Why I want to build a digital library AND a human library to bring older women into conversation with younger women about the world of work.

In December last year, I had the germ of an idea to tackle ageist attitudes towards women. I thought that by enabling younger women to hear the experiences of their older counterparts, we might better equip everyone as influencers and advocates to challenge the status quo.

I wanted to tell the stories of older women who have had successful careers and run businesses, yet whose knowledge and experiences are rarely heard or shared.

I wanted to find a way for those who have  created successful outcomes to share how they’d done it, to encourage and support others on their way.

I also wanted a way to share what hasn’t worked and what remains stuck, to enable new approaches towards tackling gender pay gaps and other inequalities that manifest as women age (without the slightest desire towards such manifestation on the part of the women themselves…).

We all know about the actors who say no one wants them as leading lady once they’re past 35, but what about everywoman? What happens in the workplace?

Who knows how the gender pay gap turns into a yawning chasm as women get older, particularly if they take a career break as a mother or carer?

Who knows how difficult it is for women of any age to get investment for their business – let alone when they are 50+?

It’s rarely talked about or understood, so I decided to create a platform for news and features that would raise awareness and educate across these issues.  A RESOURCE LIBRARY of what has been done and what remains to be done.

Author

Maggie Taylor

Founder of Lumin, creating opportunities for women solopreneurs to collaborate, grow, and build successful businesses, fuelled by shared knowledge, mentorship, and real partnerships across generations

All author posts

To tackle the gender pay gap and ageism, we need the resources to understand what has gone before and to work together if we want to avoid the same old tactics that haven’t worked

And then I imagined forming a living HUMAN LIBRARY so that live intergenerational conversations could take place to stimulate debate.  Don’t just read it, hear it and question it.

The website and some initial stories went live earlier this year and now I’ve just (with much trepidation) flicked the switch and made the community live for sign-up.

The plan is to become a BCorp and LUMIN has been formed on those principles.  And in terms of mission, there’s no charge planned for our members to have these conversations, as you don’t create societal change behind a paywall.

Some pre-launch events are scheduled for the coming months while we recruit, and meantime I hope everyone will pass the link along to anyone they think may be interested in sharing and learning (including themselves!).

#world of work #gendered inequality #intergenerational conversations

ageism gendered inequality human library inter-generational world of work