The program architecture was designed in 2022 by Katja (Kat) Henaway who is a descendant of the Mer and Mua peoples of the Torres Strait Islands and Director of Women’s Business. Kat has extensive experience in contextualising leadership programs for Indigenous and Culturally and Linguistically Diverse people and has led the design of some of the country’s most innovative leadership programs including the award-winning Emerging Indigenous Executive Leadership Program (EIELP) at UNSW and Political Candidate Training for Women of Colour at Politics in Colour.
Program Overview
The Women of Colour Executive Leadership Program [WoC ELP] is a first-of-its-kind program designed, developed, and delivered by, Women of Colour for Women of Colour.
The program is contextualised to the lived experiences of Women of Colour in overcoming structural barriers and systemic challenges they face in career advancement and leadership development.
The program is designed to build on the capability and confidence of Women of Colour leaders to advance to executive leadership roles while improving diversity, equity, and inclusion in Australian institutions.
The program involves five blended training modules that will examine racial and gendered influences, explore adaptive challenges, design clear and executable strategies that have the potential to transform people and organisations.
The program will be delivered through a hybrid model between May and November 2023 with 80 percent delivered in a face-to-face setting in Melbourne and 20 percent remotely. It also provides small group coaching, executive mentoring, and support to complete a group adaptive challenge project as well as pre and post program assessments.
By Women of Colour, for Women of Colour
- Contextualised to the lived experiences of WoC
- Culturally and psychologically safe
- Designed by WoC thought leaders
- Delivered by WoC owned, run and led organisations
Program Structure
The WoC ELP is contextualised and delivered in a multi-modular, blended format with both face-to-face and online learning.
Module 1
Identity and Courageous Leadership
- Mode of delivery: In-person
- Dates: Tuesday, 23 May & Wednesday, 24 May
- Venue: 395 Bourke St, Melbourne (NAB Place)
Module 2
Adaptive Challenge
- Mode of delivery: In-person
- Dates: Tuesday, 25 July & Wednesday, 26 July
- Venue: 395 Bourke St, Melbourne (NAB Place)
Module 3
Sustainable Strategic Innovation
- Mode of delivery: Online
- Month: August 2023
Module 4
Designing Transformative Cultures
- Mode of delivery: In-person
- Dates: Tuesday, 24 October & Wednesday, 25 October
- Venue: 395 Bourke St, Melbourne (NAB Place)
Module 5
Authentic Communication and Presentations
- Mode of delivery: In-person
- Dates: Monday, 27 November & Tuesday, 28 November
- Venue: 395 Bourke St, Melbourne (NAB Place)
Who is this Program for?
The Women of Colour Executive Leadership Program is targeted to women from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and identities, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, who currently hold or aspire to hold executive leadership roles in their workplaces.
The 2023 inaugural program will accept up to 20 Women of Colour employed as Managers / Senior Managers in organisations with Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) plans.
Participants must reside in Victoria.
The program fee is $10,000 (ex GST). We highly recommend employer sponsorship into the program to cover the cost, or participants can self-fund.
The groundbreaking program offers direct and tangible commitment from Australian corporations to support and invest in Women of Colour leaders.
Who delivers the Program
Women of Colour Australia
Women of Colour Australia (WoCA) is Australia's leading non-profit organisation advocating for a fairer and more equitable Australia for all Women of Colour.
In June 2021, WoCA released findings of its inaugural Women of Colour in the Australian Workplace survey, offering a unique insight into additional barriers that Women of Colour face in accessing positions of leadership. Driving this added burden are intersecting and overlapping disadvantages including gender biases, racism, language barriers, and other forms of workplace discrimination.
Program Designer
Katja (Kat) Henaway
Give one person responsibility for listening to your customers and authority to act on what they hear.
Jonathon SmithCEO at company
Subject Matter Experts
A group of diverse Women of Colour Thought Leaders developed the module content based on the Program Architecture established during the Co-Design phase.
Tasneem Chopra OAM
Tasneem Chopra is an experienced Cross-Cultural Consultant and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) trainer helping businesses, not-for-profits and government understand and navigate diversity and inclusion using an intersectional lens.
Abiola Ajetomobi
Abiola Ajetomobi is the Founding Director of Leading Impact, an Equity & Inclusion consulting agency whose vision is to create inclusive and equitable organisations and leaders with lived experience at the heart of its strategic intent and legacy.
Winitha Bonney OAM
Winitha Bonney OAM is a global expert in helping corporates build inclusive cultures and Australia's first and foremost Thought Leader in the advancement of People of Colour.
"Having access to 'Executive Leadership' programs is a key priority to advance career development and progression."
