Chwarae Teg Timeline

2012 and Beyond...

At Chwarae Teg

Chwarae Teg is undertaking 6 pieces of research, developing 4 strategic priority themes and continues to deliver the Agile Nation project until 2014.

2011

At Chwarae Teg

Working Families Award

Chwarae Teg reached the final of the Working Families Best for Flexible Working Award, alongside Allianz Insurance UK, Centrica and Dell Corporation and was also included in the Top 30 Employers for Working Families in the UK, together with international companies such as McDonalds, Barclays Bank and Sainsbury's.

Agile Nation Evolve programme

Chwarae Teg's Agile Nation project began to roll out its Evolve programme for employers.

Over 1,500 women sign up to Agile Nation

Since the Agile Nation project began, 1642 women have signed up and 922 of those from Convergence areas of Wales have achieved qualifications accredited by the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM).

Across the UK

Rachael Cadman becomes the first female triathlete to complete the London Paris Enduroman Challenge.

On October 28 2011 Commonwealth Heads of Government agreed to change Royal succession laws , giving sons and daughters of any future UK monarch equal right to the throne.

2010

At Chwarae Teg

Women Inspiring Women

The Women Inspiring Women conference was held on International Women's Day at Bridgend's Odeon Cinema and was attended by over 150 delegates. Speakers included Olympic gold medal winner Tessa Sanderson CBE and local role models Bethan Jenkins AM and Hayley Parsons, Chief Executive of Gocompare.com.

Womenspire App

Chwarae Teg won the Best Use of Digital PR Award at the Chartered Institute of Public Relations Cymru Wales PRide Awards for its iPhone application, Womenspire.

Chwarae Teg Solutions

Chwarae Teg launched Solutions, a series of workshops, courses and training events for businesses.

Working Families Award

Chwarae Teg won the Best SME category and was included in the Top 10 Employers A-Z list at the Top Employers for Working Families Awards, organised by Working Families.

Across the UK

The Equality Act receives Royal Assent which brings together the existing equalities Acts and hopes to strengthen anti-discrimination legislation. The Bill covers age, disability, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation and religion and belief.

2009

At Chwarae Teg

Agile Nation launched

The Agile Nation project was formally launched by Jane Hutt AM and Sound of Music Star Connie Fisher at simultaneous events in South and North Wales on 10 February. Three new Agile Nation project offices opened in Treforest, Colwyn Bay and Llanelli.

Women in Management

Chwarae Teg took over leadership of the Women in Management network in South East Wales.

National Awards

The Agile Nation project received special recognition at the BFIIN (British Female Inventor and Innovator) International Awards, while Beverley Pold, Chwarae Teg's Business Development and Policy Manager, won the Queen's Award for Achievement in Enterprise Promotion.

Across the UK

Carol Ann Duffy is selected as the first female Poet Laureate, ending 400 years of male domination of this prestigious position.

2008

At Chwarae Teg

Agile Nation announced

Jane Hutt, Minister for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning & Skills announced the approval of Chwarae Teg's £12.5m Agile Nation project funded by the European Social Fund and the Welsh Assembly Government.

Chwarae Teg brand is refreshed

In September Chwarae Teg launched its newly refreshed brand accompanied by a contemporary logo and a new strap line, "Women and Workplace Innovation". A revitalised and refreshed Chwarae Teg website also went live in the autumn with improved accessibility and navigation.

Getting the Balance Right completed

Delivery of Chwarae Teg's Getting the Balance Right project was completed in 2008. The pilot project in the Roads Policing Unit of North Wales Police was completed with new shift patterns implemented and a proposal to evaluate the pilot was submitted.

Sector Skills research completed

The Sector Skills research on Equalities and the Workforce in Wales was finalised in 2008. It raised some interesting findings around business' perceptions of equality matters in respect of gender, disability and black and ethnic minorities in Wales. The report also made a number of recommendations for further research.

Across the UK

Sheila MacDonald is the first woman to become an executive director of a UK high street bank, the Co-operative.

2007

At Chwarae Teg

Better Balance Better Business

Chwarae Teg's Better Balance Better Business Conference was held on 29 March 2007 at the Hilton Hotel, Cardiff. Sir Digby Jones, former Director General of the CBI, Ann Beynon, BT Director Wales and Marcella Maxwell spoke on the business benefits of embracing smarter working methods.

Across the UK

The Gender Equality Duty comes into force on 1 April, placing a legal obligation on public authorities to eliminate unlawful gender discrimination and promote equality of opportunity between women and men.

