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The Women’s Foundation’s (TWF) mission is to promote the full and equal participation of women and girls in all aspects of Hong Kong society.
TWF’s diverse, dynamic team undertakes research projects, advocates for policy change and awareness, and offers a range of education and community programmes. Jo Hayes is TWF’s Pipeline Initiatives Director and brings her passion for leadership development and diversity to its signature programmes.
Jo Hayes is TWF’s Pipeline Initiatives Director
IN THIS EPISODE, YOU LEARN ABOUT…
- The difference between a mentor and a sponsor
- How The Women’s Foundation is engaging men as allies
- How asking someone to have a coffee can be the first step to your next role
- Jo’s approach to seeking work/life integration
Showing up
#impact Podcast hosts Regina Larko and Amanda Williams met Jo Hayes working together on the TEDxTinHauWomen’s committee last year and we’ve been dying to hear more about her job. (Shameless plug, this year’s TEDxTinHauWomen event, Showing Up, will be happening in Hong Kong on 30 November).
Jo’s title “Pipeline Initiatives Director” is quite an unique one. Essentially, she is responsible for programming and research that creates the vital “pipeline” of female talent for leadership roles in Hong Kong.
At The Women’s Foundation’s International Womens Day 2018 Celebration. Photo Credit: TWF
“Still a long way to go”
Jo shared this frightening stat from the World Economic Forum – it will be over 200 years before we reach gender parity. This is what drives The Women’s Foundation and their many collaborators – volunteers, corporate partners and volunteer mentors. Everyone needs to work together. As Jo says, collaboration is the only way to drive change.
Collaboration is a key theme in TWF’s signature programmes. The Women’s Foundation has been running its Mentoring Programme for Women Leaders since 2009, benefitting some 800 women aspiring to leadership roles. The programme is a year-long 1:1 mentoring programme that is free to participants, thanks to corporate sponsors.
“Hong Kong’s leading, cross-industry programme”
Jo is focused on further developing the Mentoring Programme for its 10th anniversary, formalising some initiatives that they piloted last year and making some additions. The programme has always focused on 1:1 mentoring, but this year will expand the peer-to-peer mentoring aspect, both for mentors and protégés. They will also introduce group mentoring this year, as they recognise the growing importance of diversity of thought and cross-industry interactions.
Jo is justifiably proud of what the programme has achieved for its alumni and for how well it showcases the expertise of senior female leaders in Hong Kong. Also testament to its success is the continuation many mentors and protégés have into TWF’s other programmes. This year, alumni will be invited to act as “reverse mentors” in TWF’s Male Allies initiative. TWF will also expand its training for past mentors in preparing them for board roles and play a more active role in connecting all of these talented women up with search firms and organisations, charitable and commercial.
Team building and bonding at TWF. Photo Credit: TWF
“Allyship is key”
TWF’s new Male Allies initiative grew out of the understanding that gender equality is not just a women’s issue, but an imperative that benefits all of us. The lives of women and girls cannot improve without engaging men as key agents for change.
TWF has been impressed by the number of partners interested in participating. It starts with conversations, taking stock of behaviour and biases and learning to understand how that contributes to making it harder for women to achieve leadership roles.
#pressforprogress Men are encouraged to join the conversation as well. Photo Credit: TWF
“When you’re not in the room”
Mentors give advice and share expertise, but sponsors are what help you get into leadership roles. Sponsorship is what people say when you’re not there. Sponsors, male or female, are necessary to advocate for and to put women forward for opportunities.
Jo has been impressed with the supportive network of most women in Hong Kong, but is dismayed when she hears stories about “Queen Bees” making it harder for the women behind them. She thinks that these women are the minority, but those stories are told more often. She encourages us all to celebrate and share the positive stories of sponsorship and support from senior female leaders.
Allyship is key, says Jo Hayes @TWFHK Share on X
Got some time to give this episode a listen? Scroll all the way up and press play. Then you will also hear more about the sponsorship and support that brought Jo to The Women’s Foundation and learn more about how an established NGO measures its impact and uses research to drive change.
Our learnings from this episode. Have something to add? Get in touch with us here!
Our learnings and ways to get involved
- Find a sponsor for your career and look to be a sponsor to a young woman behind you.
- Are you a young professional woman or a senior female leader in Hong Kong? Get involved with The Women’s Foundation’s Mentoring Programme. The application deadline is 10 September 2018. Further details are available on their website, https://twfhk.org.
- For the men listening, become an ally. Learn the business case for getting women into leadership roles and advocate for the women in your life.
- Be kind. Jo offers this very simple piece of advice for how everyone can make the world a better place. She got her office and her family into the act last year with Kindness advent calendars.
Useful Resources
The Women’s Foundation:
- https://twfhk.org.
- Sign up for the free TWF’s newsletter that is a wealth of knowledge
Jo Hayes:
