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I’m privileged to serve as the Chair of 100 Women. 100 Women is a giving circle focused on empowering women, both as philanthropists and through the receipt of our grants. It’s a powerfully practical way that women can be involved in positively contributing to their community. 2016 is our third year after launching in 2014 and granting nearly $200,000 since then to six projects. Those grant projects have included: $40,000 to Zonta House Refuge Association in WA to fund the Positive Pathways to Safety from Women, a preventative program assisting women to lead more independent, safe and fulfilling lives. Telethon Kids Institute received $39,450 towards the Remote Aboriginal Women Community Researcher project.The project will train 10 Aboriginal women from remote communities across the Fitzroy Valley to become community researchers, exploring long-term intervention for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. Each woman will be supported to complete a Certificate II in Community Health Research and will have access to valuable work experience for future careers in research. $40,000 to Cambodian Children’s Fund to train Cambodian female police officers in the Child Protection Unit.24 female police officers will receive specialist training for interviewing child victims of serious crimes, assisting in the expedient arrest of offenders. Each will learn how to obtain important facts and evidence from interviews, and importantly reduce the number of times children must recount crimes to local authorities. $20,500 to Classroom of Hope will support young women from rural Cambodia to participate in science and maths studies.With local partner Kampuchean Action for Primary Education, this project empowers 10 young vulnerable women to undertake Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) studies in 2-year tertiary-vocational degrees. Personal development training and career counseling will also be provided to ensure high employment rates upon graduation. $40,000 to Opportunity International to fund Build Healthy Futures, a program in rural Indian communities to train female health leaders in basic health education and empower them to be change agents in their communities. $14,400 to Global Development Group to fund the Restore Rose program in two Cambodian provinces. The program’s main aim is to address the health and hygiene needs of women in villages of extreme poverty. The funds will provide 4800 women with a menstrual cup which will not only give them access to better health but also better access to education and work. These projects were very carefully chosen through a robust and transparent grants assessment and member voting process. It was a dynamic, inspiring and insightful process for all. If you haven’t been involved in 100 Women yet, here are 15 reasons to get involved in 100 Women. Want to join us as a 100 Women member? Find out more about 100 Women > Why join 100 Women - here are 15 reasons! Joining together 1. Meet, gather and network with like-minded people. Now more than ever, we need connections with people who energise our spirit and remind us of the good in the world. 100 Women does this! We are building a diverse community that’s doing their part to change the world for the better. 2. Choose projects to fund collaboratively using the 100 Women grants process. Learn skills to assess grant projects, come together as a team to share your insights. Or if you don’t have time for that, just vote for your favourite project at the end of the process! Impacting women 3. Are women’s issues important? One of our Ambassadors, Rabia Siddique asked two important questions at the Grants Ceremony in 2014 borrowed from Emma Watson’s #heforshe launch speech: Do women’s issues matter?, If not you, than who? and If not now, than when? 4. Learn about women’s issues and why gender based giving makes sense. When you invest in women, the whole community wins. Through our members and grantees, we can learn what the issues are and what projects make the most impact. 5. 100 Women gives to local, national and international projects and organisations. Your donation will benefit both women in your local community and women around the world! Power of Philanthropy 6. Amplify your donation by joining together with others. This is an exciting part of joining a giving circle. Your individual donation can only go so far, but your donation coupled with everyone else’s becomes a grant that funds a women’s project! 7. Learn about philanthropy and how to make your giving count. Our purpose is to ignite women philanthropists into the world! Learn how to increase the impact of your personal giving and giving through 100 Women. 8. Change the perception that philanthropy is just for the rich and famous! Everyone can be a philanthropist and contribute to the greater good. 9. Be involved in one of the fast trends in philanthropy - Giving Circles! Giving circles are an exciting new, collaborative form of philanthropy. Get Involved! 10. Get actively involved in 100 Women. There are many ways to be involved in 100 Women as currently we are completely run by volunteers. Join as a full member, join as a mini circle or join our email database. Contribute your skills and expertise to one of our five sub-committees - Membership and Events, Operations and Finance, Marketing and Communications, Events, and Grants. 