Do you want to improve your leadership skills or learn what it’s like to sit on a board? Perhaps you are an experienced leader but don’t feel you’ve reached your full potential? Now is the time to consider applying for a funded place in the 2020 Victorian Rural Women’s Leadership and Mentoring Program.
The 2020 program was launched by Minister for Agriculture, the Hon. Jaclyn Symes, in June at the home of 2019 leadership program participant Caroline Thomson. The launch, near Trentham in central Victoria, marks the start of the program’s second round of applications.
The program is open to rural Victorian women connected to agriculture or the agriculture supply chain who are keen to step up and embrace leadership positions.
Funding is available for a range of recognised leadership and mentoring programs and caters for emerging to experienced leaders.
The leadership and mentoring program is an initiative of the Victorian Rural Women’s Network and was launched with a $500,000 investment over three years at the 2018 Rural Women’s Forum. The network partners with four program providers: Victorian Office for Women; Regional Leadership; Leadership Victoria and The Observership Program.
Applications for a funded place in the 2020 Williamson Community Leadership Program are now open. Applications for Leadership Great South Coast (Regional Leadership programs) and The Observership Program, which offers the unique opportunity for emerging leaders to sit as an ‘observer’ on a board, open on 22 July 2019. Applications for other Victorian Rural Women’s Leadership and Mentoring Programs will open over the remainder of 2019 and early 2020.
For more information and to apply, go to extensionaus.com.au/VRWNetwork/leadership-and-mentoring-program/. If you have a question, email [email protected]
Pictured: 2020 Victorian Rural Women’s Leadership and Mentoring Program launch. L-R Caroline Thomson (2019 participant); Leanne Mulcahy (2019 participant); the Hon. Jaclyn Symes, Minister for Agriculture; Member for Macedon, Mary-Anne Thomas; Jessica Purbrick-Herbst (Victorian Rural Women’s Network Reference Group member)
Congratulations to the 13 selected applicants for the 2019 Victorian Rural Women’s Leadership and Mentoring Program:
REGIONAL LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS
Louise Ackland (Northern Mallee Leaders)
Melissa Ferguson (Gippsland Community Leadership Program)
Kerry McGahy (Rivers and Ranges Community Leadership Program)
WILLIAMSON COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP PROGRAM (Leadership Victoria)
Vanessa McGrath
WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP PROGRAM (Leadership Victoria)
Katherine Brown
Lee Sandwith
THE OBSERVERSHIP PROGRAM
Caroline Thomson (Observer, Victorian Farmers Federation Board)
Jessica Drake (Observer, Agribusiness Yarra Valley Board)
Zara Durnan (Observer, East Gippsland Catchment Management Authority Board)
WOMEN’S BOARD LEADERSHIP PROGRAM (Victorian Office for Women)
Leanne Mulcahy (Mastering Board Skills)
Natalie Ajay (Mastering Board Skills)
Helen Symes (Strengthening Board Skills)
Sevilla Furness-Holland (Strengthening Board Skills)
