Stay up to date with our announcements, project news, insights, and stories from Belina GRoW CIC
Empowering Women with AI: Grow Digital Launches in Leicester with Shama Women’s Centre
A new partnership between Grow and Shama Women’s Centre is already making an impact in Leicester, helping women build digital confidence and explore how AI tools like ChatGPT can support their journeys into work, learning, and everyday life. Since our launch event in early October with Grow Director Liz Sewell as host the Grow Digital…
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‘Every Woman Can Reclaim Her Dreams’: Grow’s Khatera Ahmad MIEP Crowned IEP Member of the Year 2025
Belina Grow’s Khatera Ahmad MIEP has been crowned the prestigious IEP Member of the Year for 2025. We sat down with her to discuss what this recognition means, her groundbreaking research on South Asian working mothers, and her passion for employability work. What does winning Member of the Year mean to you personally and professionally?…
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Interview with Sheeja Sethumhadhavan – Supporting Women to Explore a Career as a Teaching Assistant
In partnership with Learn Hillingdon, Belina Grow recently delivered a two-week “Becoming a Teaching Assistant” taster course designed to help women explore a career in education. With 20 women taking part and an impressive 87.5% average attendance, the course offered hands-on insight into the Teaching Assistant role while building confidence and practical skills. We caught up with…
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Creating More Work Experience Opportunities for Everyone
By Liz Sewell FIEP, Director, Belina Grow It’s hard to get a job if you don’t have experience — and it’s hard to get experience if you don’t have a job. That’s a cycle too many people are stuck in. Last week, I joined a fantastic event hosted by the Deputy Mayor of London, @HowardDawber,…
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How You Can Use Free AI to Get a Job – An interview with Liz Sewell FIEP
AI might sound like something for tech experts, but it’s not! As part of the Grow programme, women are invited to join this short, practical session led by Liz Sewell FIEP, all about using free AI tools like ChatGPT to make job searching quicker, easier, and more effective. In just 30 minutes, you’ll learn how to use AI on…
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Supporting Afghan Women and SEN Carers with Lived Experience: An Interview with Khatera
At the heart of Grow’s work is a deep understanding of the barriers women face when trying to move forward – especially those navigating life in a new country or raising children with additional needs. In this interview, we speak with Khatera, who runs two dedicated support sessions: one for Afghan women and another for…
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Helping Ukrainian Women on their Journey to Work – An interview with Iryna Sydorova
What is the name of your session or sessions?Ukrainian Women What is your session about?This session was created primarily to offer a safe and comfortable space for Ukrainian women who, due to unexpected circumstances, found themselves in migration and were not prepared for it. Can you describe what happens during a typical session?During the session,…
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Belina GRoW Director Liz Sewell Gives Evidence to Work and Pensions Select Committee
Director, Liz Sewell FIEP, will be giving oral evidence today (Tuesday 23 April) at the Work and Pensions Select Committee as part of its inquiry into “Get Britain Working: Reforming Jobcentres.”
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#WomenWelcome: Accelerating Action for Women in Work
International Women’s Day (IWD) 2025 calls on us to “Accelerate Action”—a reminder that progress for women cannot wait. At Belina GRoW, the theme this year is #WomenWelcome, celebrating the strength, resilience, and talent of women from all walks of life and urging employers, policymakers, and communities to take meaningful steps toward equality. On Friday, the…
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Empowering Leicester Mums!
How Belina Grow’s Community Investment Fund-backed Leicester Bridge Project has delivered outstanding social impact and changed 111 women’s lives.
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Interview with Mercedes Grant FIEP and Claudine Adeyemi-Adams FIEP: How GRoW and Earlybird Are Using AI to Support Women in Lambeth
In this interview, we speak to Mercedes Grant FIEP, Head of Programme for GRoW Lambeth, and Claudine Adeyemi-Adams FIEP, founder of Earlybird AI, about their exciting collaboration to support women in Lambeth. Funded by the London Borough of Lambeth, the project integrates Earlybird’s AI technology to enhance participant support and streamline processes. Q: How did…
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How GRoW and Earlybird Are Utilising AI Technology to Support Women in Lambeth into Work
On November 12th, Belina GRoW’s Liz Sewell FIEP and Mercedes Grant FIEP attended the launch of Earlybird’s publication, Employment Support Services in the AI Era, at the Resolution Foundation’s offices in London. The event brought together employability sector leaders to explore how AI is transforming employability services. Liz joined a panel discussion to share GRoW’s…
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Introducing Karen Louth, Our New Employability Lead at Belina GRoW!
