Leadership for Women Masterclass Upskills Regional Women to Confront Challenges

Collaborating with BDO in Australia and Rural, Regional, Remote Women's Network of WA we have provided an opportunity for rural, regional, and remote women to gain leadership training.

Michelle Moriarty , Winner of the 2023 WA AgriFutures Australia Rural Women's Award and Founder of Grief Connect? , was grateful for the opportunity to reflect on her leadership skills, what’s working well and what she can do better.

"I really valued the diversity in the activities that we engaged in which facilitated powerful learning and reflection" she said.

Living and working in the Pilbara for nine years, I initially developed the program to support female leaders in the regions. Supporting leaders who are empowered, resilient and engaged is my purpose.

The Leadership for Women 8-Week Masterclass Program included a 2-day intensive in Perth providing interactive sessions, group discussions and hands-on activities to equip leaders with skills to lead with confidence and develop their leadership potential.

Scholarships were provided to five women from the regions in partnership with Rural, Regional, Remote Women's Network of WA (RRR Network) to ensure there is access to leadership training for regional women.

Kendall Galbraith , CEO of RRR Network highlighted living in the regions comes with it challenges including having limited access to opportunities and essential services, employment opportunities, smaller markets, and often lacks diversity.

“At the RRR Network we do our best to bring opportunities to women in the regions, encourage them to come to the city and do networking as well as getting industry and professional organisations to come out to the regions to meet them,” she said.

Steph Essex , from Geraldton was another one of the regional scholarship winners who expressed that often regional women only have the option to participate in online training but being face-to-face with other participants was hugely valuable.

“This content has been confronting, it has been relevant but what I’ve loved most is meeting other women who are likeminded and networking with them and discussing the challenges that we face regionally,” she said.

The program has had far reaching impact with over 250 predominantly regional women completing the program across 16 cohorts with previous participants including leaders from the mining industry, government departments and local government, the not-for-profit sector as well as small business owners.

Media Contact: Emma Garlett on 0424 919 457 or [email protected]

Further images available upon request.