11. Learn skills to get involved in the community more broadly. Our members have said they have learnt skills and gained confidence to be involved in other community organisations such as becoming a Board member, mentor or volunteer. Be inspired and be inspiring 12. Become a role model in your family and community by being part of the 100 Women movement. This is bigger than just you and me, it’s about a community of women coming together and helping other women who don’t have the same advantages that we do. 13. Feel proud to be involved. Members tell me all the time how proud they feel to be involved in such a wonderful inspiring cause. When was the last time you felt proud? 14. Step up! For the majority of our members, $1200 is a step up in their philanthropy. This is so 100 Women can provide large, high-impact grants to projects and organisations. Our intention is to build a strong, sustainable source of funding for women’s projects. Remember it’s a tax deduction and 100% of your donation goes to the grants too! 15. We created this! Together we’ve started our own funding source. The grants mentioned above have been funded by people power. This is incredibly inspiring and exciting. If you’re inspired by this come join the fun and spread the word! Join as a 100 Women member here and share the message with others. Save -
During January, all Board Book Pack (10 copies) orders for Difference Makers: A Leader's Guide to Championing Diversity on Boards receives 20% off and free shipping when you order a Board Book Pack - click here. What's the book about? Difference Makers: A Leader’s Guide to Championing Diversity on Boards reframes the debate about who can participate in board directorship. Dr Nicky Howe and I share our experience developing the award winning board governance program for young aspiring directors and the research on how diversity can enhance problem solving, spark innovation and ultimately build better boards and organisations. The book includes: Tools and templates to make your board’s diversity journey easier and more effective Personal strategies to develop your own personal commitment to diversity Board strategies including how to develop a board diversity policy and enhance recruitment, nomination and meeting processes Real life case studies ...and much more! Reward your board directors! Reward your board directors with a small gift that supports their development and improves business outcomes. Interested? Order a board book pack for your board members in January and receive 10 copies of the book plus free postage for just $24 per book. That’s a 20% discount plus FREE postage - a saving of $80! Orders must be made before the end of January. Difference Makers is a great addition to your board professional development program or a useful holiday reading gift! Order your book pack here. Just want to order a single copy of the book, click here. -
What is the #1000youngdirectors campaign? The #1000youngdirectors campaign aims to ignite 1000 young directors onto community boards to increase diversity, support succession planning and improve our local communities through better discussions, decisions and outcomes on boards. We believe when a variety of perspectives are included around the boardroom - everyone wins. More robust discussions happen, the community is represented better and generations work together for the betterment of society. The question is not why would you involve a young professional under 40 on your NFP board. The real question is why wouldn't you? Why do we need more diversity on boards? Research undoubtedly shows that diversity improves financial performance, innovation, reputation and decision making. This occurs when a wide range of perspectives are taken into consideration¹. This means including diverse perspectives is not only the right thing to do morally, it's also good business sense! What is the current diversity on boards? 57% of Board members on ASX200 Boards are over the age of 60² only 23.4% of ASX200 Boards have female representation³ 3.2% of Board members onASX200 Boards are from an Asian cultural background4 Is it any better on NFP Boards? The respondents of the AICD's 2016 NFP Governance and Performance study included: 61% male and 39% female 7% under 40, 18% between 40 - 49, 40% between 50 - 59 and 35% over 60 So yes, there is work to be done! Igniting 1000 more young directors (under the age of 40) on community boards is a MASSIVE goal. So here's how we want to support change! What can you expect? Young Board Director Profiles - #1000youngdirectors You can't be what you can't see! Each Wednesday (starting tomorrow!), Alyceum will profile impressive young board directors from around Australia. We have an incredible list of young board directors to share with you already. You will find them on our Facebook page and Linkedin page. If you would like to be included in this series or know someone who should be profiled, complete the form at the end of this post. Please use the hashtag #1000youngdirectors to share wins, add resources and promote the young board director profiles! Tools and Resources Learning the ropes! We will be blogging tools and resources and hosting online webinars here to help you get onto community boards. Discover what it means to be a board director, what the role involves, how to find a board position and more! You may want to sign up to our mailing list! Register for the Board Ignition Online Course Fast track your board journey here! Alyceum has created an exciting online resource for young professionals (or anyone!) who are keen to get their first community board appointment. We have a very special pre-order offer during our launch month - June 2017. So if you're keen, this is the course for you! Buy the Difference Makers Book Pack Discuss the benefits of diversity on your board Alicia Curtis along with Dr Nicky Howe have written a practical board guide for championing diversity called Difference Makers: A Leader's Guide to Championing Diversity on Boards. As