Media Release

WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE HITS SWEET SPOT

19 May 2014:A recent women’s leadership conference in Canberra has hit the mark for more than 170 aspiring and emerging women leaders, who say it has built their leadership confidence.

The She Leads Conference, by the YWCA of Canberra, brought together some of Australia’s most accomplished women leaders with women across a range of ages and sectors interested in either taking up leadership roles or taking their leadership roles further.

It was a resounding success with 90 per cent of respondents to a feedback surveysaying they strongly agreed or agreed that the conference gave them more confidence to be a leader.

“Hearing the panel members speak about their different leadership experiences was very inspiring and unique,” a delegate wrote in her post-conference feedback.

“I felt empowered to be in a room full of strong women promoting leadership and awareness,” wrote another.

Others said they had been “inspired”, “revitalised” and affirmed in their pursuit of leadership roles. Another wrote her leadership journey had been “supercharged”.

Many said the calibre of female speakers, panellists and workshop facilitators was very high, passing on useful and practical information as well as the encouragement to continue, despite setbacks or obstacles. The list of role models participating in the day included leading author, journalist and feminist Dr Anne Summers, Department of Defence Deputy Secretary, People Strategies and Policy, Carmel McGregor and Director of the Workplace Gender Equality Agency, Helen Conway.

Conference-goers were encouraged to interact with social media during the Conference, which saw the #SheLeads hashtag in the top-10 trending items on Twitter, higher than #JoeHockey just hours before the Treasurer was to hand down his first Budget.

#She Leads was continuing to trend more than 24-hours after the event.

The YWCA of Canberra’s YouTube channel live-streamed plenary sessions from the Conference, with viewers across Australia and as far away as New Zealand and Scotland tuning into to be part of the event.

The success of the She Leads Conference demonstrates a real need for gender-tailored leadership initiatives for women at a time when the number of women at the top tiers of business in government in Australia has slidden backwards.

They YWCA of Canberra believes in making safe spaces for women to share and learn from each other. The inaugural She Leads Conference gave women that space and opportunity, with the hope and expectation that many will go on to pursue leadership roles with more confidence.

It is part of a broader initiative by the YWCA of Canberra to create pathways for women into leadership, including a year-long Diploma of Management tailored specifically for women. Diploma enrolments are currently open. More information can be found here: or by emailing

- ENDS –

Photo attached:
Delegates.jpg
Cap: Delegates listen intently to Dr Anne Summers delivering the keynote address at the inaugural She Leads Conference held in Canberra last week.

More high res photos from the conference are available on request.

YWCA of Canberra Executive Director Frances Crimmins is available for interview.

Media contact: Karan Gabriel 0490 487 956.

About the YWCA of Canberra: The YWCA of Canberrais a feminist, not-for-profit community organisation that has been providing community services and representing women’s issues in the Canberra community since its establishment in 1929. The YWCA of Canberra employs more than 350 staff across the ACT, and delivers 30 quality programs in children’s services, community development, housing, youth services, women’s leadership, advocacy, and training. Represented in 122 countries, the YWCA has a global reach of 25 million women and girls. As part of this international movement, the YWCA of Canberra works for a world where reconciliation, justice, peace, health, human dignity, freedom and care for the environment are promoted and sustained through women’s leadership. For more information visit: