck and learn more about: How to work a room, even if you don't know anybody; Developing an elevator pitch that people will remember; How to move from one group to another, and still make an impression.
  • June 2015: Making an Impact, or How to be a Successful Networker: We've chosen the topic of networking, to give you an opportunity both to learn more about it and how to do it, as well as to give you the space and opportunity to put what you learn into effect.

Join us

All women who are professional and support staff (in schools and professional services) are welcome to join us. To join our mailing list, please email us at