Our recent ‘Working Through the Menopause’ event continued vital conversations around this life transition. 

A collaboration between BBC Scotland’s Women in News project and Women in Journalism Scotland, the discussion offered advice and ideas on how to make the workplace more menopause-friendly. 

Kirsty Wark, whose taboo-busting documentary ‘The Menopause and Me’ aired in 2017, was interviewed by BBC Scotland’s Editor of Longform Journalism Shelley Jofre. 

Here are five top tips gleaned from their chat. 

1. Persevere with your GP if you don’t feel satisfied. You know your body best: it is worth asking your doctor’s receptionist which GP in the practice is interested in the menopause and making another appointment

2. Question the products punted by the menopause wellness industry. Menopause shampoo won’t stop the menopause!

3. That said, fans and cooling mats are great for hot flushes. Our experts recommend an ice cooling mat and an EasyAcc fan

4. Don’t have a menopause room at work? Kirsty Wark recommends comandeering a space 

5. Normalise chatting about the menopause at any age and find allies in your workplace. Talking openly about periods and PMT will lead to frank menopause discussions once the time comes 

Women in Journalism Scotland hosted an industry-leading panel discussion addressing the often-overlooked challenges faced by working-class women in journalism. 

The event ‘We Need to Talk About Class’ held at the iconic Glasgow Women's Library on August 24, shone a spotlight on the hidden obstacles encountered by working-class journalists - not only in Scotland but throughout the industry.

This groundbreaking debate delved into a range of issues, from the burden of expensive tuition fees to media narratives often unfriendly to those from disadvantaged backgrounds. Attendees gained valuable insights into the unique challenges that working-class women journalists face as they enter the media world.

The intricate intersection of class and gender in journalism emerged as a central theme. Our panellists, including award-winning writer Audrey Gillan, columnist and reporter Catriona Stewart, and HuffPost's lifestyle editor, Dayna McAlpine, shared their personal experiences and offered advice on navigating the industry. They highlighted the unique skills that working-class journalists can bring to the newsroom.

Iris Pase, the event's chair and a committee member of Women in Journalism Scotland, emphasised that the panel provided attendees with an opportunity to reflect on their preconceived notions and biases surrounding class. It also illuminated ways to improve newsrooms and universities for greater inclusion and diversity.

“Women in journalism at all levels felt able to get involved in the discussion and speak openly about their own thoughts, backgrounds and experiences”

The event received support from various sponsors: the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, the Journalists’ Charity, and Diageo. 

Harriet Anderson, JRF’s Senior Media Manager, said: “This was a really engaging event with speakers who brought a wealth of their own experiences to the issue – looking not only at what class diversity means for careers in journalism but for the quality and relevance of the media outputs that get produced. 

“It was especially good to see that the organisers and the speakers were able to create a supportive environment where women in journalism at all levels felt able to get involved in the discussion and speak openly about their own thoughts, backgrounds and experiences.”

The insights and advice shared during the event are being compiled into an online resource that will soon be accessible to anyone who might need it. This collective effort aims to provide support and empowerment to individuals embarking on their unique journeys into the journalism industry.

As the media landscape continues to evolve, the focus on inclusivity and diversity becomes increasingly vital. Women in Journalism Scotland's We Need to Talk About Class panel represents a significant step forward in recognising and addressing the barriers faced by working-class women journalists. It is reshaping the future of journalism in Scotland and beyond, ensuring a more inclusive and equitable industry for all

Participants at the two-day event organised by Pass the Mic. Picture courtesy of Anisha Yaseen

By Anisha Yaseen

As a woman of colour, it is frustrating to feel ignored and marginalised by the media. It’s not okay for the media to represent women of colour without giving them a voice or a chance to share their ideas.

Simply including a few people of colour is not enough; their representation must be equal, and their voice heard. While it’s great to see progress towards inclusivity, it should be the norm, the expectation from all rather than being something so rare it still needs to be celebrated.

I was fortunate enough to attend a two-day event organised by Pass The Mic Scotland, founded by campaigner Talat Yaqoob after she received a request to appear on the media around immigration and her experience as a migrant – despite the fact she is not a migrant.

