Making Work Work – for Edinburgh Women
Applications for Making Work Work - for Edinburgh Women are now open for a limited time. The next cohort will start in May.
Since 2021, the Making Work Work team at The Challenges Group have helped over 300 women across Scotland to make work work following a career beak. Making Work Work – for Edinburgh Women builds on this success and brings this innovative programme to women living in the City of Edinburgh Council area. It is fully funded and free of charge for eligible women and open to women on a career break or who have taken a career break in the past. It will help women re-enter the workplace or progress on from work where they are not working at the level, salary or hours at which they are capable.
Women can face challenges in finding work commensurate with their skills, ambition and availability after a career break (for example for childcare, elderly care, health or other reasons). Our programme helps women refresh skills and build confidence and networks for success.
The Challenges Group is delighted to have successfully won funding to support even more women in 2024/2025 to make work work. By helping women to transition into work aligned with their values, skills and ambitions, we can raise family incomes, improve workplace diversity and help women live fulfilling lives.
Women on the programme take part in a peer-led skills refresher programme which facilitates the confidence and networks essential to finding work that works for them. With the help of our expert trainers, all women returners themselves, participants get to know other women in their situation, who provide mutual support and learning, helping each other along a transformative journey.
The programme works with women in Edinburgh looking to step back into the workplace or progress in work and who face difficulties in finding work that fits with all the commitments and enjoyment of life following a career break (e.g. for childcare, other caring, health issues / disability, redundancy, relocation or other reasons). You may be on a career break now, or have had one in the past and gone back to work.
Build confidence to help you move into or progress in work
Strengthen your networks with likeminded women
Learn about part-time & flexible working opportunities
Develop skills & your ability to identify positive working cultures
Refresh your CV
We are looking for women who have management experience or aspirations from across Edinburgh to take part in our programme.
Don't worry if you have not had management experience - this will not exclude you from the programme. However, you need to be willing to learn about management and leadership skills - either for your a future role and/or in order to recognise supportive management practice and positive working cultures.
As well as the group training, participants also receive one-to-one mentoring and get support with their job search, personal development and designing their (work)life blend.
Making Work Work – for Edinburgh Women builds on The Challenges Group's award-winning women returners programme, Making Work Work - for Women Returners which has supported over 300 women Scotland-wide. It is co-designed and Programme Managed by Lynn Houmdi, Scotland's Flex Influencer 2022. This new programme is for women living in the City of Edinburgh Council area only.
Making Work Work – for Edinburgh Women is offered in partnership with The City of Edinburgh Council and Capital City Partnership and is funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
Expressions of interest will open again later in the year for future cohorts.
Please contact the team on womenreturners@thechallengesgroup.com if you require any support with your application.
Your Questions Answered
When will the next programme likely run?
There will be a cohort of Making Work Work starting late April / Early May and finishing before the Summer holidays. The timetable is being finalised at the moment and will be available soon.
Further cohorts will run later in the year.
Is there a cost to take part?
The programme is funded by the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund, administered by Edinburgh Council, and is provided free of charge to participants.
Is this in person or online?
Sessions are held online with occasional in-person events at our Edinburgh office.
What is the training schedule?
Training typically takes place on a Tuesday and Thursday morning for three hours, during school time. Each cohort will run for around 6 to 8 weeks.
What are the main eligibility criteria?
To take part, you must be a woman living in the City of Edinburgh Council area, have the right to work in the UK and have a working knowledge of English. You must have had a career break or breaks totalling 6 months or more. This does not include paid maternity leave.
Do you help in finding a job or placements?
The programme does not offer placements but provides employability, professional skills refresher and personal development content to help you re-enter or progress in work. We also have a large network of alumni, employers and service organisations and will make connections and introductions as appropriate.
Do you only offer this programme to people wanting to become managers?
The programme is targeted at professional women who have management experience or aspirations. This includes client, learner and project management as well as line management.