The first ELEVATE | Positive Promotion event, held on 29 and 30 September, brought female reps together for two days of discussion, development and networking, with their feedback set to help shape future work within the Federation.

Led by Police Federation National Equality Lead Hayley Aley, the event was an opportunity to hear directly from women about their experiences as reps, what works well, where more support is needed and the barriers that can make taking on or progressing in a Federation role more difficult.

The discussions built on a survey completed ahead of the event, giving reps the chance to expand on their responses and put forward ideas for change.

Women currently make up 36 per cent of our membership, but 26 per cent of Federation representatives. ELEVATE aims to better understand the reasons behind that gap and what can be done about it.

Opening the event, Hayley said: “We wanted you to be able to tell us what you think it needed to be. We have to get the feedback from you and we’re going to be utilising that.”

What did female reps tell us?

The pre-event survey asked attendees what they believed were the biggest reasons more women do not become Fed reps.
Lack of confidence was the most common response, selected by 15 respondents, followed by caring responsibilities with 13 and workload concerns with 12.

Ten respondents highlighted limited understanding of the benefits and career opportunities available through becoming a rep, while the same number selected perceptions of the Federation.

These themes were explored further across the two days, with reps discussing balancing Federation work with their day jobs and caring responsibilities, accessing development opportunities and having the confidence and support to put themselves forward.

Getting the right support

When asked which forms of support had been most valuable, informal peer support was the most common response, followed closely by support from branches.

Written responses highlighted what could make a difference, including more accessible training, clearer guidance on Federation procedures, mentoring, shadowing and better access to advice.

Reps also called for more female-focused progression support, dedicated time to carry out Federation duties and training, and more opportunities to participate remotely.

Mentoring was a recurring theme, alongside the need for more visible female leaders, clearer progression routes and better awareness of opportunities within the Federation.

Taking those views forward

A key part of ELEVATE was ensuring the conversations did not end when the event finished.

Reps were asked what we should keep doing, what it could do better and what needs to change to help women develop and progress.

They were also invited to identify issues for senior leaders to take forward, with feedback from the event feeding into discussions with the National Board and management team.

Alongside these discussions, attendees took part in CPD covering leadership, coaching, mentoring and personal development, including an inspiring session from executive coach Anna Allerton focused on confidence, development and progression. Baroness Mary Bousted also delivered an inspiring session on building confidence and navigating difficult conversations in male-dominated environments.

Acting National Secretary Mel Warnes shared her own Federation journey, prompting conversations around confidence, career progression, balancing family and professional responsibilities, and the importance of women supporting other women to put themselves forward.

The event gave reps from across England and Wales the chance to build new connections and networks, providing contacts they can turn to for advice, support and encouragement beyond ELEVATE.

The feedback gathered through the survey and over the two days will now help inform the next stages of the programme, with further opportunities to connect and develop planned.

Reflecting on the event, Hayley said: “This was a starter for ten. There’s more to come, with networks, Teams chats and hopefully more events.

“It’s about professionalising what we do and ensuring people who join us have access to support, development and opportunities to progress. They’re here to help our members, but we also want them to grow and develop through their Federation role. And this is the start of that.”