part of this campaign, we are promoting a Board Book Pack of 10 books for your board directors for $240. This is a 20% discount on the retail price of $29.95 each plus we will ship to you for free! Order your Board Book Pack here. Share about this campaign Involve your workplace or community board by downloading and sharing the following posters: About the Campaign About the Business Case for Diversity About the Board Ignition Online Course About the Difference Makers Book Be Profiled If you're under 40 years old and on a community board, add your details here to be profiled in this campaign. Please like our social media pages too (our Facebook page and Linkedin page). #1000youngdirectors campaign Join and support the #1000youngdirectors campaign to promote and recognise age diversity on boards. Name First Last Email What state do you live?What year were you born?Current Board appointment/s (and any leadership positions held)Previous Board appointment/s (and any leadership positions held)Social Media Links Facebook Profile Linkedin Profile Twitter handle Share 1-2 sentences about your experience as a board director.Share a piece of advice for aspiring board directors to attain their first board position.Share a photo of yourselfCAPTCHA ¹Howe, N.J and Curtis, A (2016) Difference Makers: A Leaders Guide to Championing Diversity on Boards, pp 25-29 2 http://www.corrs.com.au/news/asx-200-Boards-are-getting-younger/ 3 http://www.companydirectors.com.au/director-resource-centre/governance-and-director-issues/Board-diversity/30-per-cent-by-2018 4 http://www.afr.com/leadership/management/hiring/smaller-asx-listed-companies-are-letting-the-side-down-on-diversity-20160405-gnyhyl -
Alyceum is proud to be announced as one of Westpac's 200 Businesses of Tomorrow from over 2000 applications across Australia. As part of the announcement, the 200 businesses were invited to a Business Summit in Sydney with speakers such as Marc Randolph, co-founder of Netflix and David Lindberg, Westpac Chief Executive, Business Bank among others. I traveled over with my 6-month old son and my mum who cared for him so I was able to attend the Summit. Big props to Westpac too for making them feel so welcome. Talk about the new way of business! During the Summit, we explored future business trends, what it takes to be innovative and how Australia can further foster entrepreneurship. Here are some of my key take-aways: Marc Randolph, Co-founder, Netflix The innovation process is about your ability to have lots of ideas, validate them as quickly and cheaply as possible until you find one that sticks. Innovation needs persistence and optimism. Take your ideas and collide with customers. Panel Session with Mia Freedman, Mamamia, Dare Jennins, Deus Ex Machina, Rachael Powell, Xero and Andre Eikmeier, Vinomofo Attract your tribe through content that shows who you are. Technology can help you scale the human experience. David Linberg, Westpac Chief Executive, Business Banking Key business trends include running service based businesses, selling to (rather than buying from) China, automation and robotics, purpose in business, gig economy and changing demographics. Bernard Salt, Demographer Australia has the largest proportion of city population comprising of international born residents (Perth, 41%, Sydney 42%) Australia is not creating big businesses. All our major businesses where founded in the late 1800's and early 1900s (think BHP, Telstra, Wesfarmers, Woolworths and the Banks) compared to 5/10 of America's biggest businesses (Think Apple, Google, Microsoft, Facebook and Amazon) which were founded in the last 30 years. It was a fantastic Summit to meet inspiring entrepreneurs from around Australia and think about society will look like in 2020, 2030 and 2050. Thank you Westpac for the honour of being named in the inaugural list and for the Summit experience. Want to follow Alyceum's journey? Sign up to our Newsletter Register here and receive a free chapter of my book, Difference Makers: A Leader's Guide to Diversity on Boards. -
Meet our first 8 young board directors! The #1000youngdirectors campaign has started with a bang and it's been wonderful to profile and share some AMAZING Board Directors. The campaign is growing too with young professionals contributing these details to be profiled every day. Do you know a young director who should be profiled? Enter your profile or read more about the campaign here. Look out for the #1000youngdirectors hashtag for board vacancies to help get your first board appointment too. Here are our first group of inspiring profiles. Rhys Williams Mayor in the Making Rhys has had extensive board experience in both government and the community sector. He currently serves as the Chair of the Mandurah Performing Arts Centre and John Tonkin College and is also a board member of Regional Development Australia Peel. Rhys previously served as the Chair on the Diversity South board and the treasurer for the Small Business Centre Peel board in 2015. Prior to that, he served on boards for the Peel Region Planning Committee, iPeel, Peel Development Commission, Regional Development Australia (Peel), South Halls Head Primary School, City of Mandurah and the Peel Community Development Group. Krista McMeeken Reconciliation Campaigner Krista serves on the board of Celebrate WA, the Museum for Freedom and Tolerance (WA) and the Western Australian Aboriginal Advisory Council. Celebrate WA is a not-for-profit organisation that focuses on the promotion and organisation of WA Day celebrations. Krista received the Human Rights Awards Young People's Medal in 2012 and was listed in the Westpac and Australian Financial Review 100 Women of Influence Young Leader category