Pass the Mic’s mission is to provide opportunities for women of colour to participate in the media industry as experts, commentators and writers. Alongside this, they work to achieve equal representation in a typically white-male dominated industry and policy-influencing space in Scotland.  What began as an Excel spreadsheet of a few contacts is now a full database of women of colour and their various expertise for media outlets to access freely when looking for speakers.

These opportunities are crucial for people, like me, who do not have a starting point and often feel unheard by those in the media industry. The media plays a significant role in shaping society’s views and opinions, and it is vital that everyone’s voices are heard.

Anisha Yaseen

As someone who is passionate about campaigning and activism, I found the event both inspiring and exhausting. It is frustrating to see how much harder women, especially women of colour, must work to achieve the same opportunities as our male, white counterparts. Being in a room full of like-minded individuals who share similar experiences was refreshing, but it is equally frustrating that we all share these experiences of being underrepresented and sometimes, misrepresented.

One of the discussions during the two-day event focused on what media can learn and do differently. A wide range of people from media were invited and it was widely promoted on social media for people to freely register. Yet there were a distinct lack of men working in and around media who attended. This was discouraging for many of us, and was pointed out many times. If anything, this outcome reinforces the need for diversity and inclusion in media decision-making positions.

“Ultimately, our goal should be…a media sector which tells the stories that represent all people in Scotland”

During the event women of colour expressed concerns about their experiences with racism and sexism being dismissed, the problems with perpetuating a deficit model -  a model that blames marginalised communities, or sees them as lacking in skills - and a lack of trust between marginalised communities and some areas of media.

It is crucial to prioritise trust-building with marginalised communities and move towards equality in the media industry and wider policy and political influencing. It’s important to keep in mind that progress towards inclusivity should never be a reason to become complacent. There is always more work to be done to ensure that women of colour are given a platform to share their ideas and have their voices heard.

According to STV reporter Kaye Nicholson, who spoke on a panel discussion on what the media are doing to achieve equal representation, approaching more women of colour in their area of expertise is a win-win situation. Not only do journalists expand their contacts and find new content,- but there is also a representation of society to their audience.

Pass the Mic is a fantastic example of a platform that gives women of colour an opportunity to express themselves, to build skill, but importantly, to push for progress within media and beyond.

It is an unfortunate reality that many women of colour find themselves as the sole representative of their race in meetings and other professional settings, only to have their voices and opinions marginalised.

Racism is a pervasive issue that goes far beyond overtly derogatory comments and name-calling, as it is deeply ingrained in the very structures of society.  It is essential that women of colour are seen as more than just a diversity checkbox, but instead as individuals with expertise across a range of topics from the economy to education, to the environment.

While there has been significant attention given to diversity in the media industry, it is crucial that we move beyond the rhetoric and take tangible steps towards creating a more equitable environment.

Ultimately, our goal should be to establish a society that is truly inclusive, and a media sector which tells the stories that represent all people in Scotland, regardless of their race or gender, engaging a wide range of expertise.

At our recent AGM, Gabriella Bennett stepped down as WiJ Scotland chair following two years at the helm. Members were also appointed to new roles within the organisation.

Gabriella has been an inspirational and inclusive leader and we’d like to thank her for all of her hard work over the past two years. She established our mentoring scheme as well as our WiJS x JRF bursary programme and has been instrumental in organising campaigns and events. 

Our thanks goes to Gabriella Bennett, who has stepped down as WiJ Scotland chair after two years.

We are pleased to announce our co-chairs for 2023-25 will be Anna Burnside and Heather Dewar. They will be supported by Catriona Stewart as deputy chair.
We would also like to thank Susannah Morris for her role as social media manager, which has now been passed on to Iris Pase and Lucy Small.

We’re always looking for extra help on the committee and even the smallest contribution can make a huge difference to our organisation.
If you’d like to find out more, please get in touch via: wijscotland@gmail.com. 

