International Women’s Day is a celebration of progress and this year’s theme, “Give to Gain,” is a reminder that empowerment grows when opportunity is shared.
At SmartPA, empowering women has never been a seasonal campaign, it has been embedded in our purpose since the very beginning. This International Women’s Day, we are proud to announce a new partnership with Refuge, the UK’s largest specialist provider of support for survivors of domestic abuse.
Through this partnership — supporting Refuge’s 4Change campaign — SmartPA will provide free access to professional skills training designed to help women rebuild their independence and re-enter the workforce, because when we give access to skills, confidence and opportunity, everyone gains.
Giving Skills. Gaining Independence.
For many survivors supported by Refuge, rebuilding their lives means starting over, often in a new location, with new networks and without employment continuity. Leaving abuse often means leaving a job or career behind.
Through this partnership, SmartPA will provide access to its CPD-accredited PA and administrative training programme via our ESG platform; klar. The programme equips women with:
Professional administrative skills
Core digital capability
Communication and organisational tools
CV development and interview preparation
Recognised certification on completion
This is designed to support women at different stages of their educational journey so the structure is flexible and accessible, with bite-sized modules and no formal qualification requirements.
By giving practical skills, we help women gain financial independence, confidence and choice.
A spokesperson for Refuge said:
“For many survivors, escaping abuse means leaving behind employment, income and stability. Access to recognised skills training can be transformative in helping women regain independence and rebuild their lives. We welcome SmartPA’s support in delivering practical and accessible development opportunities through this partnership, empowering survivors to take their next steps with confidence.”
Since founding SmartPA in 2008, CEO Sarra Bejaoui has championed female empowerment, from creating flexible career pathways to delivering international economic empowerment programmes, including UN-supported initiatives in Zimbabwe.
Sarra comments:
“Give to Gain speaks directly to what SmartPA stands for. When we give women access to skills and opportunity, the gain extends far beyond employment. It builds confidence, resilience and long-term independence. Our partnership with Refuge reflects our long-held belief that empowerment must be practical, measurable and sustainable.”
This latest partnership builds on SmartPA’s wider ESG mission: unleashing potential from young people and women globally. In H1 2025 alone, SmartPA’s klar platform achieved:
1,690 new users joining the platform
48.2% of users applying for employment opportunities, significantly exceeding target
Continued free access to training in regions including South Africa, Uganda and Zimbabwe
The long-term goal is to support at least 3,500 young people and women into job creation or career enhancement.
International Women’s Day invites organisations to reflect but it also challenges us all to act.
By opening access to accredited professional training for women rebuilding their lives, SmartPA is taking our commitment beyond intention and into meaningful contribution.
Being vocal about empowerment and celebrating women’s achievements is important but what’s key is ensuring more women have the opportunity to achieve them.
SmartPA is a leading provider of transformative business support services, disrupting the industry with our highly skilled teams and proprietary methodology, which is enabled by technology and supported by Generative AI.
We help organisations simplify admin and scale faster by combining process optimisation, simplification and cutting-edge technology.
We deliver measurable ROI and unlock potential by removing administrative burden, allowing our clients to focus on top-line growth while we deliver bottom-line impact through data-led decisions.
Click here to find out more about how partnering with SmartPA can help accelerate growth within your organisation. Empower your leaders today by contacting us to discuss your requirements