~ Women of Colour in the Australian Workplace survey, June 2021
Against a backdrop of well-known gender biases affecting women in Australia, the inaugural Women of Colour in the Australian Workplace survey clearly demonstrate that Women of Colour need highly targeted opportunities to navigate the distinctive challenges at the intersection of gender and race.
Support from the Victorian Government
The Victorian Government is proud to support this first-of-its-kind leadership program specifically for Women of Colour who hold or aspire to hold senior executive leadership roles.
The Victorian Government is committed to advancing gender equality and seeks to increase the participation of all women in leadership positions.
The Women of Colour Executive Leadership Program is a new offering, expanding the investment in women’s leadership at all levels.
For more information about leadership programs supported by the Victorian Government, please see: About Women Victoria | Victorian Government (www.vic.gov.au)
Program Partners
How to Apply
The 2023 Women of Colour Executive Leadership Program is now open for applications and will close on 28 February 2023 extended to 10 March 2023.
To be eligible, applicants:
- Must be a Woman of Colour / identify as a Woman of Colour, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women.
- Must reside in Victoria.
- Must commit to paying the $10,000 + GST program fee. Participants can self-sponsor and/or be employer-sponsored. Travel and accommodation are not included in the fee.
- Must be employed as a Manager / Senior Manager in an organisation with a Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Plan or an organisation with a demonstrated and genuine commitment to advancing DEI initiatives.
- Must attend the 4 x in-person modules (2 full-day sessions per module spread over 7 months, May to November 2023, to be held in NAB Place, 395 Bourke St, Melbourne) and 1 x online module. Personal individual work, coaching sessions, and executive mentoring between modules are expected to take an additional 2 hours per month.
Applications will be assessed by a selection panel made up of Women of Colour leaders, supported by Women of Colour Australia and Women’s Business.
Successful applicants will be notified in March 2023.
Frequently Asked Questions
When do applications close?
Applications to the program will close EOD Tuesday 28 February 2023 extended to 10 March 2023.
How much is the program fee?
The fee is $10,000 (ex GST). It covers 5 modules (4 in-person and 1 online). Each module is delivered across 2 full days. The program also provides small group coaching, executive mentoring, and support to complete a group adaptive challenge project as well as pre and post-program assessments.
Can my employer sponsor me?
We highly recommend employer sponsorship into the program. We can share an official letter with you to submit to your employer. Email us at elp@womenofcolour.org.au to receive your copy.
How long is the program?
The program will be delivered through a hybrid model between May and November 2023 with 80 percent delivered in a face-to-face setting in Melbourne and 20 percent remotely.
Is there a cap on the number of program participants?
Yes, there is. The maximum number is capped at 20 participants for the inaugural program.
How can we get more involved as an organisation?
Email us at elp@womenofcolour.org.au for partnership and sponsorship opportunities.
How do I get program updates?
If you have more questions, please email us at elp@womenofcolour.org.au.
Women of Colour Australia exist to champion Australia’s Women of Colour through programs of education, community support initiatives and advocacy work.
THE ORIGIN OF THE PHRASE "WOMEN OF COLOR"
"Women of Color is not a biological designation. It is a solidarity definition. A commitment to work in collaboration with other oppressed women of color who have been minoritized. It is a term that has a lot of power." Loretta Ross
Learn more here
WOMEN DEFINITION
Women - Transgender and cisgender, all those who experience or have experienced oppression as women, including non-binary and gender non-conforming people and all those who identify as women. Self-definition is at the discretion of the individual.
Definition credit: wire.org.au
ALLY DEFINITION
A - always centre the impacted
L - listen and learn from those who live in oppression
L - leverage your privilege
Y - yield the floor
*Mnemonic credit: Kayla Reed Executive Director ACTION St. Louis Follow Kayla Reed on Twitter @iKaylaReed
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WOMEN OF COLOUR LTD ABN 17 643 518 576 ACN 643 518 576 is an Australian Public Company Limited by Guarantee. We are a registered charity with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC). We have Deductible Gift Recipient status and operate the WoC Harm Prevention Fund. Gifts to the Fund may be deductible.
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We acknowledge the Wallumattagal clan of the Darug nation as the Traditional Custodians of the land upon which Women of Colour Australia is situated. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present. We acknowledge and honour the strength and resilience of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women with whom we stand in solidarity. We acknowledge that as settlers on this stolen Aboriginal land, we are beneficiaries of the dispossession, genocide, and ongoing colonial violence against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. We believe that it is our collective responsibility and moral imperative to help dismantle the systemic barriers and structural inequities oppressing the original inhabitants of this land. We are also painfully aware that this land was taken forcibly, without a Treaty or reparations made. We have taken a practical step towards honouring sovereignty by paying the rent – and we invite you to do so too. This land is and always will be Aboriginal land. Sovereignty was never ceded.