in 2013. Dr Sam Prince Entrepreneurial Innovator Sam is the founder and chair of One Disease. One Disease has a mission to eliminate preventable disease from remote Indigenous communities. Sam received the Young Australian of the Year, ACT award in 2012 for his efforts with One Disease. Sam has also established several other organisations including the Mexican franchise Zambrero , incorporating a humanitarian 'Plate 4 Plate' scheme- for each purchase, a plate of food is donated to someone in a developing country. More recently Sam has also founded Life Letters, bringing accessible genetic testing to Australian healthcare community. Marita Cheng Technology Pioneer Marita has extensive board experience. She currently serves as a technology advisory board member for Clinton Health Access Initiative Inc. She is the founder of Robogals Global and currently serves as a board member. Robogals aims to increase the number of girls studying science, engineering and technology disciplines at a tertiary level and to provide leadership opportunities for female engineering students. Marita also sits on the board for the Victorian State Innovation Expert Panel and has also served on the board for the Foundation for Young Australians since 2012. In 2012, she won Young Australian of the Year. Nicole Brown Women's Supporter Nicole has served on the board for DressForSuccess Sydney from 2015. Dress for Success is an organisation that supports women to achieve self-sufficiency and financial independence, providing clothing, styling advice and confidence building support. Nicole also undertook a Graduate Diploma in Corporate Governance to enhance her contribution to her corporate and not-for-profit roles. Max Wasley Project Design, Measurement and Reporting Enthusiast Max has served as a board member for Youth Without Borders since November 2014. Youth Without Borders is a youth-led organisation that empowers young people to collectively lead positive change in their communities through collaborative projects. Liz Rhodes Passionate Contributor Liz currently serves on the board for Oaktree. Oaktree is a youth-run organisation seeking to end poverty. "I had recently finished up working at Oaktree and was asked to join the board. It was a great way to stay involved with the organisation and contribute to something I'm passionate about, but also I wanted to gain skills and experience in governance and strategic thinking. Her advice for young professionals wanting to find their first board position: "Growing your network to include people who are actively on boards and being open about wanting to be on a board is my advice. Our board recruits through people we know and are connected to and I'm sure many others are the same." Marc Zen Health Promoter Marc has served as a board member for the Australian Association of Adolescent Health (AAAH) and was elected as the secretary in 2015. AAAH endeavours to improve and advocate for the health of young people across Australia. Marc completed the Emerging Leaders in Governance Program (ELGP) in 2015. Want to find your first NFP Board position? Register here to receive our free Checklist: 15 Ways to Find a NFP Board position -
“If our hopes of building a better and safer world are to become more than wishful thinking, we will need the engagement of volunteers more than ever.” — Kofi Annan Is it your time to step up and gift your time and talents to a good cause? Being a Board Director on a Not-For-Profit Board is a fulfilling experience. You may be giving your time, expertise and networks but you gain so much in return. Over the past five years, I’ve been so fortunate to be involved in a life changing program called Engaging Young Leaders on Aged Care and Community Boards. Since the pilot program was funded by a Social Innovation grant in 2013, this program has championed diversity on Not-For-Profit boards. There is no other program like it across Australia! I’ve worked with, trained and supported nearly 100 young professionals to find board positions. I’ve been fortunate to organise site visits, hear from the most amazing CEOs and explore what it means to be an outstanding board director. In 2016, I co-authored the book, Difference Makers: A Leader’s Guide to Championing Diversity on Boards. These experiences have complimented my own journey on a number of Not-For-Profit boards over the past 15 years and my love of volunteering to community causes with a purpose to making the world a better place. “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” — Mahatma Gandhi Then the Board Ignition Course was born. The Board Ignition Course challenged me to take my vision for board diversity to the next level. How can I support even more people - young professionals, entrepreneurs, young women, culturally diverse leaders - to step up onto Boards. I believe: Board directorships are a privilege, to play your part in making the community a better place We need diversity of thought, background, ideas and demographics, now more than ever on NFP boards If you are committed, open to learning and passionate, you can serve on an NFP board! I love the medium of online - it allows me to be creative in shaping inspiring resources that anyone can access at any time. My aim is to bring the topic of board leadership alive with engaging resources to share my knowledge and passion! This program brings together: board governance knowledge and resources inspiring board director interviews from across Australia insight personal development resources to build your leadership practical challenges to help you get your first board directorship But more than this, the Board Ignition Course is the opportunity to build a community of leaders who are keen to give their greatest talents in service to a better world. Launch Month Offer Join in June 2017 and receive the following benefits: 1. Your own signed copy of the Book, Difference Makers: A Leader's Guide to Championing Diversity on Boards We will post you a copy of this inspiring read written by Alicia Curtis and Dr Nicky Howe based on their experience supporting young professionals to join Not-For-Profit boards. 