We are thrilled to welcome Karen Louth to the Belina GRoW team as our new Employability Lead! Karen brings over 20 years of recruitment experience and 8 years of employability experience with organisations including DWP, Ingeus, PeoplePlus and TNG where she successfully supported people into work. Her wealth of knowledge of the recruitment industry and…
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Belina Partner with Womentum CIC to Empower Women Through Wellbeing and Support
Belina GRoW CIC are excited to be working with Womentum CIC, a community interest company based in the heart of Leicester that offer a range of services from mindfulness to meditation, recreational adventures, arts and crafts and coffee mornings to empower women to come together and support each other. Belina GRoW spoke with Mumtaz Patel,…
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Introducing Iryna, Our New Employment Adviser in Kingston
We are delighted to introduce Iryna, our new Employment Adviser, who will be working with our participants on the South London Partnership project funded by Mayor of London. Iryna will be working with women in Kingston, Croydon, Merton, Sutton and Richmond to help provide employability advice, guidance and tailored support to help more women into…
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From Ukraine to Kingston – Valeriia Works with GRoW to Empower Women into Employment
Belina GRoW are delighted to announce that Valeriia Fedoronchuk has joined the team as an Employment Adviser to support women on our new South London Partnership Project funded by Mayor of London. Valeriia will be working with women in Kingston, Croydon, Merton, Sutton and Richmond to help provide employability advice, guidance and tailored support to…
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Michelle Grenada-Bryan – Transforming Lives through Specialist Coaching
Michelle Grenada-Bryan is an Employment Coach at Belina GRoW and is making a significant difference in the lives of people with neurodivergent conditions through her work on the Neurodiverse Strategy Programme with 3SC. With a focus on empowering her clients to overcome workplace challenges, Michelle’s efforts are tailored to meet the unique needs of neurodivergent…
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Congratulations to Kaneez Fatima MIEP – Our Rising Star
Congratulations to Kaneez Fatima MIEP – Our Rising Star
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Michelle Celebrates Sixth Work Anniversary with Belina GRoW
Employment Adviser, Michelle Grenada-Bryan is celebrating a significant milestone – her sixth work anniversary with GRoW! Michelle started as a participant with the GRoW Programme in 2018 when she was looking to return to work after her youngest child started full-time school. She is a vital member of the GRoW team and has evolved within…
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Introducing Om Yoga with Shilpa Pandit
GRoW are delighted to announce that qualified Yoga Instructor Shilpa Pandit will be running a series of free online Yoga Sessions for our GRoW Community Members! GRoW were introduced to Shilpa at the Belgrave Centre in Leicester where we were running our GRoW Bootcamp sessions focussing on confidence, motivation, goals and action. Shilpa is a…
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Belina GRoW CIC and Leicester Employment Hub Work in Partnership to Empower Women in Leicester
As part of our ongoing commitment to empower women in Leicester, Belina GRoW CIC has partnered with Leicester City Council’s Employment Hub. This collaboration seeks to enhance access to support, training, and employment opportunities for women in the city. The Leicestershire Employment Hub, established in 2018, is an ESF-funded project aimed at providing free and…
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Hillingdon Bridge Project
Belina GRoW Community Interest Company has just started a new project in Hillingdon (Hillingdon Bridge Project) which is funded by the Heathrow Community Trust, Communities Fund. Our Head of Research, Laura Dewar talked to Saeema Yusuf, who will be delivering the Project, about her approach and how the mothers will be supported over the next…
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Zoiya Goes from GRoW Team Participant to GRoW Team Member in Leicester
Mother of three Zoiya is a recent addition to the GRoW Team in Leicester and a symbol of inspiration for many mothers in the community. Having completed the GRoW Programme, Zoiya is now committed to supporting other mothers in Leicester, drawing from her rich background as a Functional Skills English and Maths Teacher. Additionally, she…
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Belina GRoW CIC Awarded Funding from Jobs 22’s New Community Investment Fund, Part of the Restart Scheme
Belina GRoW CIC, a Community Interest Company dedicated to engaging and empowering women outside of the labour market, is thrilled to announce that they have been selected as a recipient of the Community Investment Fund, established by Jobs 22, funded by and part of the Restart Scheme. Jobs 22, prime provider of employment services to…