For the last fifteen years, my professional life has been a balancing act. In 2008, I won the Scottish Book Trust New Writers’ Award for my fiction writing; at that time my day job was at The List magazine, where I edited three sections as well as helping put the overall magazine together, wrote the weekly newsletters and maintained the magazine’s social media, was a lead feature writer, as well as reviewing music, restaurants, theatre and books. 

I spewed out words from the second I’d opened my laptop on the morning train at Glasgow Queen Street, filed copy late into the night after I’d arrived home again. I was already exhausted; winning the New Writers’ Award brought me attention and eventually commissions for short stories, as well as interest from agents in a novel - my childhood dream. And the number of words – and different types of writing – expected of me in a week began to stack and stack. 

By the end of 2009, I was burnt out and blocked. Something had to give, and I really didn’t want it to be the fiction, so I moved into freelance arts PR consultancy, working with less overall writing on short-term projects like festivals or exhibitions, which freed up clear stretches of writing time. As a system, it worked for a decade – during which I wrote and published two novels – and yet, in 2021, with small kids at home and bills to pay, I was offered a (sort of) return to journalism in the form of a regular opinion column, and I jumped at it. 

“I tell students that the mentality required for novel-writing is the opposite of Twitter…the hashtag #amwriting is a dirty, dirty lie”

I am not a natural columnist (writing in the first person is not a particularly comfortable experience for me; much happier interviewing someone or narrating fictional characters), but a lot of the time my column ends up being partly about my life, so perhaps I put on a bit of a character, “columnist voice”, just to create a bit of distance.  I also pride myself on meeting every deadline my publishers and agent set me – it’s hard-wired in from my years at The List. 

My partner is also a writer but has never worked as a journalist, and I’m frequently horrified at his absolutely lax approach to deadlines (not unusual for creative writers). Conversely, without a deadline to hit I find myself much less focused and meandering, more likely to deprioritise a task, while my partner just steadily chugs away.

My most productive time as a creative writer was between May and August 2018, when I wrote almost 50,000 words of my second novel Scabby Queen, then handed in the manuscript, but that was aided by both my partner earning enough money on a contract job that I could afford to take those months off work, and the (literally) pressing deadline of my second pregnancy (the baby was born at the end of August). 

Those are the only real crossovers between what I think of as my two “modes” though – in order to avoid burning out again, I usually try and convince my brain that it’s doing two separate things. 

A dedicated writing day, 9.30-2.30 (carved out of school hours), needs to belong entirely to the fictional world I’m creating; it can’t be interrupted by emails, columns to write, or invoices to send. A novel is a marathon and it needs the appropriate head space: I usually go for a walk or run after the school run, as being under open skies or by an expanse of water helps me get my brain clear and ready for long-distance.

Teaching creative writing workshops, I tell the students that the mentality required for novel-writing is the opposite of Twitter, where you can skim through hundreds of different topics, opinions and emotional expressions in seconds; then I tell them to block it. The two cannot coexist. (The hashtag #amwriting is a dirty, dirty lie and everyone who uses it knows that.) 

For a column, however, I need to be as informed on the topics I’m writing about as possible, up-to-the-minute. I need the internet; I need all the evils of Twitter to come pouring in. That’s why I can’t toggle between the two modes on the same day; the mindset for column-mode is too distracted to settle into novel-mode.

I actually work on different platforms, too. Novels and plays happen on Scrivener, where I can create a huge binder with my notes, research, character sketches and chapters, and move easily between different sections; columns on Word or Google Docs, where one clear page is the right physical space for distilling a line of argument into 800 words. I even have an extra screen, far wider than the 13” silver laptop box, that I keep just for fiction, because I need the visual scope. 

This might all sound a bit dramatic: it’s not like I’m working between, say, brain surgery and ballet. This sort of extreme compartmentalisation is what makes it possible, though; at last, I understand how my brain works. 

Kirstin Innes is the author of the novels Fishnet and Scabby Queen and the non-fiction book Brickwork: A Biography of The Arches, as well as a number of short stories and the Radio 4 documentary Daft Punk Is Staying At My House. She writes a regular column for The Press and Journal.

Update: Applications for the roles of chair and social media manager are now closed, but there is still opportunity to get involved with WIJ Scotland as a committee member.

