SPO =
Spouse . Partner . Other-Half .
So, you must have known what you were getting into when you got together?!
Well, I didn't, and neither did over 100,000* UK SPOs
We simply fell in love
Being committed to a military person, evokes incredible feelings of pride; for them, your family and our country. It is an amazing role, but sometimes, the recognition and support we need to keep going, just isn't there.
This is where the SPO Voice can change everything.
SPO Voice Project Aims
The 4 Rs ...
Research
Knowledge is power and the catalyst for change.
Rally
UK SPOs will come together, all around the world, to improve our lives
Represent
Our voices must be accurately heard by those with power, so we can drive change that works best for us
Redress
Our voices will guide policy change and generate more support and understanding
Mission Statement
By gathering research on the effects of military life on SPOs, in particular how it affects their career, the SPO Voice will rally SPOs into a worldwide collective, whose deafening voice will ensure true representation of SPOs in civilian and military organisations, thus redressing the current imbalance.
So what does this mean in 'normal' language?
We need to hear from you. We need your SPO stories which can be used as evidence to make real changes and improve our lives.
This project will take time, dedication and patience, and occasionally it will feel overwhelming, but there's a useful saying which will guide us:
'There is only one way to eat an elephant: a bite at a time.'
Collectively we can do it - the elephant will get eaten.
P.S No elephants will actually be eaten in the making of this history, we love elephants, it's just a useful metaphor ... but we're sure you knew that already!
The SPO Voice project is set up by me, Alex Kinnear-Mellor.
I'm an SPO, who married into the military in 2014.
In 2020 I hit a wall. It was clear I was in a career that should have fulfilled me, but something was wrong. Years of having to change jobs to accommodate my husband's career, had taken their toll; I felt at my absolute lowest.
After reaching out to friends and family, and being fortunate to have sessions with Sarah Barker, an Executive Coach who volunteers on the Recruit for Spouses coaching program, I had an epiphany.
I wasn't alone. It turns out that my feelings, and the continual hurdles in my career due to being married to the military, are not unusual SPO experiences. Simply put, our working lives feel like collateral damage.
The most frustrating thing was that I had spent years having no idea that there were literally thousands of others like me, around the world.
Choices narrow, confidence crumbles, self-worth wears down.
In 2021, the SPO Voice project began.
*100,000 figure based on project calculations of an estimated 116,000 UK SPOs
Our Research Themes
This project has identified key themes in the challenges faced by SPOs regarding their working lives:
Childcare barriers
Connection
Exploitation
Identity
Intimidation
Knowledge
Lifestyle barriers
Opportunities
Patriarchal challenges
Representation
Worth
Looking for some help today with your career? Here's what's out there .... let us know how you get on and please share your story with the community
Psst ...
We'll ask you again: "So, you must have known what you were getting into when you got together?!"