We must create the space for more female role models like Lisa McGee and Tina McKenzie for our children

​Sometimes it's important to pause and consider just how far we have come. The city's landscape has been improved and enhanced beyond all recognition. But it's not just the physical landscape that has changed - perception of the Maiden City has also changed irrevocably across these islands and beyond.

The city is packed with tourists who not only come to take in its rich history, but also to sample the city life that burst so dramatically onto the airwaves from Letterkenny to Los Angeles and Limavady to London in the guise of those new icons, the ‘Derry Girls’. They lit up television screens across the world; Lisa McGee's fantastic creative talent, brought to life by the superlative acting skills of the Derry Girls cast, exporting a unique brand of place-based humour far beyond these shores.

Indeed, Lisa McGee's BAFTA-winning ability to bring a worldwide audience with her and make people feel good, sets her apart as a brilliant female role model for so many other young people who aspire to become writers, actors and performers. and form the next generation of creative talent coming out of Northern Ireland. This brings me to the core of the issue I want to raise today – the importance and value of role models.

Role models are absolutely crucial for our children if we want them to set their sights higher, to believe in themselves, to develop their potential and maximise what they can achieve. We need more role models in society to help expand the horizons for our young people, so they can aspire and achieve. In particular, we need more female role models, whether that it is in the creative arts, small businesses, public sector or politics, to give effect to the saying 'you need to see it to be it'.

One such inspirational role model who is making waves in the world of business is FSB's own Tina McKenzie MBE, one of the most driven female business leaders I know. I met Tina a decade ago as she was plotting a course to build her new start-up business into a multi-million pound turnover enterprise. I encouraged her to join the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) and asked her to put her name forward to become FSB's Policy Chair in Northern Ireland - a position which she adopted with her trademark energy and commitment. Becoming quickly recognised as a role model in championing not only the NI small business sector but Northern Ireland as a whole, FSB then moved to appoint her as its UK Policy Chair representing the interests of 5.5 million small businesses, engaging with ministers and politicians in Westminster, Belfast, Dublin, Washington and across Europe.

Tina's action-packed advocacy has seen her role model status recognised many times in recent years but most notably in receiving an MBE last month and then, again, just last week when POLITICO recognised the effectiveness of her work at FSB on the Northern Ireland Protocol. The inaugural POLITICO UK Power 40, a list of people who they believe most effectively set the agenda in politics, public policy and advocacy across the UK, saw Tina featured - a truly remarkable achievement.

In their commentary POLITICO said, “McKenzie is a big-hitter at the Federation for Small Businesses, and along with her colleague Roger Pollen, was a key voice lobbying both London and the EU to iron out the problems in the operation of the Northern Ireland protocol.”

POLITICO placed Tina in 20th place on the list, just behind Mick Lynch, General Secretary National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers, who is in 19th place. Others named on the list include former Prime Minister, Tony Blair; Money Saving Expert founder, Martin Lewis; Match of the Day host, Gary Lineker and a swathe of others who work at the centre of Westminster politics, journalism and beyond. Clear recognition of her role model status.

But the issue for us now, is how do we create more female role models from Derry/Londonderry, Belfast and beyond? What can we do as a society to make it as easy as possible for more women to enter the workplace, start their own businesses or learn the skills to make them the Lisa McGee’s and Tina McKenzie’s of tomorrow? Unfortunately, as a society, we don’t make it easy for the next generation of female leaders.

One major reason is the lack of childcare reform in Northern Ireland. We are falling farther behind other countries and what we urgently need is investment to remove the barriers and unlock the potential for the future. One key step in that is the need to get politicians back in the Northern Ireland Executive, making the decisions that will drive policy change. It wouldn’t take radical change from policymakers, but it will take brave decisions.

We recognise that childcare provision doesn’t solely affect women, but they make up the substantial majority of those affected. It is time to invest in all our futures, take the crucial policy decisions, create the space for more female role models and lift our eyes to the horizon for a new generation.