2. Seven Deadly Sins of Meeting Facilitators Ebook Improve your meeting facilitation skills by avoiding these common meeting mistakes. This practical ebook is jam packed with ready to use strategies. 3. The ESSENTIAL Governance/Leadership Reading list Don't know where to start? Get my essential list of books to learn more about board leadership and governance. 4. PLUS an invite to a LIVE WEBINAR on the 5 Biggest Myths of NFP Board Leadership Alicia Curtis will be facilitating a webinar on the 5 myths of NFP board leadership ONLY for those who have signed up in June 2017. Enrol now to get instant access to the course. Still got questions? Read the course information page here. -
I've worked with hundreds of young professionals who are keen to step up onto a Not-For-Profit Board. Many of these young professionals are motivated to contribute their skills, give back to the community and develop themselves as leaders. These people often have many questions: Is a board position really for me? What am I really getting myself into? Do I have anything of value to contribute in the boardroom? How do I get my first board directorship? I've heard from and spoken to young professionals all across Australia who are keen to develop their board directorship skills and find their first appointment. The Board Ignition course is now a resource collating all my experiences in the Not-For-Profit sector and supporting young professionals take their next step onto a board. Who is the Board Ignition course for? Are you keen to give your time, talent and networks to assist a good cause as a board director? This course is perfect is you are: A life long leaner and interested in serving the Not-For-Profit (NFP) sector Keen to explore the key responsibilities of NFP directors Interested in capturing your unique value proposition for a NFP board Ready to learn strategies to get your first board appointment Open to developing your personal leadership skills What this course is not? This course is not: An accredited board governance program (although we do recommend some in the course!) A face to face program (No! You can be based anywhere and access it!) A board matching process (Don't worry, we'll give you the best advice to find a board role!) What's included in the Board Ignition Course? There are eight modules included in the program: Why join a community board? Are you board ready? Your board leadership Finding a board position Before joining a board Inside the board room First time on a board - what to expect? The journey of an outstanding board director Each module includes: Module welcome and an online workbook Video interviews with an experienced board director including summary notes and reflection questions Practical challenges to spur you into action Further resources including videos, blogs and reports See inside the modules here - The course fee gives you 12 months access to all the course resources. Launch Month Offer Join in June 2017 and receive the following benefits: 1. Your own signed copy of the Book, Difference Makers: A Leader's Guide to Championing Diversity on Boards We will post you a copy of this inspiring read written by Alicia Curtis and Dr Nicky Howe based on their experience supporting young professionals to join Not-For-Profit boards. 2. Seven Deadly Sins of Meeting Facilitators Ebook Improve your meeting facilitation skills by avoiding these common meeting mistakes. This practical ebook is jam packed with ready to use strategies. 3. The ESSENTIAL Governance/Leadership Reading list Don't know where to start? Get my essential list of books to learn more about board leadership and governance. 4. PLUS an invite to a LIVE WEBINAR on the 5 Biggest Myths of NFP Board Leadership Alicia Curtis will be facilitating a webinar on the 5 myths of NFP board leadership ONLY for those who have signed up in June 2017. Enrol now to get instant access to the course. Still got questions? Read the course information page here. -
Having coached many young professionals seeking board positions, I can tell you the biggest barrier holding many people back….and no it’s not their skills, their networks, their experience or their education. What is it? It’s their own personal belief that they have no value to give. I can't tell you how many people tell me they are worried they might not bring enough value to the boardroom. I admire their humility and it is often the most amazing leaders who show this humility too! How common is this? In the Board Ignition online course, I have interviewed some super experienced directors from around Australia. I wasn't surprised to hear that Dr Sue van Leeuwen had also experienced this hesitation by prospective board directors. By the way, Dr Sue van Leeuwen is an inspiring business and community leader with 25 years experience on a range for boards. Listen to her articulate the problem and what she suggests to aspiring board directors. https://vimeo.com/228192785 So as Sue says, say yes! Be aware, connected and interested. Ask questions, do your homework AND get ready to learn and work hard! Board directorships can be the BEST leadership learning experiences" So how do you overcome feelings of self doubt? 