Stepping Stones pave paths to enterprise

THE Brotherhood of St Laurence Stepping Stones to Small Business program is continuing to provide entrepreneurial support to local intercultural women via the Ballarat Regional Multicultural Council.

BRMC’s Deborah Klein, the Stepping Stones Ballarat regional coordinator, said a fun, interactive, six-session empowerment initiative will be rolled out online throughout October, before the full Stepping Stones program returns next year.

“I recently delivered this empowerment pathways program online… to 20-plus Melbourne-based clients,” she said.

“Now, Stepping Stones will roll the free empowerment pathways program out as stand-alone training for women of migrant and asylum-seeking backgrounds, and women 50-plus of any background with multiple vulnerabilities transitioning to employment, education and entrepreneurship.”

The program will begin on Tuesday, 5 October, with sessions also on the 7th, 12th, 14th, 19th and 21st, covering the topics of defining strengths and skills, turning strengths into achievement, money-mindedness, finding meaning and purpose, ‘saying it out loud makes it real,’ and empowerment aspirations.

Ms Klein encourages interested women to express interest, and asks networks or individuals with a specific enterprising woman in mind who may benefit from Stepping Stones, to let them know about the initiative.

“I would also be pleased to talk to… organisations about what is planned, and how the empowerment pathways program makes a positive difference in women’s lives,” she said.

Contact Ms Klein on 0457 934 728 or via [email protected] with any queries or expressions of interest.