Research from SheSays, a global network of 70,000 women, has revealed that the coronavirus crisis has reset the gender pay gap back by 200 years. The research of 237 women in the creative industry revealed that 32% of women had had pay cuts, no promotion or job losses, 12% are feeling overworked and not recognised and 9% are having trouble keeping focussed. 

To take action in the face of this creep of inequality, SheSays is providing targeted and vital assistance to the struggling global female creative community. The group is launching a new initiative called the WEI or Women (with) Epic Ideas, a career progression tool with a gender lens.

Born out of necessity, as revealed in the research conducted, the app has been designed to be a tech solution to help at scale, to help SheSays scale up from helping 50 women a month to helping 500. The app will give female creatives support and access to the career development that is so needed following the impact of COVID-19.

SheSays has launched a Kickstarter page to help fund the build of the first career progression tool, the WEI. Users will subscribe to the service which is based on a career goal. Each month they will be sent materials to read, a 15-minute course to watch and a small task to complete. They will then have a catch-up with an advocate to take them to the next task level.

Alessandra Lariu, Co-Founder of SheSays explains: “Creative women need support and so we’ve taken action. Women have been pushed into poverty and are in survival mode. We couldn’t sit by and not help. In two weeks, a diverse team pulled together to concept, brand and do the UX for a service called The WEI. We now need help from our industry to get the final stage of funding to make this happen”.

Only 0.1% of creative agencies are owned by women. This service has been designed to focus on building  an individual’s career rather than just a job or specific skill. As the Kickstarter page explains it plans to be  “a platform to unleash the leader in you.”

Investing time and energy into building your career is vital to progression. Yet in the midst of the time-poor working from home ecosystem many creative women find themselves in,  carving out any time to prioritize career development can feel difficult at best and impossible for most. Tools such as the WEI are vital helplines for creative women to take a greater degree of control over their day-to-day working lives. This in turn will help people set themselves up for success both now and in the long term.

Visit the WEI Kickstarter page to find out more and to pledge your support.