1. Clarify what you bring to the table In the Board Ignition online course, we have a process to understand your board value proposition. This includes your professional skills, networks, education, passions and strengths. We do a lot of thinking about the value you bring, so it's clarified in your own mind, it's easy to communicate this to a prospective board and once you get onto a board, you can begin being a proactive board director from day one! 2. Surround yourself with the right people Ask experienced board directors or mentors for feedback on your skills and what you can do to become highly valued in the board room. Most of the time, it's easier for other people to see the value that we can offer so having a mentor highlight this for you is priceless! 3. Do the work Yes you may have value to offer but you might need a little work to connect all the dots!! Learn more about the Not for Profit sector, board governance and board leadership. Develop your network and build your own self awareness about how you are perceived in teams. Don’t let a lack of confidence get in the way of your board journey. Are you ready for your first Board appointment? Check out our Board Ignition online course - a 8-module self paced online course designed to fast track your journey to your first board appointment. Enrol now to get instant access to the course. Still got questions? Read the course information page here. -
Any great leader worth their salt has a life long desire to be stretched. We do this with our technical expertise all the time - books, training or conferences and if we are committed, we do this with our leadership capacity too. What informs your understanding of leadership? When I look at most leadership books and conferences these days, my eyes glaze over. Why? It seems like the same ‘voices’ get promoted time and time again. The same leadership messages arise and build the basis of our leadership understanding. What if you are not challenging ourselves enough? Is it time to break free from those ‘voices’ and listen to a new tune? Do you challenge your leadership thinking or stay where it’s comfortable? When was the last time you read a leadership book by a female, an author that’s not American or from non-Caucasian background? Time to break out I am constantly mindful of what sources I read and recommend to ensure I’m getting a variety of leadership perspectives. I’m interested in broadening my sources so I’m not always reading leadership from the perspective of a white American male which can easily be the case. I have plenty of those books on my bookshelf already and learned a lot, but... No one gender, generation or geography has the monopoly on great leadership So I would love to hear your favourite books on leadership from a variety of authors - I want to stretch and challenge my knowledge and understanding of leadership. Here are some of my recommendations: Who Do We Choose to Be? Facing Reality, Claiming Leadership, Restoring Sanity by Margaret Wheatley Leading from the Emerging Future: From Ego-System to Eco-System Economies by Otto Scharmer and Dr. Katrin Kaufer Reinventing Organisations: A Guide to Creating Organisations Inspired by the Next State of Human Consciousness by Frederic Laloux Collective Genius: The Art and Practice of Leading Innovation by Linda Hill, Greg Brandeau, Emily Truelove and Kent Lineback Act Like a Leader, Think like a Leader by Herminia Ibarra Presence: Bring your Boldest Self to your Biggest Challenges by Amy Cuddy Radical Candor: How to be a Great Boss without Losing your Humanity by Kim Scott Open Leadership: How Social Technology can Transform the Way you Lead by Charlene Li Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain Business as Unusual by Anita Roddick Creating a World Without Poverty: Social Business and the Future of Capitalism by Muhammad Yunus Let’s bring a variety of voices to the table. In fact, let’s give them a loud speaker too. Join Alicia's leadership community here First NameLast NameYour Email* CAPTCHA -
There is no denying it. We are in desperate need of more diversity on Local Councils - age, gender, culture, education and industry. We need people like you to consider running! With Local Council Elections looming next month, NOW is the time to nominate yourself for your own Local Council. Who wouldn't want to have their say in developing their own local community? Here are two shining examples of young, creative professionals who have put themselves forward for Council, hopefully giving you the inspiration and encouragement to put your name forward too! Meet Rhys Williams who is running for Mayor of Mandurah Rhys is no stranger to Local Government having served previously as a Local Councillor, leading a key community organisation in the area and serving on a number of community organisation boards. Why did you get involved in Local Council? Initially, I probably got involved not really knowing what I was getting myself into, but it was driven by this idea that if communities are going to reflect the needs of the people who live within them, then the decision making has to reflect the people who live within them. Diversity in our Councils is a key part of ensuring we have strong communities, so it is important that a cross section of people sit in the Council chamber. Can you give me a snapshot of the decisions/activities are you involved with as a Local Councillor? I was 21 when I was elected to Council, and knew little of the ways of Local Government. I think in some ways this, eventually, was an asset because I didn't go into it with a jaded view of things. I worked hard first the first two years on just trying to learn as much as I could across a really broad range of portfolios. This made all the difference. I think because it gave me an opportunity to arrive at my areas of passion from a wide view. I found my place in the community development and sustainability areas of Council and spent my time working to really identify new ways of approaching how we build strong and sustainable communities. Some of the stuff we came up with worked, some of it didn't, but it was a privilege to be part of it, and I learnt a heap along the way. What’s your three top strategies to get elected onto Local Council? 