Interview: Cas Germain, founder of "EmpowerMe Wales"
It gives me great pleasure to say that EmpowerMe Wales got somepress attention!!
Please see the first interview below taken from Creative Boom- "Creative Boom Cardiff is a regional online magazine about the creative industries in Cardiff and the rest of Wales and covers everything from fashion, music, film and photography to art, design, animation and marketing."
http://www.creativeboom.co.uk/cardiff/2010/06/18/interview-cas-germain-founder-of-empowerme-wales/
EMPOWERME WALES is an initiative set up for young women in Wales. Its founder, 23 year old Cas Germain, takes time out to tell us about what inspired and motivated her to set up this organisation.So how did it all start? Where did the idea for EmpowerMe Wales come from?
The idea started when I heard the statistic that "Wales has the highest rate of teen pregnancy in Western Europe"
I've also worked with women in Cardiff Women's Aid and wanted to come up with something where preventatives could happen for example teen pregnancies or young women having knowledge about domestic abuse. That is not to say young women shouldn't get pregnant, nor is it saying all men are involved in domestic abuse, but the more "empowered" an individual is about their lives and feel good about themselves the more self and social awareness one has.
There fore by being a young women and working with lots of different people both in media and social, I thought of EmpowerMe Wales. A non profit, initiative for young women to grow and look out for themselves, by deciding and helping them do what they want as opposed to being dictated or told what to do, through positive mediums. For example a clothes swapping event- cheap clothes and helping the environment at the same time, as well as helping other people such as Cardiff Women's Aid in our Case.
Can you tell us about your own background and career?
I graduated in September 2009 with BA (hons) in Media and Sociology at Goldsmiths London. I wanted to pursue my 2 passions, the radio aspect being the media side, and people and empowerment of young people, being the sociology.
2 days after my finals, I started a marketing internship at Kiss 100 in London, and worked with Neil Fox at Magic as a producer for his breakfast show before being the breakfast show presenter at Radio Cardiff for the summer of 2009. I then did a short stint at Bro Radio before training at Red Dragon FM.
As well as having a passion for radio I wanted to work with people, especially women so I started volunteering at Cardiff Women's Aid, as well as organising events to raise awareness of Cardiff Women's Aid and help everyone out, by organising a clothes swap which is EmpowerMe's 1st event. I am now the Radio Coordinator for The Independent Foster Care Services Wales, empowering young people and adults and the whole community by running a radio station and letting them take control of the air waves.
What's been your proudest moment so far?
Mine personally so far is getting the job as Radio Coordinator at the Independent Foster Care Services Wales. Where I get to promote a good cause, and empower young people and the community around me in radio.
Anything exciting ongoing or in the pipeline?
Raising the profile for EmpowerMe Wales through 4 pillars. Education, Entertainment, Exercise and Environment. Would love to do talks in schools about Domestic Violence in teen relationships and empowerment through beauty.
Where do you hope EmpowerMe Wales will be in five years time?
Hopefully people will be familiar who we are and will be a functioning initiative where young women feel happy and confident in themselves and lives through ideas we have and they go onto pursue.
What advice would you give to aspiring young entrepreneurs out there?
Any idea or any thing you want to do or have, just go for it. Don't let anything or anyone hold you back and no matter how hard things get, personally, spiritually, mentally or emotionally, just don't give up. If you believe it anything is possible, its all up to you how you want your life to be.
Taken from Creative Boom- "Creative Boom Cardiff is a regional online magazine about the creative industries in Cardiff and the rest of Wales and covers everything from fashion, music, film and photography to art, design, animation and marketing."
http://www.creativeboom.co.uk/cardiff/2010/06/18/interview-cas-germain-founder-of-empowerme-wales/
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