Ahead of our AGM on July 31, Women in Journalism Scotland has three committee vacancies up for grabs. 

To apply, email wijscotland@gmail outlining your interest in the role and why you'd be a good fit.  

Chair

Women in Journalism Scotland (WiJS) is a campaigning body whose initiatives are designed to empower women in the industry and help them find their voice.
Our work includes running annual mentoring and bursary award programmes; organising expert voices training for broadcast media; providing funding for women journalists to enter the press awards; and offering guidance and one-on-one career support.
We are looking for a chair to oversee these operations. The role is varied and diverse, and may one require giving a talk to university students one month and chairing a committee meeting the next.
It involves:
- Ensuring our campaigning work, event schedule and initiatives run smoothly and efficiently
- Liaising with universities, colleges, schools, charities and other media orgs to get our message out
- Providing support to the wider committee with their roles
- Judging on media awards
- Coming up with ideas for training workshops and campaigns and seeing these through
- Giving press interviews on behalf of WiJ Scotland
- Representing WiJ Scotland at external events

Outgoing chair Gabriella Bennett

Why apply? 

- Chance to give back to the industry and peers

- First dibs on tickets for WiJS training events, workshops and socials

- Meet new friends on the committee and build contacts

- Career progression opportunities including invitations to speak at industry events

The role translates to approximately two hours a week. It is possible to do this role as a job share with a co-chair.
The chair, or co-chairs, will be supported by deputy chair, Catriona Stewart. 
This is a two year position.

Gabriella Bennett, outgoing chair, said her time in the role had been richly rewarding. 

“Joining the Women in Journalism Scotland committee is one of the best things I’ve ever done,” she added.
“I’ve met new friends and connected with some of the most inspiring journalists in the industry.
“The role of chair has brought me closer to our campaigning work and shown me just how powerful it can be. It’s also allowed me to marry two of the biggest drivers in my life - feminism and activism - and try to push through positive change.”

Social media manager

Fancy being our new volunteer social media manager? We’re on the lookout for someone with digital and comms skills to join the WiJ Scotland committee.

This is your chance to be a part of the team and get involved in promoting gender equality in the media – while boosting your CV at the same time!

If you’re a digital whiz and can help us…

- Create interesting content that connects with our audience

- Increase online reach and engagement across Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn

- Monitor our channels and respond to queries

- And have fun in the process with a group of talented and supportive WiJS members!

Then consider applying for the role of our social media manager.

Committee members

We're on the hunt for new committee members. If you'd like to shape the output of Women in Journalism, get stuck into campaigning work or launch a campaign or initiative of your own, get in touch.

WiJS chair Gabriella Bennett (L) with Marion Scott (centre), winner of the Nicola Barry Award. Picture by Andrew Barr - andybarr.com

Women in Journalism Scotland (WiJS) is celebrating the work of a raft of women journalists being recognised at the annual Scottish Press Awards, including many members of our network.

The winner of the Nicola Barry Award, which is sponsored by WiJS, was Marion Scott of The Sunday Post for the second year - and she made it a hat-trick by also picking up Reporter of the Year and Scoop of the Year.

Runner-up for the award - which reflects Nicola’s lifelong passion to standing up to injustice - was Karin Goodwin of The Ferret.

Committee member Jen McLaren was named Regional Reporter of the Year, with another committee member Catriona Stewart was also nominated in this category.

Heather Dewar, who is also on the WiJS committee, received two runner-up awards for Sports News Writer and Sports Columnist of the Year,

WiJS mentor Chitra Ramaswamy of The Times Scotland won Food and Drink Writer of the Year, while another mentor Vicky Allan was runner-up in Interviewer of the Year. WiJS mentee Christiana Opoku was nominated in the Student of the Year category.

WiJS member Jen Stout, a freelancer who has extensively covered the war in Ukraine, was runner-up in Reporter of the Year and former WiJS chair Jan Patience was nominated in the Arts and Entertainment Journalist of the Year category.

The winners of the 44th Scottish Press Awards. Picture by Andrew Barr - andybarr.com

Gabriella Bennett, chair of WiJS said: "It's thrilling to see so many of our members acknowledged for their brilliant journalism at this year's press awards. 