1. Don't be someone that you aren't. I think the problem with politics today is a lack of authenticity. Just be you. People have great BS metres! 2. Don't tell everyone what you think they want to hear. Go out and listen to people, really gain insight, and try to understand the lens in which they see the world. I think that line 'people don't care how much you know until they know how much you care' is worth keeping in mind. 3. Contact people who you admire and ask them for help. None of us have all the answers, and by asking for help we not only benefit from the wisdom of others but also build our support networks along the way. You can find out more about Rhys' campaign here and if you're based in Mandurah - send a vote his way! Meet Jennifer Ammons Noble, Local Councillor for the Town of Victoria Park Why did you get involved in Local Council? I got involved in local council because I really love the community I have lived in for the last fifteen years, and I wanted to be more involved in shaping what the Town would be like in the future. When I started my family I spent more time at home in 'hood and at the local parks talking to other community members. I realised how much our community was changing, and gaining momentum as a diverse, connected inner city suburb. I saw being on Council as a type of community service --a chance to help shape our future community in a positive way and a way that I could give back to the neighbourhood that I enjoyed living in everyday. Can you give me a snapshot of the decisions/activities are you involved with as a Local Councillor? Probably one of the most interesting processes I have been involved in to date was our community's development of the strategic community plan. It's a synthesis of extensive, authentic dialogue with the community and sets out the long-term, big picture aspirations and priorities for the community into the next decade. I find there are a surprisingly wide range of decisions/types of work that local government deals with --everything from policy on things like sponsorships and leases, to looking at strategies for revenue diversification, ways to support community groups, planning issues, events and activations. What’s your three top strategies to get elected onto Local Council? I'm not sure I have any top strategies for being elected to Council. For me having conversations with residents and stakeholders who were positive and active in the community was probably the most helpful. Keeping a dialogue with those individuals who are genuinely interested-in and invested-in growing community was and is still incredibly beneficial to helping me better understand my community. Jennifer is not up for re-election next month. Does this interest you? You can check out this webinar recording about the role of a Local Councillor here. OR get nominating here! Of course, if you're keen to serve on a Not for Profit but not sure which one or how, check out the Board Ignition online course. Join Alicia's leadership community here First NameLast NameYour Email* CAPTCHA -
There is no doubt - this has been the year of Women in AFL Football! It’s not been without it’s challenges, but how exciting has it been to see the professional women’s competition begin this year. And along with it has been a groundswell of girls getting involved in football. A few weeks ago, I got to work with the women in Football group at the WA Football Commission. Most of the women served on the boards of football clubs. The group included women on WAFL clubs, AFL clubs and the WA Football Commission itself. Many of them were the only female on their board. The workshop I facilitated was about strategies to engage and recruit more women onto these boards. It was a dynamic and inspiring discussion of both the challenges and the opportunities. As part of my research for the workshop, I put out a simple linkedin post: I'm researching for an upcoming workshop I'm facilitating - Any WA women in my networks keen to sit on a football club board? One of the ‘excuses' that’s often proffered by the lack of women on football club boards is that ‘I can’t find any women that are interested!’. Well that was definitely not the case with my linkedin post! I have 20 women - just in my networks - that said they were keen to sit on a football club board! Given the huge focus on diversity in football at the moment, for example the introduction of the new AFL Women’s League and the development of the multicultural and indigenous footballers, this is a perfect opportunity to focus on diversifying the boards to become more reflective of the competition it serves as well as be better abled to meet the strategic and governance challenges through diversity of perspective. Wouldn’t it be great to flood Football club board member elections with female candidates seeking election? Let’s change the outlook and culture on football boards and show them women are interested! What are the pathways onto a football club board? If you are keen to serve on a football club board, here are 6 steps to take. 1. Research what type of football club you would be best to serve If you follow a football club already then this could be really easy! If not, you’ve got Amateurs, WA Women’s Football League, WAFL, Football Development Councils both Regional and District, WA Country Football League, AFL clubs and the WA Football Commission. Here is the 2016 Annual report for the WAFC for more information about football in Western Australia. 