The Matriarch Theory.
from problem to solution.
Our mission is to create equality by
closing the accessibility gap.
We are observing an epidemic of preparedness.
Generation to generation, something consistent appears to be the experience of leaving education, entering adult life and not feeling prepared enough to navigate it. Whether that be in work, home life, relationships, sex, mental health, just to name a few. There are bound to be gaps and making mistakes is one of the best ways to learn. But there is also a degree to which young people entering adult life deserve to have foundational confidence in these areas. The UK’s educational answer to this call is PSHE (Personal, social, health and economic education). Along with its limited scope and long standing status as a non-statutory subject until 2021, we can’t depend on it as a preparatory subject, taught equally across the country.
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So how do we prepare generations of people to feel confident and empowered with these essential life skills?
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Generally, we learn these skills through experience and mistakes. These are crucial learning moments that can define us, but can also have detrimental effects on our mental health and relationships. Surely, some level of confidence and a feeling of capability could make these experiences less foreboding and more enriching. Who is there to provide this?
We're leveling the playing field.
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So often, we hear the phrase ‘it’s not what you know, but who you know.’ It indicates that in order to access the right skills, opportunities and confidence, we need to know the right people and be part of the right networks. However, if not all of us are born into the same socio-economic backgrounds with comparable support systems, we can’t expect this phrase to apply equally and the power of a great network to be a consistent option for all. As a result, this phrase promotes an elitism and doesn’t encourage the idea of equitable opportunities, instead gatekeeping them. And what about the often forgotten, first half of the phrase, ‘it’s not what you know.’ Why isn’t it ‘what you know’? Surely, what we know - our skill sets, knowledge and ability - should be enough to access opportunities. At least this is what we’re told. Utilising our networks is a fantastic thing and we don’t want to prohibit that. Instead, we want to level the playing field so it’s about both what and who you know.
Our vision is an equitable, inclusive, compassion driven world where individuals are empowered to access opportunities and live confidently.
When people know more, they can do more and no one's potential should be limited due to their circumstances. At Matriarch, we don’t believe you should have to know the right people to get your dream job, hear a horror story to learn about consent or watch your best friend lose a parent to learn about grief. More can be done to instil confidence, knowledge, empathy and compassion into people before they’re thrown in the deep end.
Matriarch has the answer to this call.
The theory.
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So often people get to their 20’s and face the same issue: feeling entirely unprepared to handle it. From navigating the job market to having the hard, adult conversations. The phrase ‘fake it til you make it’ is rather apt. Therefore, people embark on what we at Matriarch call ‘the big search’ - a lifelong process of knowledge growing and skills development to handle life. Think about everything from how to budget to handling your first breakup - life is moving from experience to experience and learning how to exist, generally, as joyously and peacefully as possible.
Who is there to provide the knowledge, skills and confidence with which to do this?
The gap.
When we say we believe in equal access to education, we mean it.
We observe a gap between people who feel unprepared and the education (knowledge, skills and confidence) to diminish this which we label the accessibility gap - a lack of education that provides access to opportunities.
Instead of relying on education, networks, or supremely priced coaching sessions, why isn’t there an equitable education platform that everyone has access to, no matter your background, identity or context. A platform where you don’t need to meet criteria or a letter of recommendation to join.
Matriarch is the solution - aiming to create equality by closing the accessibility gap.