Children receive and absorb gender stereotyped messages about what they can and cannot do as a girl or as a boy from a very early age.

Research strongly suggests that there is no inherent difference between girls and boys which should limit their interests, capabilities or ambitions, and yet we recognise that the choices that children and young people make, and many subsequent work and life choices, are highly gendered.

There is nothing inherently wrong with making choices along gendered lines. However, research tells us that preconceived notions regarding gender roles can have a negative impact on, and limit, learners’ wellbeing and opportunities.

It is also important to understand that these gender roles are not inevitable and are a result of structural gender inequality which creates pervasive, prescriptive and systemic stereotypes within our society.

Our aim is to expand perceptions of what any individual might want to choose and to ensure that all learners and community members have genuine opportunities to develop skills and confidence across all domains of their lives.

Resources

Data Guide Improving Gender Balance in Community Learning and Development

Improving Gender Balance Equalities Glossary Of Terms

IGBE And CLD Self Evaluation Framework April 2023

The Improving Gender Balance and CLD Evidence Tracker (office.com) is designed to be used alongside the Data Guide and Self-Evaluation Framework to help you collate your evidence and record evaluative judgements that you make. 

Improvement questions

1. How successfully do our vision, values and aims for CLD support us to promote gender equality, diversity and inclusion?
2. How well do we ensure all CLD participants are respected, treated fairly, know their rights are valued by us and free from gendered pre-conceptions?
3. How successfully do we remove gender-based barriers to access and monitor our approaches to ensure they are effective in reducing barriers to participation?
4. How effectively do we reflect the context of learner’s lives, address gender-based barriers to enable participation and progression and meet individual and community aspirations?