Businesses back female futures

Edith Cowan University, the City of Joondalup, and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of WA are among groups backing a newly established leadership program for Perth’s schoolgirls.

Created by Karen Dennett, founder of Mullaloo-based education and training consultancy Engaging Education, and local leadership coach Claire Seeber, the ‘Be the Difference’ program aims to develop students’ leadership and critical thinking skills with mentorships and project-based learning.

Students in years 10, 11 and 12 at Holy Cross College and Shenton College have been through the five-month program during its pilot period, with the official launch this past month.

Ms Seeber told Business News the program instilled personal finance, networking, and productivity skills, tied together with a major project that taught corporate social responsibility to prepare students for issues they were likely to face in coming decades.

“We do not want this to be another death by PowerPoint experience,” Ms Seeber said.

“There’s enough programs out there like that.

“We want this to be a program that really combines all the elements of learning and a really blended approach.”

Business support has been key to the rollout, with the CCI and the City of Joondalup providing mentorship as lead investors.

ECU, meanwhile, provided venues and catering for workshops.

Ms Dennett said the support of businesses in creating a pool of talented, workforce-ready young women was instrumental to the program’s aims.

“What we’re creating through the program, which we’re planning to roll out to other states next year, is this concept of a pool of talent that organisations can showcase and show their careers and industries as a career of choice that these future talented leaders can go to,” she said.

“By companies getting involved, and organisations funding [it], it doesn’t become a postcode lottery.

“It’s about making it accessible [and] available to any young woman between the ages of 16 and 18.

“That’s why we wanted the companies to get behind it, to really showcase those individuals and helping them grow.”