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Parents on Universal Credit Expected to Work More Hours
URGENT FOR ALL EMPLOYABILITY COLLEAGUES Today (25 October 2023) the DWP has announced that parents of children aged three to twelve years on Universal Credit will be expected to work a maximum of thirty hours a week or job seek for these hours. This is a major change for the mothers that we work with at…
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GRoW App highlighted in IES Work in Progress Commission Report
The Institute for Employment Studies Commission on the Future of Employment Support has just published it’s interim report. It is a call for personalised services that meet the needs of the individual and help them to develop the skills and confidence to move into work. It gives key characteristics of services that say they should…
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Plan for jobs
At Belina Grow CIC we welcome the publication of the Work and Pensions Select Committee Inquiry ‘Plan for Jobs’. Our CEO Liz Sewell gave oral evidence to the Committee and it is positive that the Committee have listened to our concerns. We know through our work that disadvantaged mothers do less well in the labour…
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Newham Bridge project
Women from Altmore and Sheringham Children’s Centres attending the Grow Graduation ceremony at Newham College where they are able to directly register onto courses. This project has been established to develop a programme that moves women into adult education and work. We worked in two children’s centres with 20 women who wanted to get back…
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Audrey Bodman FIEP to Join Belina GRoW CIC
Belina GRoW CIC is thrilled to announce that Audrey Bodman FIEP, is joining the team! Belina GRoW is a new Community Interest Company dedicated to developing projects that engage and empower women who are currently outside the labour market. Their mission is to conduct research and provide support that will help women transition into work,…
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Belina GRoW CIC Head of Research, Laura Dewar, to attend the opening panel of the new Centre for Employability Excellence
Established by the IEP, The aim of the Centre for Employability Excellence is to provide a comprehensive platform for research and good practice, open to all sectors of the employability profession. A simple resource that will help us all to work together, encourage open discussion, share our insights, and develop the quality of employability services…
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Supporting Ukrainian Women into Work
We are looking at what extra can be done to support Ukrainian women into work for their and their families benefit and because they have so much to offer the UK economy. GRoW Ukrainian project co-ordinator Olena has been talking to Ukrainian women to investigate their employability issues. Key issues raised so far Their diplomas…
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It is national Flexible Working Day
Today 21 June is Flexible Working Day 2023! Set up to promote, learn, encourage and celebrate all things flex. For a future where flexible working simply comes with the job. Here at the Belina Grow CIC we know that Flexible Working will make a difference in ensuring that more women returners, and many others can return to…
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New report from Belina GRoW CIC – Developing a case for the promotion of term-time working
The COVID-19 pandemic has shown that work can be organised and carried out very differently. There has been a rapid rise in the number of employees working from home, representing a move away from the normal working environment and an increase in workers’ autonomy as to how they manage and deliver their work.
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Working in schools – Newham project
The interim evaluation of the project has been conducted through Belina Grow Community Interest Company (Belina Grow CIC)[1]. Belina Grow CIC is a new organisation dedicated to developing projects to engage and empower disadvantaged women who are currently outside the labour market and to conduct research and evaluation.
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Budget 2023 briefing
Let’s build on the Budget to boost the chances of economically inactive mothers and those of pre-school children to get in to training and work
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Good News on Childcare Costs for the Poorest Families – matched with added UC requirements for main childcarer in UC families.
Good News on Childcare Costs for the Poorest Families – matched with added UC requirements for main childcarer in UC families.
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Work and Pensions Select Committee report back – making the case for employability and support for the economically inactive
Work and Pensions Select Committee report back – making the case for employability and support for the economically inactive
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Belina GRoW CIC 