Thriving together
On Saturday we wrapped up the final session of the Thriving Futures Program. This program is a collaboration between Promote Her and the amazing not-for-profit organisation Ethni.
Ethni’s work, like mine, is based in the belief that the road towards cultural and gender equality starts with uplifting women. They create opportunities for young women from diverse cultural backgrounds to embrace their stories, build deep connections, navigate life’s ups and downs, and drive change in their communities.My focus on the other-hand is women and their engagement in the world of work.
I began my relationship with the team at Ethni back in mid-2020 with a phone call to Kim, their founder. Since then we have run a number of programs and activities together, but the big one that was on our ‘bucket-list’ was to create a way to support young women through the transition from finishing tertiary qualifications to the first step into their dream career.
Too often incredibly talented, educated and passionate young women are challenged by a world of work that can be difficult to navigate. Especially if you don’t have existing professional networks (like family members or friends) that are in the spaces you are trying to go.
This is why the Thriving Futures program was born. Thanks to the tremendous support of Bank Australia we have been able to develop and run two cohorts of this incredible program.
Thriving Futures was developed as a combination of workshops, online learning and support and professional mentoring. Two components fo the program that really elevate the approach was to include both a professional headshot session, and connecting participants with established mentors in their specific profession. Intentionally to begin that critical process of building professional networks.
We’ve completed two cohorts of this program now, and already one participant has been successfully employed in a graduate program. Much of the success of the program will be seen over the coming months as these remarkable young professionals put this learning into practice and kick-start their careers.
It’s been a total buzz, and it would not have been possible without Kim and Kanyi from the Ethni team managing this program. A big thank you as well to Venessa for her guest facilitation and guidance.
The connection with these amazing young women continues for me as part of the Promote Her online platform where we get to provide ongoing support and resources. If you are interested in being part of a program like this, or maybe you’re inspired to be a mentor for an Ethni program, please reach out to kani@ethni.com.au to learn more. I can’t wait to see what our next collaboration is going to look like!