"In particular the Nicola Barry Award - sponsored by Women in Journalism Scotland - highlighted two journalists at the very top of their game.

“Both Marion Scott and Karin Goodwin continue to give a platform to marginalised voices. The Scottish media landscape is richer for their writing.”

The extensive list of female winners at the awards also included Press Association photographer Jane Barlow, who became the first ever photographer to win the Journalist of the Year category for her portrait of Queen Elizabeth II at Balmoral - the last public picture before her death. She also won News Photographer of the Year.

Feature Writer of the Year went to Patricia Kane of the Daily Mail and Emma Cowing from the same title picked up Interviewer of the Year.

Janet Christie of The Scotsman/Scotland on Sunday won Arts and Entertainment Journalist of the Year and Constance Kampfner of The Times Scotland picked up the Young Journalist of the Year award.

Women in Journalism Scotland (WiJS) and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation have announced the recipients of the inaugural WiJS x JRF bursary programme. 

Five women journalists have been chosen by a panel of judges to receive £1,500 to develop a project shining a light on economic and / or social inequalities around Scotland.

The funding will support the successful applicants over the remainder of 2023 as they work up their projects from an idea stage to a developed pitch ready to be taken to a publication, or launched independently by the end of the year.

The successful journalists are: Kyra Edwards, Enas Magzoub, Juliana da Penha, Claire Sawers and Jen Stout.

Part of the bursary programme involves working with an established woman journalist who will provide support for each applicant’s project. All five have now been matched with a mentor as their work gets underway.

Providing mentoring for the programme this year will be: Dani Garavelli, Karin Goodwin, Arusa Qureshi, Catriona Stewart and Chitra Ramaswamy.

This opportunity was aimed at early to mid-career freelance women journalists who believe they still have room to grow in their careers. Applicants must also have experienced economic inequality at some stage in their lives.

Enas Magzoub will investigate health inequalities affecting migrant women in under-served areas, and explore what actions could be taken to address these issues.

Kyra Edwards will report on the potential flaws within the benefits system, where couples often find they are discouraged or unable to live together due to the system forcing them into a joint financial claim.

Juliana da Penha will focus on a series of multimedia long-form features on migrant women workers in Scotland revealing how it is to be in the intersections of gender, race, nationality, class and be part of the precarious workforce.

Claire Sawers will research women working in the arts whose lives have been affected by the cost of living crisis for a podcast series.

Jen Stout will take an in-depth look at the rural housing crisis in Scotland, from Shetland to the Western Isles, using photography, text and radio to tell the story of individual places and people affected. 

Gabriella Bennett, chair of Women in Journalism Scotland, said: "The recipients of our inaugural bursary programme are five hugely talented journalists working on a broad range of subjects. Their projects will enrich Scotland's media landscape, telling essential stories and reflecting the reality of life in under-reported communities. 

“Post-pandemic, and in a cost-of-living crisis, it has never been more important to give women journalists the funding and mentoring they need to progress their careers."

Husna Mortuza, associate director for public engagement at the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, added: “This inaugural programme could not be timelier. The number of people living in deep poverty in Scotland has risen dramatically, while the cost-of-living crisis continues to leave Scottish families hungry, cold and without a safety net.

“The five finalists announced today, with the invaluable mentoring from Women in Journalism Scotland, will bring their talent and expertise to projects designed not only to report on these pressing issues but to offer hope in the form of solutions.”  

Kyra Edwards

https://twitter.com/KyraEdwards13

Kyra is a journalist who has previously freelanced for Sky News, The Scotsman, Newsquest, and most recently BBC Scotland. Growing up in poverty is what prompted her to start a career in journalism, and she has always had social change at the forefront of her mind.

She wants to use her writing to bring about awareness and better understanding of social inequalities, and advocate for marginalised communities.

After a few years of declining mental health and an unintentional hiatus from journalism, she is ready to re-enter the industry and eager to use her own experiences living in poverty to bring about much needed change.

