Empowering Australia’s rural women
Five equally passionate and motivated rural women are joining forces this September to facilitate a Women’s Symposium. The aim is to develop ideas and methods that will inspire their young counterparts to stand-up and be acknowledged as future industry leaders.
The concept and vision is that of Tania Chapman - 2012 Rural Industries R&D Corporation Victorian Rural Woman of the Year, Mildura citrus grower and chair of Citrus Australia – who, as a leader in her own industry, finds herself driven to develop ways to encourage women to believe in themselves and step-up to leadership roles.
Tania is calling on rural women from across Australia to attend the free Women’s Symposium, titled "Shine! Empower! Inspire!" on Tuesday, September 4, at Parliament House, Melbourne.
Numbers will be limited to ensure all delegates can engage in the debate and the discussion will be driven by five women who also are leaders in their own right: Tania, Victorian Minister of Women’s Affairs, Mental Health and Community Services Mary Wooldridge, Tristar Medical Group chief executive officer Kylie El-Sheikh, ANZ group managing director of human resources Susie Babani, and Ruralscope director Jo Eady.
The Symposium has been designed as a prelude to a unique program Tania plans to roll-out nationwide that aims to embrace the skills of young rural women and foster their interest in becoming future industry leaders.
“Everyone has qualities and often they just need to be empowered so they can develop confidence,’’ Tania said.
Tania acknowledged that not everyone wanted to be a leader, but many were keen to be part of a leadership team. "To me these women are equally important," she added.
As the 2012 RIRDC Victorian Rural Woman of the Year, Tania believes she is well placed to inspire women.
"In my travels as RIRDC Victorian Rural Woman of the Year, I have met so many passionate young women who have so much to offer our rural community but don’t realise it themselves," she explained.
"Many of these women don’t realise that internally they are natural born leaders – they just need the tools and means to recognise and draw out these traits."
Tania has received strong support for the Symposium from Ms Wooldridge, who was a recipient of a National Award for leadership and a finalist in the Telstra Business Woman Awards before entering state parliament.
"If we are able to get representatives from every state in Australia, we can inspire them to go back to their industries and their communities and find up to five more young women and inspire them to come on this journey of change," she said.
Another outcome from the Symposium is to arm women with information packs that are based around the solutions identified from the day. These packs will enable women to go back to their own communities and facilitate further discussion.
The Women’s Symposium will be held on Tuesday, September 4, from 10am to 5pm in the K Room at Parliament House, Melbourne. It will be followed by a dinner meeting with a guest speaker.
Speakers:
Tania Chapman - 2012 RIRDC Victorian Rural Woman of the Year, Mildura citrus grower and chair of Citrus Australia
Mary Wooldridge - Victorian Minister of Women’s Affairs, Mental Health and Community Services
Kylie El-Sheikh - Tristar Medical Group chief executive officer in Mildura and Telstra Victorian Business Woman of the Year
Susie Babani - ANZ group managing director of human resources, one of the few people with a direct line to the bank’s chief executive officer.
Jo Eady - director and principal consultant of Rural scope, a company that provides specialist people development services for Australia’s rural and agricultural sectors
For more information:
Tania Chapman
Tel: +61 0428 291 717
[email protected]
www.shineempowerinspire.com.au