History
Equal Power Equal Voice (EPEV) is a partnership between Women’s Equality Network (WEN) Wales, Stonewall Cymru, Disability Wales, and Ethnic Minorities & Youth Support Team (EYST) Wales. EPEV is funded by the National Lottery Community Fund and Welsh Government.
Our Mission and Vision:
To increase diversity of representation in public and political life in Wales by connecting those with experience with aspiring people, providing training and building proactive networks.
Why is EPEV important?
Across Wales there exists inequality and lack of diversity in our public and political systems. Black, Asian or ethnic minority people, people from the LGBTQ+ community, disabled people, women and people who are any combination of these identities are often excluded or overlooked.
For these groups of people, it is often a harder journey than it should be to become part of these systems. It can take a longer time and require many barriers to be overcome.
EPEV aims to address these issues by encouraging and supporting these people to become part of a more diverse Wales through our programme. This is achieved by strengthening the knowledge and skills of those that aspire to be there.
We also learn from and are supported by those who have achieved positions of power, influence and authority in the face of these challenges.
Our History
EPEV was set up in 2021 following public life mentoring programme from Women’s Equality Network (WEN) Wales and Ethnic Minorities & Youth Support Team (EYST) Wales.
Which saw mentees gain positions as councillors, MPs, be appointed to public boards and become school governors and charity trustees.
EPEV aims to build upon this experience and success, working in collaboration to increase representation across all our diverse communities.