Women’s Leadership Forum success

THE Australian Women’s Leadership Forum rolled into Ballarat last week providing women from the city and surrounding regions with a unique opportunity to access high quality leadership training.

Anne Davis, Risk and OHS Co-ordinator with Mitchell Shire Council travelled from Castlemaine to attend the forum.

Ms Davis, who leads a team of three, said the municipality sponsored her to attend the event.

“I am really interested in leadership and want to learn how to extend my executive leadership capabilities,” said Ms Davis.

Shepparton based Claire Salter, Deputy President on the Services for Australian Rural and Remote Allied Health Board said she is consistently learning and improving her understanding of board governance.

“This Forum is an opportunity to learn how to be a good leader,” she said.

“I see it as a way to build my confidence, I am a good 2IC for male leaders and I want to be confident to take the step up.”

Yvon Davis, Intercultural Adviser with the City of Ballarat, one of 30 women from the council who attended the Forum said she was particularly interested in networking with other Ballarat delegates that she hadn’t met before.

Dr Neryl East, Women & Leadership Australia’s Senior Facilitator and Executive Coach who moderated the event said the forum was an outstanding success.

“Walking around the tables I saw everyone was involved and fully engaged,” Dr East said.

After lunch the attendees were moved around the room seated on different tables to break up work colleagues or groups.

“The sharing in the afternoon was largely from women outside their personal groups which I thought was very encouraging,” Dr East said.

Anna Watts from Ballarat Health Services, who arrived in Ballarat a month ago, attended the Forum to help set up a network and experience the culture in Ballarat.

“The Ballarat women on the Where to from Here discussion were a great panel, a good mix of academic, business and personal sharing,” said Ms Watts.

“When we had to change our seats after lunch it gave me an opportunity to talk to someone I particularly wanted to meet.”

Georgia Savage from YMCA said her take away was key points like self-care and the critical issues of sexual harassment addressed by Tracey Spicer in the keynote address.

“The practical ideas generated by the delegates getting involved with each other during the resilience session this morning was so much better than being spoken at,” Ms Savage said