Just Women: A New Initiative Redefining Support, Mentorship, and Networking for Women in the UK The need for meaningful, accessible support for women remains unchanged amid shifting job landscapes and increasing personal and professional demands. In fact, it has become more apparent. Women find themselves without spaces where they can show up as their whole selves and truly be heard, seen, and understood. Diane Faben, the founder of Mentors for Women and now one of the driving forces behind a new initiative called Just Women, knows this better than most.

Diane's path to becoming an advocate, community builder, and mentor was full of twists and turns. Leaving school at 16 with only two O-Levels, she had no clear roadmap, just a willingness to work and a curiosity about people. Early jobs exposed her to the practical workings of organisations and the often invisible hurdles faced by women in male-dominated environments.

Diane navigated multiple career changes despite these early challenges, eventually climbing the ranks to manage significant contracts for massive entities. However, her hard-earned success was lonely. "I struggled with the glass ceiling," she shares. "I didn't feel supported. There wasn't anyone to talk to about how to handle certain situations or how to grow."

^{Diane Faben, Founder of Mentors for Women}

Even after reaching noteworthy milestones, Diane struggled with self-doubt. The feeling of not being "good enough" or "smart enough" never fully left her, a sentiment shared by countless women across industries. Still, instead of letting it define her, Diane chose to channel her experiences into action. This meant building something that would help other women avoid the isolation she endured. That vision became Mentors for Women.

Founded to fill a glaring void, the organisation is established specifically for women at all stages of life and career. Whether navigating a major job change, entering a male-dominated industry, or seeking clarity about the next step, women can connect with mentors who understand their challenges and aspirations. "We needed a place for women to find support through a confidential mentor, someone who gets it because they've been there too," Diane says.

Building on that ethos, Diane is now helping to develop a new project. Still in its early stages, Just Women is a grassroots, in-person initiative to be launched in Royston, United Kingdom. Where Mentors for Women provides structured, one-on-one guidance, Just Women aims to offer something more fluid and community-centred: a space to be.

Just Women is intended to be a monthly networking group that deliberately steps away from the stiff, transactional atmosphere of traditional business meetups. It's meant to foster genuine human connection through seated conversations, personal storytelling, and a format called "Just Me." Each month, one participant will share not just what they do, but who they are. This would entail highlighting their identity, life journey, and authenticity over polished elevator pitches. Diane herself will lead the way, telling her own story of career pivots, personal doubts, and hard-earned wisdom.

The topics to be presented during these gatherings will be varied, from LinkedIn strategy to transitioning from an NHS director to a theater director and playwright, and navigating solopreneur life to sleep wellness, cybercrime, and financial planning, among other topics. There will also be sessions on menopause, relaxation techniques, childcare challenges, and even insights from former council leaders. Every month will offer new learning, new voices, and new growth opportunities.

Just Women is bound to present a different kind of networking. In the founders' view, traditional networking has long needed a rethink. "It's usually expensive, awkward, and doesn't yield real value. I've spoken to women who paid thousands for memberships and got nothing out of it," Diane states. In contrast, Just Women will be free to attend. There will be no barriers to entry. The sessions will be timed at 10 a.m. to suit school drop-offs, and attendees will be welcomed to bring children along to a child-friendly environment.

Plans for the future are taking shape carefully. There's hope that Just Women might expand across the region, and perhaps even nationally, but the team is approaching growth with caution and care. "We're focused on solidifying Just Women's core values of inclusivity, authenticity, and practical impact," Diane remarks.

Diane Faben demonstrates that sometimes, the tough moments, the silent doubts, and the questions with no clear answers shape the strongest convictions. Through Mentors for Women and now Just Women, she's turning those convictions into tangible change, offering women across the UK a space to be seen, heard, and supported exactly as they are.