Enas Magzoub

https://twitter.com/EnasMagzoub

Enas is a Sudanese journalist whose previous work has been included in publications such as The Morning Star, The New Internationalist and Scottish Left Review.

Coming from a widening access background, she is passionate about social justice and true inclusivity in society.

Aside from journalism, she has a background in engineering and data science, and has written extensively about ethical implications surrounding advances in new technology and what that means for wider society.

Juliana da Penha

https://twitter.com/ju_penha_br

Juliana is an independent journalist from Brazil based in Scotland. She has worked in the charity sector in Italy and Scotland in community development, empowering marginalised groups, especially women and migrant communities.

She is the founder editor of Migrant Women Press, an independent media outlet focused on women’s experiences with migration.

She is an NCTJ-certified journalist with a bachelor's degree in cultural studies and communication and a master’s degree in human rights and international politics.

Claire Sawers

https://twitter.com/claire_sawers

Claire is a freelance arts journalist who lives in Edinburgh with her son.

She has spent the last twenty years contributing reviews, interviews and features to newspapers, magazines and websites, including The Herald, The Times, The Wire, The Guardian, The Quietus, Resident Advisor, The Australian and Haaretz, amongst others.  

Jen Stout

https://twitter.com/jm_stout

Jen is a writer and reporter from Shetland. She worked for BBC Scotland and BBC Radio Shetland, for the Stranraer and Wigtownshire Free Press, and is now freelance.

For the past year she has covered the war in Ukraine for the Sunday Post, London Review of Books, BBC radio and other outlets. A Russian speaker, she previously lived in Moscow and Leipzig. 

Photography by Laura A. Tiliman

Mentors and mentees from our 2023 cohort gathered at BBC Scotland headquarters for Women in Journalism’s first ever in-person mentoring social. 

Around sixty women attended the event, which took place at Pacific Quay in Glasgow. 

Mentors and mentees were able to meet other pairings from the 2023 programme and network. 

They heard from a mentor, Anna Burnside, about the benefits of mentoring, which include giving back, sharing skills and experience and boosting confidence in both mentor and mentee. 

Shelley Jofre, editor of long form journalism at BBC Scotland, interviewed a mentee, Georgina Davies, to find out about her experience of having a mentor. Georgina spoke about how her career has been shaped by a variety of BBC Scotland women journalists, especially after returning from maternity leave. 

Gabriella Bennett, chair of Women in Journalism Scotland, said the evening was an invaluable opportunity for mentees, in particular, to mingle. 

“Over and over again we hear that since the pandemic, young women journalists are not getting the chance to socialise with their colleagues or have regular access to an office environment,” she said.

“Working from home has brought many benefits but we aim to plug the gap it has created in providing an essential networking platform.”

Women in Journalism Scotland thanks all at BBC Scotland for making the evening happen. We aim to make our in-person mentoring social an annual event. 

We are looking for mentors to join our pool for next year’s intake. Interested? Email wijscotland@gmail.com 

Fiona O’Hara

By Fiona O’Hara

Rugby has been an integral part of growing up in my family. Despite personally being, let’s say - not ‘gifted’ - at any sports, my brother excelled at school rugby all the way through to the U20s Edinburgh and Scotland teams.

When the Six Nations or the Autumn Internationals came around, our family was attending without fail. While my interest maybe started as a way to join in conversations between my brother and my dad, over time the knowledge and insights gained grew into my own passion for the sport.

After finishing my Masters degree in Journalism, I was confronted with the challenge of how to break into the media industry. After a couple of work experience weeks and internships, I decided to focus on my own interests and find opportunities to write about them.

I was immediately drawn to the idea of sports writing and in particular rugby. As if Women in Journalism Scotland (WiJS) could hear my thoughts, they announced a press trip to Scotstoun Stadium in Glasgow to learn the tips and tricks of rugby reporting. This is where I initially met Stuart Bathgate, freelance rugby correspondent for The Offside Line, and the opportunity to shadow him was set up through WiJS.

This opportunity to channel my passion into a possible career was the perfect starting point.

