www.nysa.co.uk

International Women’s Day (IWD) offered the perfect opportunity to begin sharing our latest series of video shorts, My Element a work in progress.

This series celebrates a powerful female character of mythic proportions, Omega Always, and the fabulous team that makes our work possible. Our creative team is predominantly female: designers, makers, dietitians, teachers, writers, business developers, health professionals, painters, musicians, librarians, puppeteers, directors, and producers. We are in a constant state of admiration for you all. We are also fortunate to be supported by and to work in partnership with multiple female-led organisations and individuals who assist us in our work across community settings.

Education: A Female-Led Sector

Many of our projects are delivered in schools and family centres where male staff members are a rarity, particularly in the early years. The early years are the most crucial developmental stage for children, laying the foundations for health, learning, and social mobility. According to the UK Department for Education, 96% of early years educators are female, highlighting the essential but often undervalued role of women in shaping future generations. Yet, despite their predominance, early years staff remain among the lowest paid in education, with the Early Years Alliance reporting that more than half of early educators struggle financially. Addressing gender equity means recognising and fairly compensating this vital workforce.

Creative Industries

Within our work implementing programmes of community engagement, we collaborate with many female leaders committed to developing participatory practice and offering inclusive programmes. This work is often devised to tackle some of society’s most complex issues, including but not limited to inequality, health, education, and community cohesion. Women make up 47% of the UK’s creative workforce, yet they are significantly underrepresented in leadership roles and often face barriers to funding and recognition. We hope our work helps to provide opportunities to incorporate female-driven narratives and work for freelance creatives.

Families, Poverty, and Women

According to the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF), 3.8 million women in the UK live in poverty, with single mothers particularly affected. The gender pay gap, precarious work conditions, and childcare costs disproportionately impact women, limiting economic independence. In families experiencing poverty, mothers often act as the financial shock absorbers, skipping meals or going without necessities to provide for their children. Addressing poverty is a gender issue, and through our work, we aim to implement programmes of creative engagement in areas of low opportunity to engage in arts-based learning.

Women and Sustainability: The Frontline of Climate Change

Women and children are often most at risk from the effects of climate change. The UN reports that 80% of people displaced by climate change are women. Whether facing food insecurity due to changing agricultural conditions or increased exposure to pollution-related health issues, women are disproportionately impacted. Through My Element, Omega Always stands as an eco-warrior, advocating for ocean protection, sustainability, and climate justice. Our work aims to empower young audiences to become stewards of the environment, merging myth and activism in creative ways.

Collaboration Makes It Possible

To make this work possible, our business development manager at Herts Growth Hub, the fabulous Wendy Gibbs, connected us with a team of talented alumni from the University of Hertfordshire. We welcomed Alexander Tânase as our Director of Photography, and she has certainly injected some magic into the visual quality of the shoot.

The purpose of the My Element series is to explore and present aspects of Omega’s character as a sea mistress, eco-warrior, disco diva, avid recycler, and staunch protector of the oceans. Playing on the traditional concept of mermaids as magically enticing yet somewhat foreboding and powerful, this work explores the traditional stories of the Isles, merging the old with the new to address contemporary issues and amplify young voices.

In a strange twist of events, it turns out Omega is a bit partial to the occasional human snack. She’s a maneater—what can I say?

Women, we salute you, but not only women; we celebrate our entire team. You are all valued, we love our allied partners. Let’s keep the conversations flowing, working together for a more equitable future for all.

Everyone ends up on the puppets!

🎥 Watch My Element:

Thanks to Herts Growth Hub, the University of Hertfordshire, and Estu Global for providing opportunities to explore new ideas, develop our work in a new direction, and form a strong Herts-based team.

IWD Reflection Poem

Half of you, half of me
Man, human, kind, unkind
We are one
Together we travel,
Together alone
On this, our dying planet, our home
We are equal, one
Today, women we salute
Roles underrated, rolling on
No us, no them
Just we, and we only ask
That you walk a day in their shoes