2. Become a football club member If you’re not already a member, you will need to start by joining a club. This gives you voting rights at AGM Board elections and also gives you an opportunity to nominate too! 3. Clarify your value Board directors need to add value to the club. What skills and experience do you bring? Get really clear about the value you can provide. It could be financial skills, risk and audit, marketing, sponsorship, communications, governance, legal or game development. Find out what board committees are hosted as you might be able to serve on a committee first. 4. Get known As you will need to be elected through a members vote, it’s important to get known within a club. Attend club games and events, get involved in a committee, meet the current board directors and share your interest to serve on the board. Invest in building relationships with those currently on the board. 5. Find a mentor Once you’ve met a few current board directors, reach out to someone who resonates most with you and ask if they would be willing to mentor or sponsor you, to support your journey onto a football club board. 6. NOMINATE for a board position! Put your hat in the ring! Don’t be disappointed if it takes you a couple of nominations to get involved on a board. That’s what it’s all about! If you're in WA and keen to hear more about the Women in Football events, you can reach out to Kerry Harris who works at the WAFC . If you're in the eastern states of Australia, you can reach out to Michelle Redfern, who is a Director of Williamstown Football Club and does some exceptional work in advancing women in sport. Meet #womeninfootball on club boards Meet some of the women already serving on football club boards Sue Murphy Director, Fremantle Dockers 1. Why did you get involved in a football club board? I have always been a footy tragic and I think the role of sport to align and invigorate communities is huge so I was delighted to get the opportunity to put something back by taking on a Board role. 2. Can you give me a snapshot of the decisions/activities are you involved with as a board director? This is a really critical time for AFL clubs in WA right now with the move to the new Perth Stadium. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to make the game day experience wonderful and to develop a new set of gameday rituals and traditions. (plus have easy access to things like toilets and great food and beverage options!) Freo have also moved from our old club facilities to the new Cockburn ARC which gives us access to the best training facilities in Australia but also a unique chance to integrate with the local community in everything we do. We also have the inaugural WA women’s team with all the excitement that generates. It has been incredible to be part of the groundswell of support for this and to see the explosion in numbers of girls signing on to be par of grassroots footy. 3. What strategies would you recommend to others interested in serving on a football club board? Get involved. Volunteer, be passionate. You get what you give! Renee Hardman Vice President, Peel Thunder Football Club 1. Why did you get involved in a football club board? I was approached by the then President of Peel Thunder Football Club nearly 7 years to see if I had any interest in becoming more involved in the running of the club. He was looking for more diversity on the board and also knew that I had some expertise in Marketing and networking. I had been a sponsor, member and contributor since the clubs inception, so it seemed a natural transition for me. 2. Can you give me a snapshot of the decisions/activities are you involved with as a board director? I am currently the Vice President of the Board and still the only women on the Board with a group of amazing men. I head up the Commercial Operations, Marketing and Membership Committees. I help where I can with our major fundraisers being the Banquet Auction, Golf Day (which I am major sponsor). I attend every function I can (96%) so our members can see we are committed to the club. I make a point along with my colleagues of knowing every sponsors name, greeting each and every one of them when they are at the club and making every person member or non member feel welcome and wanted. I help the heads of the departments of marketing, Comm Ops and Membership (which are also women) with strategies to attract new business, new members and also help with computer, database and social media issues they may have, these being my strengths as well. 3. What strategies would you recommend to others interested in serving on a football club board? I think it would be a wise thing to know how budgets, spreadsheets and forecasts work, having a business background with knowledge of how to run a business. I would find out what skill set they are looking for to improve the diversity of the board, the number of hours it is going to take up, the values and vision of the club, to make sure it marries up with your own. Spend some time at the club, get to know the members as they are the people who are going to vote you onto the board. Above all make sure that you are doing it for the right reasons!!! It is about the good of the club, its people, members and footballers. Too many times I have experienced people joining for their own ego and benefit and not interested in contributing - the passion is not there. Join Alicia's leadership community here First NameLast NameYour Email* CAPTCHA Save Save
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