Once Stuart and I exchanged numbers we discussed a plan of action and I started attending press conferences with him at the DAM Health stadium in Edinburgh, as well as attending matches and getting to sit in the press box with all the other journalists. Through these experiences I met many of the Edinburgh Rugby players and Head Coach Mike Blair and got the opportunity to ask questions (an opportunity I wish I utilised more, but my confidence is slowly growing) as well as meet other journalists and Edinburgh Rugby’s media managers.

While attending press conferences and match reporting was very exciting, there was a lot of time waiting around for your chance to speak to the players - which Stuart warned me jokingly was the realities of his day to day. These periods of waiting gave me the opportunity to learn more about Stuart and the other journalists’ careers, their schedules and how they work together.

Making these new connections has already opened doors to new opportunities going forward and makes the industry feel less daunting as everyone I’ve meet has been so inclusive and encouraging of my progress.

I had the chance to write my own articles based on the press conference interviews and have Stuart review them. His advice and critiques on my writing have been invaluable in developing and improving my skills; to have someone as knowledgeable as Stuart review my work has been such a privilege. This led to one of my articles appearing The Herald, giving me my first byline for rugby journalism.

Overall, this opportunity has been amazing and I am glad that it has continued longer than just the two-week work experience it started off as. Shadowing Stuart has already taught me so much and has given me a solid foundation in the sports journalism industry that I can build from as my career progresses.

By Amy Shearer

The Girl Gang.

A phrase thrown about frequently, emblazoned on canvas tote bags and hash tagged under the Instagram posts of posing pals enjoying an overpriced passionfruit martini.

A notion that seems new, yet really a concept that has existed for quite some time. In recent times our ears have been blessed with the sweet sound sensations, the Spice Girls. Before that, everyone and their granny wanted to sport a satin pink bomber jacket in a nod to the Pink Ladies.

In the fifties there were the 'Teddy Girls' - groups of females in London hitting back at austerity with androgyny. Going back further, women adorned in purple, white and green sashes caused a stir by smashing windows and throwing themselves under horses.

Now we have Women in Journalism Scotland (WiJS). A powerful group of brilliant women journalists who celebrate peers and offer advice when faced with dilemmas. A network of welcoming females who know how to lift one another up, champion change and offer support in everything from career progression to maternity pay queries.

Existing at different points in history, it could be hard to see what exactly links these groups of women.

“There is no question too silly nor problem too big”

To me, the answer is clear.

Rebellion.

On today, International Women's Day (IWD), it strikes me that throughout the years, women have always had to shout a bit louder whilst being told we should really keep the noise down.

At WiJS, we said 'Alexa, volume maximum'.

As a young female journalist, it's incredible how common misconceptions about the field fuel ignorance. I've turned up at jobs before and been asked if I am 'old enough' or 'qualified enough' to cover the story. I've answered a tannoy call to the newsroom to go down and greet someone at reception who has a story, only to arrive in front of the person to be asked 'Are you the journalist?'

There are still people out there who have a particular vision of what we should look like and get a real shock when they are not met with a man wearing a trilby hat and Tweed jacket, but a young woman sporting a zebra print blazer and orange kitten heels.

At WiJS, there is no judgement on what you are wearing or who you are, the organisation simply wants to provide the tools for success. Last year I was fortunate enough to be part of the mentor scheme and was paired with my 'Fairy Godmentor', Anna Burnside. She has provided a sounding board of well-informed advice, given me confidence to challenge injustices and also has instilled in me the importance of asking career questions so as not to live with regret.

It's not all work and no play - in-between chatting injustices and career progression, we can now be found charity shopping, sampling small plates or enjoying camp pantomime performances across the West.

Last year, I also joined the event committee alongside other fabulous female forces. Taking on the role within the organisation has allowed me to meet many new faces and strike up friendships with incredible people. Some of these new acquaintances I know only within the realms of Twitter, but seeing their smiling faces in a little circle in the likes or comments on a tweet is a support system I am truly grateful to have.

When we have been fortunate enough to come together as a group, whether at one of our many social events or informative workshops, the unwavering support carries into real life too. A hive of activity and positivity, meeting women who are at the top of their game is inspiring. The willingness of the group to share their skills and lift up their peers is something worth celebrating.