2006

At Chwarae Teg

CYTGORD

Chwarae Teg produced and launched the CYTGORD transnational research study into the impact and implications of the gender pay gap on policy and practice and made recommendations on the way forward.

Improving Women's Access to Finance research

The objective of the Improving Women's Access to Finance research was to provide an understanding of the attitudes of women entrepreneurs in Wales towards accessing business finance. It formed part of a second phase of Chwarae Teg's Women's Enterprise Wales project. The research findings showed:

The proportion of women surveyed that had applied for business finance was quite low at 32%; however the vast majority of the applications made (79%) had been successful.
For just over half of the respondents the amount of finance that they had accessed was either equal to or greater than the amount they needed, suggesting that they achieved the successful outcome that they sought, however for 43% of the respondents who had successfully accessed business finance, the amount of finance that they had secured was less than what they needed.
Personal savings was the funding route taken by almost three quarters of respondents.

Across the UK

The White Paper on Pensions aims to make 70% of women eligible for a full basic state pension by 2010 as opposed to 30% in 2006.

2005

At Chwarae Teg

PROWESS Flagship Award

Chwarae Teg received the Prowess Media Awareness Award for the Women's Enterprise Wales project in 2005.

Across the UK

UK Government ratifies the Optional Protocol on the UN Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women.

2004

At Chwarae Teg

Val Feld Award

Chwarae Teg received the Val Feld Award at the Welsh Woman of the Year Awards.

readySETgo

Chwarae Teg's readySETGo project was launched and ran until 2007. The project encouraged more women into non-traditional training and work opportunities, particularly science, engineering and technology (SET).

Across the UK

Women march on Parliament in protest that one in four retired women live in poverty.

2003

At Chwarae Teg

UK / Irish European Equality Network

Chwarae Teg managed the UK/Irish European Equality Network from 2003 to 2004. The network had over 130 members working to promote equality mainstreaming.

SME Work-life Balance Fund

Chwarae Teg worked with the National Assembly for Wales to deliver the Work-life Balance Challenge Fund in 2003 for SMEs. Following surgeries throughout Wales, 36 applications to the Fund were made by January 2003 and 17 were successful.

Chwarae Teg enters into new partnership with BT

In 2003, Chwarae Teg linked up with BT for support with its pan-Wales information and computer technology (ICT) strategy. BT aims to be at the heart of the information society - in which everyone, irrespective of nationality, culture, ethnicity, class, creed or education, has access to the benefits of information communications technology. Chwarae Teg was delighted to have entered into partnership with BT to help achieve those aims.

Across the UK

JK Rowling, creator of the Harry Potter books, becomes the world's best paid author.

2002

At Chwarae Teg

10th Anniversary National Conference

300 delegates attended Chwarae Teg's on 27 November 2002 at Cardiff City Hall to celebrate a decade of equality action in Wales.

Chwarae Teg at Westminster

Chwarae Teg presented research to Welsh MPs at the House of Commons, Westminster in July by invitation of Julie Morgan MP.

Across the UK

Sheila MacDonald is the first woman to become an executive director of a UK high street bank, the Co-operative.

2001

At Chwarae Teg

Women's Enterprise Wales

Women's Enterprise Wales/Menter Merched Cymru was launched by Chwarae Teg at a special event opened by Sian Lloyd Jones, Finance Wales' Chief Executive.

Across the UK

Clara Furse becomes the first female chief executive of the 200-year-old London Stock Exchange.

2000

At Chwarae Teg

Ruth Marks became Chief Executive

Ruth Marks joined Chwarae Teg as Chief Executive in December 1999 and led the organisation into the new millennium.

Work-life Balance

Chwarae Teg challenged the people of Wales to lead more balanced lives with the launch of the Work-life Balance project. 160 delegates attended Chwarae Teg's Getting the Balance Right conference to develop the debate on the issues of where, when and how we work in the 21st century.

European Network for the Promotion of Women's Entrepreneurship

Chwarae Teg represented Wales at the official launch of the European Network for the Promotion of Women's Entrepreneurship in Brussels.

Across the UK

The Queen Mother celebrates her 100th birthday, becoming the first member of the Royal Family to reach her centenary.

1999

At Chwarae Teg

SME Equality Project

The SME Equality Project, supported by the European Social Fund, began in September 1998 to identify examples of good practice of equal opportunities in small and medium sized enterprises. Chwarae Teg delivered this project until 2003.

