Empowering Workshops for Girls

EmpowerGirl Role Models Change Lives

When powerful, personal stories are shared, they can change lives.
That’s why we’ve made it our mission to unearth and proudly tell
the inspiring stories of everyday women and their careers.

Strong females are often not visible to young girls, so we aim to
put a female face on every industry, every job and profession.

By sharing these stories at live, bespoke events with powerful career
women and through unique online content, schoolgirls can see who
they can be, and what they can achieve.

Number of girls reached by our Inspiring and Transformational workshops:

10,413+

Learn more

See Who You Can Be Over A Cup Of Tea

EmpowerGirl and T2 celebrated International Day of the Girl by inviting schoolgirls into T2 HQ to hear the story of the amazing women who have revolutionised the tea business in Australia.

Girls from Richmond High School and Sienna College attended the ‘Diversitea’ event and heard from the amazing female leaders who are responsible for bringing the T2 product to our tables and rolling out the product globally.

Feedback

Something I learnt from the T2 excursion is that I can achieve anything I put my mind to as long as I put myself out there and work hard. After leaving T2 headquarters I could clearly see the large need for more females in business as women bring so many important qualities and skills to the table. This experience empowered me as a girl by introducing me to strong women who have achieved amazing things and showing me that like them, I can also fulfil my dreams and aspirations.

Sasha Sahely

I felt extremely proud to be a girl listening to the women talk about their experiences in business. They spoke about how men had sometimes made them feel less important but they continued to strive to achieve their dreams. This empowered me as a girl because I know how lucky I am to be a girl in society today where women in business are more visible and I have an amazing sisterhood to support me.

Ava Dickinson

I learnt during our visit to T2 Headquarters that each female who led at T2 had a tough journey to get where they are today, they came across many failures and bumps in their road. I felt empowered after leaving T2 because I learnt that women in business can run companies with great power on their own. This experience left me feeling inspired and ready to learn about powerful females and how they run their own business.

Aurora Neumann

I learnt from this experience that you don’t have to know exactly what you want to do in life. You can always start in a small job and work your way up until you are happy with where you are, or you can completely change career paths.

Before going to T2 Headquarters, I thought that there were very few leading women’s roles in the business industry. When I left, I felt empowered and realised that there are so many opportunities, and we just have to be willing to put ourselves out there and work hard.

This experience has changed my view, as it showed me the barriers women face, as well as how we can break them. It also made me realise that having a leading role in a business company for a woman is not unattainable and that with persistence, we can do anything.

Jessica Higgins

At the T2 event I learnt about what goes on behind the scenes at a big tea company and how the industry works. I really enjoyed listening to the stories about the women who worked there and how they became so passionate about their job. I felt very empowered to know that women can do anything that they put their mind to as these incredible women demonstrated to us.

This amazing experience has empowered me as a girl as it showed me that I can achieve any set goal as long as I put lots of effort and hard work into it. It also inspired me as it showed me that women can work together to achieve great things. Thank you very much for this opportunity.

Majella Hine

Why it’s time to
turn up the power

Girls growing up in the 21^st century face a unique set of challenges. In theory they can do anything. But in practice, they are often confused about their options and lacking in self-belief.

We know that young girls start making career choices early, and that those future aspirations are often limited by their gender and amplified by anxiety about the future.

Changing
the narrative

At EmpowerGirl, we believe gender equality and diversity starts at the grassroots. We know from current research that girls want to be in leadership roles, but the great majority of Australian female leaders cite lack of visible role models as an obstacle to their career progression.

Giving girls access to female role -models across all ages, races, cultures and industries fundamentally changes what girls believe is possible in their own lives.

Because when we change what girls see, we can change their world.

Who we are and what we do

EmpowerGirl is a gender empowerment program for young Australian schoolgirls
that harnesses the power of extraordinary female role models in the workplace.

Sharing authentic stories of their own success helps to break down stereotypes,
unconscious bias and other barriers that limit girls’ career choices.

Why we do it

Role models change lives.

In an era when girls worry about almost everything, narratives like these
provide a sense of hope and connection to help lift their aspirations
and fulfil their unique potential.

Role Models

Our role models share their stories to inspire and transform Australia’s next generation of female leaders.

Program Partners

How your business can make a powerful difference to gender equality in Australia.

School Workshops

We work with young women in schools to build their confidence and give them visible role models, to show how far they can go.

Boardroom Events

We take girls to places they’ve never been before, from the boardroom, to the building site, to the stock exchange.

Research

Girls face unique challenges as they navigate through life in the 21^st Century. Research shows that female role models can inspire them to rise above these and to soar to new heights.

Our Advisors

Expert advisors help us put a” female face” on every type of work, profession and industry.

Partner with us

When you support EmpowerGirl™, your organisation makes a strong
symbolic statement about gender equality and invests in the dreams, aspirations
and leadership potential of the next generation of Australia’s female leaders.

Research shows …

Research shows that young girls from as young as seven are powerfully motivated by female role models. This type of connection is one of the most effective ways to instil self-confidence and expand their professional aspirations.

The latest Plan International Research (2017) findings showed that 10 to 17-year-old girls perceptions of gender inequality grew as girls got older, while confidence levels and leadership aspirations fell. The study also showed that despite many aspiring to be leaders, around 40% of girls thought gender was the biggest barrier to achieving their goals.

92% of Australian female leaders, cite lack of visible role models as an obstacle to their career progression. (Women’s Agenda, 2017 Ambition report).

“Young women should know that they can achieve anything and they should have visible role models to show how far they can go. Working with young people, we build their confidence, their excitement and their passion for the future.

Support programs that show students what the workplace looks like and what female professionals, leaders, and yes, CEOs do in their daily jobs. By standing up and being visible, young women can see their potential and pursue their dreams.”

Marilynn Hewson, Lockheed Martin,
Chairman and CEO
LinkedIn Post, April 2016.

Research on role models tells us …

that we need role models because they represent the possible, they are inspirational, they tell us how to behave.

Women’s Leadership Institute Australia 2019 Women for Media Report: “You can’t be what you can’t see”

As they get older, girls start to be held back …

by the knowledge that women leaders have a hard time, by the lack of female role models…only 18% of government ministerial positions worldwide are held by women and only 5% of Fortune 500 CEOs are women.

Plan International, ‘Taking the Lead’ report, 2019

Role Models that Rock

Hayley Littlejohn

Emma McQueen

Corrie Nicholson

Eliane Elbassar

Featured Role Model

Lindsay – Fashion Designer

What work do you do?

I am a fashion designer for my clothing label, Lindsay Nicholas New York. I also run the business which includes e-commerce, marketing and retail.

When you were at school did you know what you wanted to do?

I knew I loved fashion and design, but I never thought of it as a career. I was never particularly entrepreneurial and I always wanted the security of having an employer.

How did you get started?

In my 30’s I decided that fashion design was really where my passion was, so at night I took classes at Parsons School of Design in NYC. I worked in advertising during the day and studied at night and on the weekends for more than two years. But I didn’t actually start my label for another 12 years, because I still wanted the security of working for someone else.

What makes you feel powerful at work?

Daily “wins” make me feel powerful. Being able to see that my efforts paid off and that people like my product makes all of the hard work worthwhile. It makes me feel confident and for me, confidence equals power.

What are you afraid of?

I am afraid of failing, but I also know that if you don’t fail from time to time, you didn’t try hard enough. If you never fail, it means you never took a risk, and if you don’t take a risk, you won’t grow your business or grow as a person. Failure isn’t the opposite of success; it’s part of the path to get there.