There is no question too silly nor problem too big, the network of support is there to offer guidance to anyone who may need it at that time. 
WiJS continues to be a force for change. Just recently, the organisation planned and delivered an informative and free redundancy workshop open to all within just 24-hours of news breaking about mass redundancies in the industry.

Currently, we are accepting applications for a new bursary scheme in partnership with the Joseph Rowntree Foundation to provide five women journalists £1,500 to develop a project shining a light on economic and/or social inequalities across Scotland. A look through the website or social media channels also serves as a reminder of the incredible work that has happened and continues to happen.

As an organisation, we've rebelled against the stereotypes. We have championed change, celebrated achievements and fortified confidence. We have ensured that women feel they CAN shout about their achievements and have somewhere to turn in times of need.

We may have swapped toffee hammers for Twitter feeds, militancy for mentorships and National Gallery vandalism for informative newsletters, but we are rebels in our own way.
And it's a girl gang I'm proud to be a part of.

By Julia Benko

I have been an avid magazine reader for as long as I can remember. I’ve always loved flicking through the pages and absorbing the stories. I'm a fourth-year student at the University of Stirling, studying English and Business. My passion, however, lies in journalism –  it's the career field I'm hoping to get into.

If someone had told me that one day I’d create a magazine myself, I’d think they were having a laugh.

But last summer, I did it. I fought against all of my insecurities and started Midway Magazine.

I was consumed by self-doubt before I even decided to pursue it. Every voice in my head told me that it was a stupid idea, that I don’t have enough experience and that getting people to write for it wouldn’t work – nobody would want to do it.

Part of the reason why I decided to launch a magazine is to get more perspective into how a publication is run. I'm a comment editor in my student publication Brig Newspaper, but I wanted to know what it feels like to create something meaningful from the ground up.

The vision board created by Julia for Midway magazine

Building up the confidence was hard. Countless times I had to sit myself down and give myself pep-talks to remind myself that there was a reason I felt like starting this project, that it simply felt right and that if I didn’t act on it, I’d regret it.

Eventually I gave in: I visualised my idea and created a WordPress page. I got in touch with a few artists and some people I’ve been following who I thought could be interested. I went into every conversation expecting the worst. However, more often than not, I found that people were enthusiastic to talk about their passions.

I was in disbelief and started thinking that this might actually work. But the real kicker came when the magazine was ready to be launched. Promoting it on social media was my worst nightmare. I never publicised my personal projects; I felt so bare and vulnerable doing it.

“If this fails, please don’t let anyone remember,” I thought.

Nearly a year later, I can confirm it didn’t fail.

Another reason why I started the magazine is because I've always been devoted to expressing myself through the arts – mainly through words. Putting my emotions down in writing always helps me cope, and I know there are many people who do the same, whether it's through taking photos, creating an outfit or painting.

“There’s no such thing as failing when it comes to following your heart”

They let their emotions out and take control of them, rather than letting their emotions control them. That is essentially what Midway Magazine is: it's all about self-expression. It's a way to decompress and express yourself through a medium of your preference and then sharing it with the world, which I find can be quite a cathartic experience. 

While Midway is still a small team of writers, I’d call it a successful personal project; one that’s teaching me something new every day. Since launching it, I’ve learned how to get in touch with people in various ways, how to create engaging content and always be on the lookout for more, but most importantly, it taught me how to be confident in achieving my dreams.

It’s very important to remember: there’s no such thing as failing when it comes to following your heart.

Building Midway took a long time, a lot of patience and it pushed many of my boundaries, but it also opened me up to exploring the lengths of my determination and provided me with handy new skills.

It’s a very rewarding feeling to see something you worked so hard on flourish and see yourself blossom in the process, too.

So, if there’s something you’ve been wanting to do or a project you’ve been wanting to start but felt that you “weren’t good enough” – this is your sign to go against those voices that tell you you shouldn’t, and do it anyway.

I know tuning out the anxious thoughts isn’t easy. But be kind to yourself. Picture yourself at the finish line, happy in knowing that you’ve been brave enough to do what you love.