News

Launched on Friday 4^th September in Leeds, Get Connected is a Muslim women’s regional network for Yorkshire and the Humber and the UK’s first regional leadership programme working to raise the voice and representation of Muslim women. The programme is supported by YoHr Space, the Yorkshire and Humber Improvement and Efficiency Partnership, and hosted by Local Government Yorkshire and Humber.

The Rt Hon Rosie Winterton MP Regional Minister for Yorkshire and the Humber gave the keynote address to an audience of over 100 of the region’s key public and private sector leaders. It is intended that in time this framework of good practice will be replicated across the country.

After a welcome from Carole Hassan, Chief Executive of Local Government Yorkshire and Humber, Rosie Winterton said “I welcome this unique leadership programme. Get Connected provides a hub of knowledge, training and support for Muslim Women across Yorkshire and the Humber.”

 “There is clearly enormous talent among the participants already involved in the programme and I am sure in the future that more Muslim women will be encouraged to get involved to develop their leadership skills.”

“Get Connected demonstrates the efforts across Yorkshire and the Humber to support communities and business. I hope that other regions will follow this excellent example.”

With an initial cohort of 22 Muslim Get Connected will provide empowerment, representation, mentoring, training and advice. This two year programme will create a legacy of potential future leaders increasing the social and economic vibrancy of the region and giving the region a competitive advantage. Common Purpose, the world renowned leadership development programme has been commissioned to devise a bespoke leadership programme for Get Connected.

The participants live and work across the Yorkshire and Humber region and are from a wide range of personal backgrounds. One of the youngest Get Connected participants, Nassara Bostan, lives and works in Bradford. Nassara is a Department for Work and Pensions Financial Inclusion Champion for West Yorkshire and currently the only Muslim, Asian female working with 40 other champions nationally.  Previously she managed the successful Local Enterprise Growth Initiative in Bradford.  When asked what she hopes to gain from the Get Connected programme Nassara said “among other things I haven’t had any role models to look up to professionally and have seized the opportunity to join the Get Connected programme to develop myself both personally and professionally. I hope to be an inspiration and role-model to other Muslim women who can look to my success as a guide to their own.”       

Speaking after the launch, Get Connected’s Programme Director Naz Shah said “The programme offers Muslim women of today a real opportunity to develop themselves and influence the workforce of the future. In addition to Common Purpose, the programme’s participants will have the guidance of a team of mentors to support their professional development of the participants. Mentors are being recruited from the public and corporate sector and include men as well as women to provide objective views and opinions. If anyone would like to become a mentor, they are welcome to contact me.”

The progress of the participants will be followed on the Get Connected website www.get-connected.org.uk using discussion forums and personal blogs. Visitors to the site can currently read the profiles of each of the participants with the fully interactive website being launched shortly.