Coworking space One&Co hosted a Conversation on Singapore Women’s Development to identify and tackle issues affecting Singapore women. This is part of the Conversations on Singapore Women’s Development launched by the Government in September 2020. Organised by REACH, the national feedback unit, the session on 27 March (Saturday) from 10:30am – 1:00pm was held in partnership with Mums@Work. This was the first time One&Co hosted a dialogue session on Singapore Women’s Development and marks the beginning of many collaborative partnerships and initiatives between Mums@Work and One&Co, in support of working mothers and aspiring mummy entrepreneurs.
On 27 March, approximately 25 working mothers participated in discussions on diverse perspectives and identified issues affecting Singapore women at home, workplaces and in the community. They were joined by REACH Deputy Chairs Parliamentary Secretary for Health, Rahayu Mahzam, as well as Parliamentary Secretary for Culture, Community & Youth, and Social and Family Development, Eric Chua. The Government will be considering all the feedback surfaced from the dialogue sessions and try to identify and forge consensus to co-create and co-implement solutions with Singaporeans.
A coworking space established by East Japan Railway Company (JR East) to connect Japan and Singapore, One&Co has also partnered Mums@Work to help support aspiring and established Mumpreneurs overcome challenges as both a mother and an entrepreneur, and empower them to achieve their aspirations. With close to 40,000 members to date, Mums@Work was the first career portal that supported women to find the perfect balance between being a mum and working.
(photo was taken in October 2019 during an event with Mums@Work)
More needs to be done in supporting women’s economic participation and opportunity. In championing support for working mothers in both Singapore and Japan, One&Co looks to share the diverse journeys of Mumpreneurs, highlighting not just the challenges these mummy entrepreneurs have faced and overcome, but also their achievements and aspirations.
Mr Takahito Ito, manager of One&Co, recalls how the coworking space first started working with Mums@Work over a year back, when they invited Sher-li and fellow Mumpreneurs to join them for a podcast series focused on enterprising mothers.
“As a third space connecting Japan and Singapore, we believe that showcasing the stories of Singaporean women pursuing their aspirations and the challenges they have overcome would also inspire women in Japan to do the same. We hope this generates greater conversation within Japanese society about empowering females and mothers as well.”
Mum@Work and One&Co cemented their partnership at a closed-door Memorandum of Understanding signing ceremony on 15 Jan 2021.
To that end, One&Co is collaborating with Mums@Work to promote Mumpreneurs-Go-Places, an online platform showcasing Singapore-based Mumpreneur businesses and supporting Mumpreneur focused activities. To support public outreach of these Mumpreneur brands which are primarily home-based ventures, One&Co is working with Mums@Work to host the Mumpreneur Showcase. The showcase is a brand new initiative where selected Mumpreneurs and their respective businesses are featured monthly. There is a different theme each month and the third session has been scheduled to be held on 22nd April 2021 (Thursday) at One&Co.
“Over the past decade, Mums@Work has seen the positive shift amongst employers to create workspaces that are more conducive for mothers.
SHER-LI, MUMS@WORK
Our Mumpreneurs are a group of female entrepreneurs who are professional in the work that they do, yet they have married it with their personal obligations (of motherhood). In the same vein, One&Co represents a place where someone who chooses to think outside of the box in the working world can feel accepted and welcomed.”
(1st Mumpreneur Showcase in February 2021)
Additionally, members of Mums@Work — which include mothers seeking for flexi-work, back-to-work mums, and Mumpreneurs alike — will also enjoy a partnership rate on workspace usage at One&Co. This will provide both aspiring and established Mumpreneurs a comfortable space to set up or expand business operations. These enterprising mums can also tap onto One&Co’s community network, especially if they have interest in the Japanese market.
Sher-li, founder of Mums@Work, also highlights that both parties share the same vision in empowering females, and that she is hopeful the collaborative initiatives would further inspire females to be brave enough to take the next step in pursuing their career dream.
“Over the past decade, Mums@Work has seen the positive shift amongst employers to create workspaces that are more conducive for mothers. Our Mumpreneurs are a group of female entrepreneurs who are professional in the work that they do, yet they have married it with their personal obligations (of motherhood). In the same vein, One&Co represents a place where someone who chooses to think outside of the box in the working world can feel accepted and welcomed.”
To further commemorate the Conversations on Singapore Women’s Development session as well as International Women’s Day in March, One&Co will also be extending working mothers and Mumpreneurs in the Mums@Work network complimentary usage* of their meeting rooms in the first week of April, from 5th April – 9th April 2021.
Moving forward, One&Co will continue making various efforts to connect Japan and Singapore through new initiatives and collaborations.
*Subject to availability and prior reservation.
《About One&Co》
Established by JR East Singapore, One&Co is a coworking space located in the CBD area of Tanjong Pagar. A Platform for Innovative Business, One&Co looks to build an inclusive community to foster connection and collaboration. More than just offering workspace options, the team at One&Co firmly believes that a third space completes a fulfilling work experience, one that allows you to both perform work in a cosy environment as well as meet and interact with other like-minded individuals. A key aim of the coworking space is to become an innovative hub connecting the business ecosystems of Japan, Singapore and Southeast Asia.
《About REACH》
REACH is the national feedback and engagement unit under the Ministry of Communications and Information. Our mission is to connect Singaporeans to the Government through feedback and engagement on national issues.
《About Mums@Work》
Mums@Work started in early 2010 as the first career portal in Singapore that supports women to find the perfect balance between being a mum and working. Mums@Work provide mums with the support, assistance and advice when choosing flexi-time options or when starting a small Mumpreneur business. With over 40,000 members, the platform is the main information source for mothers seeking flexible work arrangements or looking to return to work after a career break, and employers keen on offering flexible work arrangements as well as hiring back-to-female talents.
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