Women in Agriculture 'Be Your Best Self' 2020-2021 pilot evaluation report

2. Introduction

The Women in Agriculture programme

Women living and working in Scottish agriculture are an essential part of the future of the rural economy. Developing and expanding their skills and talents will ensure the long term sustainability of the farming and agricultural sector.

The Women in Agriculture Taskforce was established in 2017, following research commissioned by the Scottish Government which showed that women face cultural barriers in the industry.^[3]

In its final report in 2019, the Taskforce made a number of recommendations including positive action to address women’s training needs through a Women in Agriculture Development Programme (WiADP). The programme aims to deliver training and mentoring to support women in agriculture to build their confidence, enhance their business skills, and develop their leadership abilities.^[4]

Through the programme, Scottish Government is funding three separate training initiatives developed by the Women in Agriculture Taskforce, specifically aimed at women living or working in Scottish agriculture, including the ‘Be Your Best Self’ course.

Be Your Best Self course

The ‘Be Your Best Self’ training pilot aimed to help women in agriculture:

• build their confidence
• discover the true value of their skills, strengths and experiences
• refocus and re-prioritise no matter what stage of life they are at
• explore new possibilities and opportunities
• gain support and connections with other women in the industry

The pilot was delivered to four cohorts of 15-20 women by Inner Works Coaching in 2020 and 2021. Due to Coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions, the majority of the course was delivered online following the first workshop in February 2020.

The course was delivered to 70 women living or working in Scottish agriculture. Each online workshop consisted of four modules and one evening speaker session. Attendees also took part in an individual coaching session and two further online group sessions following the workshops.

The research was carried out to evaluate the impact of the ‘Be Your Best Self’ course against its intended outcomes. The main findings can be found on pages 9-10.