How Council's Elevate program empowered 11 women to transform their careers and lives

Eleven lucky staff members recently completed a transformative 12-week journey that unlocked their potential and deepened their self-awareness.

The Elevate program for women offered workshops, e-learning, virtual classrooms, and personalised coaching designed to boost confidence, resilience, and communication skills while setting and achieving personal and professional goals.

Who wouldn’t want to embark on such a worthwhile journey when it can significantly help your career and personal life?

Upon completing the Elevate program, participants said they experienced a significant boost in confidence, a fortified sense of resilience and sharpened communication skills.

They also said they gained a clearer vision of their goals and learned how to take actionable steps to achieve them, with the program's focus on overall well-being and life balance.

So, how did the Elevate program cut through and significantly impact our 11 participants?

One participant, Council’s Waste Education Officer Victoria Currie, said Elevate's success was mainly due to Michelle McFadyen's skilful facilitation.

“She established a safe, non-judgmental environment where participants felt comfortable sharing deeply personal insights,” she said.

“Ground rules were set from the outset, emphasising confidentiality and respect, which allowed for open and honest communication.

“Michelle created a space where we could all lift each other rather than compare and compete. It was a celebration of our differences and a recognition of our unique strengths.”

Victoria also said it provided practical tools that she immediately applied professionally and personally.

“Modules on time management, for example, offered actionable strategies like turning off email alerts to focus better and breaking down large tasks into manageable steps,” she said.

“It taught me to reframe my thoughts from ‘I can’t do that’ to ‘I can’t do that yet, but I can work towards it.’ It’s a powerful shift that has helped me so much.”

Another attendee at Elevate was Shonelle McKinnon, who is currently providing maternity relief for the Administration Officer of Richmond Tweed Regional Library.

The program's impact on Shonelle was profound. Her newfound confidence had an immediate effect after a series of unsuccessful job interviews before the program.

Now, she has transitioned between roles, from assisting in the acquisitions department to securing her current position as an Administration Officer on maternity relief—a testament to her immediate growth.

"The Elevate program has transformed my confidence level," she said.

"One of my goals during the program was to improve my confidence in job interviews. With the help of Michelle, who provided one-on-one coaching, I have already had several successful roles, including the current maternity position I recently applied for.

“It had an instant impact, and I became more confident in knowing myself and what I could offer in a role."

Shonelle speaks warmly of the group dynamics, where strong bonds were formed.

"We have a group chat now to keep the connections alive,” she said.

“These are people I had never met before the program, and now we have a bond that extends beyond work."

Another attendee was Elizabeth Olivieri, the Council’s Community Engagement Officer, who said she joined the Elevate program to grow as a leader and a person.

Elizabeth had a preconceived idea of what makes a leader, which she felt wasn’t what she possessed naturally.

“What drew me to the program was the opportunity to explore leadership through a lens that prioritised emotional intelligence and personal development,” she said.

“I was eager to develop a deeper awareness of myself and learn how to use that knowledge to lead with empathy and integrity.

“Elevate has grown my confidence to lead authentically and stay true to my core values, build on my strengths, find new ways to approach challenges and better understand how to connect with others in my professional and personal life.”

The Elevate program was launched by Lismore City Council’s General Manager, Jon Gibbons, during the Council’s International Women’s Day events.

Recognising the need to cultivate more female leaders within the organisation and as a key action from the Equal Employment Opportunity Management Plan, the People and Culture team collaborated with Michelle to design a program that would do just that.

At the helm of Elevate was Michelle McFadyen, a seasoned professional with over 25 years of experience in local government, including CEO and senior executive roles.

As the principal of Michelle McFadyen Consulting, she brought her extensive expertise in strategy, governance, and workplace well-being to guide participants through leadership development, change management, and stakeholder engagement.

Photo: Top left to right - Elizabeth Olivieri, Wendy Black, Olivia Kerry, Angie Boxsell, Victoria Currie, Eva Wolland, Wendy Bakker. Bottom left to right- Sandie Judd, Shonelle McKinnon, Michelle McFadyen, Hannah Rice-Hayes.