Y WILD officially launches to a welcome $10,000 grant

A FORUM in Geelong last week celebrated local women leaders and encouraged women candidates for the 2020 local government elections.

More than 140 people attended the Target 50:50 Women in Local Leadership Forum at Geelong Regional Library on Friday, which also marked the official launch of Y WILD.

Y WILD encourages and supports the civic participation and local political leadership of young women aged between 17-35 years.

Minister for Women, Youth and Prevention of Violence Against Women, Gabrielle Williams, also announced a $10,000 grant for the development of Y WILD.

The grant will fund outreach work across Geelong to ensure that Young WILD is an open, representative and inclusive network.

Fakhria Ali, a Y WILD network member, thanked the Minister for her support for women council candidates, noting that the grant would encourage women from diverse backgrounds to become involved with their communities, to stand up on issues and to becomes candidates so that they too could participate fully in local decision making.

Speakers at the forum included Ms Williams, Geelong MP Christine Couzens, Local Government peak body presidents Cr Coral Ross, Municipal Association of Victoria, and Cr Marg Attley, Victorian Local Governance Association.

Other speakers included City of Greater Geelong Councillors Stephanie Asher and Sarah Mansfield , and event MC Libby Mears from Leisure Networks. The speakers urged women, in the interests of better and more equitable community outcomes, to join the state-wide campaign for gender equality on Councils in 2010 – a significant year in that it marks 100 years since the first women, Mary Rogers, was elected to a Victorian Council.

Committee for Geelong chief executive officer Jennifer Cromarty also announced funding support for Y WILD training and an invitation for Y WILD members to participate in CfG leadership training.

CfG has joined in partnership with Women’s Health and WellBeing, Barwon South West, and WILD to develop a 2020 Y WILD gender specific training program.

Women, of all ages, interested in becoming candidates were invited to participate in a 101 Local Government session in Geelong on August 29.

The session will be facilitated by Deborah Wu, the VLGA’s Women’s Engagement & Project Officer.

Those interested should register with Justine Devonport, Team Leader, WHWBSW, online at [email protected] or by phoning 0477 666 017.

Priscilla Pescott, a founding member of WILD, thanked all those supporting and attending the forum and announced that following the Local Government 101 session, a workshop on campaigning would be scheduled later this year with Ruth McGowan, author of the 2019 publication, Get Elected, Local State Federal: A step by step campaign guide to winning public office.