Across the UK

A new law on parental leave enables both men and women to take up to 13 weeks off to care for children aged under five.

Devolution

Following a referendum in 1997, devolution for Wales arrived. The National Assembly for Wales held its first meeting in May and 24 out of a total of 60 Members were women. Four of the nine Government Ministers were women, including the newly elected Jane Hutt, former Chwarae Teg Chief executive, who was elected as Minister for Health and Social Services. Other Chwarae Teg Board members and advisors were also elected including Val Feld, Edwina Hart and Helen Mary Jones.

1998

At Chwarae Teg

New Directions

Chwarae Teg formulated the New Directions project, funded by the National Lottery Charities Board, to improve women's participation in education, training and employment.

Chwarae Teg in Europe

Chwarae Teg emerged as a key player in the field of equal opportunities and women's economic development in Wales and in the wider European context, with the organisation being invited to address conferences held by the European Commission in Portugal and Germany.

Across the UK

Rosie Boycott is appointed editor of The Independent, the first woman to be editor of a weekday broadsheet.

1997

At Chwarae Teg

A Fair Deal for Women in Wales Conference

Harriet Harman MP, Secretary of State for Social Security and Minister for Women, was invited to speak at A Fair Deal for Women in Wales, a conference organised by Chwarae Teg and the National Council for One Parent Families.

Harriet Harman MP: "Lone mothers want to work. They do not want to depend on benefits. They know that work is the best way to provide a better life for themselves and their children."

European Equality Partnership

The European Equality Partnership, involving the Equal Opportunities Commission, Disability Wales and the Commission for Racial Equality was launched and managed by Chwarae Teg.

Across the UK

120 women win seats in the General Election, 101 of these being Labour Party politicians.

1996

At Chwarae Teg

Women, Players in Regional Development Conference

Dr Monika Wulf-Mathies, European Commissioner for Regional Affairs, was the keynote speaker at the conference attended by 130 delegates.

Two key achievements were outlined. Firstly, that Chwarae Teg was recognised as making a contribution to economic development in Wales and secondly, that it had succeeded in influencing employers to 'do the right thing socially' whilst recognising the economic benefits of this.

Across the UK

The Northern Ireland Women's Coalition is founded in an attempt to promote the inclusion of women in social and political life, on an equal footing to men.

1995

At Chwarae Teg

First AGM

Chwarae Teg's first annual general meeting was held on 12 October 1995. The meeting was addressed by Judith Hunt, Chief Executive of the Local Government Management Board.

All Wales Enterprise Action Group for Women

The All Wales Enterprise Action Group for Women aimed to bring together organisations in the enterprise field and address the needs of women starting out in business.

Across the UK

The Disability Discrimination Act introduces additional rights for disabled people in employment and access to services.

1994

At Chwarae Teg

Chwarae Teg became an all-Wales company managed by a Board of Directors

Across the UK

Trade Union Reform and Employment Rights Act guarantees every working woman the right to maternity leave for the first time.

A House of Lords ruling gives equal rights to part-time workers.

1993

At Chwarae Teg

Out of School Childcare Clubs

In 1993 Chwarae Teg launched the Out of School Childcare Clubs project with Training and Enterprise Councils, enabling more women to take up training or work opportunities.

Enterprise Action for Women

Chwarae Teg supported the Gateway Europe Athena Project which identified a lack of support for women in Wales who were keen to take up the enterprise challenge.

As a result, Chwarae Teg published Enterprise Action for Women, a guide to good practice for business support providers with the hope that it would provide a stimulus for long-term enterprise action in Wales, bringing confidence to women and guidance to the business support services on whom they relied.

Across the UK

Rebecca Stephens became the first British woman to reach the summit of Everest.

1992

At Chwarae Teg

Chwarae Teg Initiative formed

In 1992, the first major survey of the role of women in the Welsh economy was conducted in South Wales.

Expanding the Role of Women in the South Wales Workforce was a joint venture carried out by Dr Jill Venus, the Welsh Development Agency and twelve co-sponsors.

The following barriers were identified as preventing women entering or returning to work:
- inflexible employment conditions low expectations from both women and employers
- lack of flexibility within training provision
- lack of childcare support

As a consequence of this research, the Chwarae Teg Initiative was formed with an action plan to expand the role of women in the Welsh economy.

Jane Hutt appointed as Project Executive

Jane's role at this early stage was to encourage and assist in the initiatives and to further evaluate and monitor the impact of these initiatives on the Welsh economy.