While men-only clubs are fast becoming a thing of the past, a wave of just-for-women groups has emerged in the York business community. CATHERINE BRUCE weighs up the pros and cons of single-sex networking groups.

WOMEN have been fighting against the old boys' club for decades. But now it seems the tables are turning.

More and more women are joining female-oriented networking groups to boost their business contacts. But is this hypocrisy or good business sense? While most of us don't bat an eyelid at the formation of organisations like Women in Rural Enterprise (WiRE), the Phenomenal Women's Network, York Women in Business and Business and Professional Women York, the idea of men-only social clubs seems appalling.

Last month Jackie Medley, the secretary of Bishopthorpe Social Club, was disgusted when the Club and Institutes Union (CIU) voted to maintain a ruling which bans women from becoming associate members of the organisation's working men's clubs.

But the idea behind women's business networks is not discrimination, but creating a comfortable atmosphere for business women. While the events are marketed at women, there is nothing to stop a man going along if he doesn't mind sticking out like a sore thumb.

Jane Sachedina owns the North and West Yorkshire franchises of the national Business Network organisation. But while all her events are mixed-sex, she knows the value of single-sex networking.

She says research shows that some women find it difficult to break into mainstream networks.

"Women who are just thinking about setting up in business find it easier to learn to network in a single-sex group than going straight into an open forum," she says. "There is a high proportion of women who, for a time, like to cut their teeth in that type of environment."

But, she says, once women are comfortable in the business community, mixed-sex networking groups are a valuable resource.

"It is a dual-sex world. It is a good idea to be able to do business with everybody," Jane maintains.

"You don't want to shut out half your potential customers. Men and women network differently. It's a very good skill to learn how to network with men and with women."

Judith Campbell, North Yorkshire's representative for Women in Rural Enterprise, a support network for women starting out in business, believes women taking their first step into the world of business get a lot of support from women who are in the same boat.

"A lot of women do feel isolated, and coming together to talk to another woman who has maybe gone through a similar experience and can understand the pressures of juggling family, looking after elderly parents and a business, is a very valuable experience," she says.

"Women are very supportive of other women. Men do tend to have an authoritative air, which can be off-putting."

The managing director of York IT firm Redblack Software, Jane Tyler, is well qualified to talk about gender politics. She has a masters degree in Women's Studies and is the only woman in the King Street business, working alongside ten men.

She was also instrumental in bringing women's networking group, Phenomenal Women, to York after attending meetings of the group in Leeds.

For her, the decision to network with women was influenced by the testosterone-fuelled environment in which she works.

"For me, it's a refreshing change to network with women. It was almost a deliberate choice to go to more women's networking groups as it was a nice change," she explains.

But she stresses that it isn't a case of women-only groups being better than mixed sex groups or vice versa.

"It is very important if you are looking for a network group to find one you enjoy," she says.

But there are reasons why some businesswomen prefer mixing with just women.

"It can be intimidating for a woman who is new on the business scene to go into a room full of suits. I went to a networking event in Leeds for people in the financial sphere and I was the only woman there," she tells me.

"I found that quite shocking."

She says some networking groups which meet early in the morning are just impossible for single mothers or women who take prime responsibility for looking after their children.

Another advantage Jane has found with women's groups is that business is not the only topic of conversation.

She says: "I really like being able to talk about domestic stuff. When you go to women's networking groups, it's okay to talk about the fact you have to go home and feed the kids. When you are networking with men, it can be perceived as a weakness to talk about those things."

I asked her why women's groups were thriving while the idea of men-only business groups would not be tolerated.

"Traditionally the whole domain was male. Women in business are still a minority and there still must be a lot of barriers for women getting to the top," she says.

"Until we get to the point that women are on a completely equal footing, women's groups are going to have a place."

The feminine touch

IT takes a particularly tough kind of woman to head a business in York and North and East Yorkshire.

Why? Because as much as we all profess to think gender equality, business remains a man's world.

A mere nine per cent of all company directors, for instance, are women.

Everywhere women lose out in the top jobs stakes, but the numbers in business are worse even than the Civil Service, where they represent 23 per cent of top jobs, while the figure is 29 per cent for health service chief executives, and 36 per cent for major public appointments.

These are latest figures from the Equal Opportunities Commission - even though nearly 30 years has elapsed since the Sex Discrimination Act was passed.

And yet, female entrepreneurs in our region have amazing success stories to tell. Because of adversity. In spite of adversity. And from next Wednesday, every week we will tell those stories in a new, regular column, Women Mean Business.

Are you a business wonderwoman? Or do you know one in the region who has conquered all? If so, contact business reporter Catherine Bruce.

Updated: 09:48 Wednesday, May 26, 2004