by | Dec 15, 2017 | Green Skills Inc. - Sustainability Non-Profit
It is exciting to see women taking the lead in many different forms in their professional and personal lives. The recent Women in Leadership Workshops in Bunbury Western Australia were testament to the many diverse roles women play in regional and rural communities, and the relevance of relational and life-affirming leadership styles.
With a cross section of women from state and local government departments, community organisations, utilities providers and independent business owners the workshops sparked some lively and vulnerable story-sharing. Among all these stories we do find common paths as women. As leaders, current and emerging, we also realise that leadership skills are as relevant at work as they are in the community, at home and in many of our other daily relationships.
By far the biggest takeaway of these workshops is the fact that as we lead we empower other women to step up also.
As we increase awareness of, and embrace, our own styles, strengths and areas for growth we increase our individual appreciation of self and our capacity to self-manage in meaningful and positive ways.
Increased self-awareness enhances our empathy, social awareness and positive management of social relationships in all areas of our lives and the communities we live in.
Perhaps we could sum this up as leadership action through active self-awareness. Subtle, supportive and strong changes in our own behaviour ripples out to influence the many others with whom we interact.
A willingness to embrace uncertainties and possibilities supports us to move from states of anxiety and resignation in to more active states of curiosity and motivation. This is powerful and empowering for ourselves, and those around us, as we perform roles as changemakers, reformers, occasional rebels and everyday citizens.
We are very grateful to the women who made the time to show up, be present and share their stories at these regional workshops. All of them had a unique voice and perspective, and contributed to the success of the workshops just by being there, being themselves and being willing to participate.
Whether we are leading from the front, or leading from behind the key to life-affirming relational leadership is self-awareness and a willingness to be who you truly are not what someone or something else wants you to be.
Be great at being you!
We look forward to following up and doing more in 2018. Until then best wishes to all.
The Bunbury workshops were hosted by South West Catchment Council (SWCC)
If you are interested in hosting leadership workshops in your own community or organisation please get in touch with Dawn Atkin or Louise Duxbury on (08) 9848 3310 or by email [email protected]
by | Sep 26, 2017 | Green Skills Inc. - Sustainability Non-Profit
Get any group of motivated women together and the day is sure to be full of surprises, lots of different stories and, of course, lots of laughter.
Women play a unique role in community efforts, we bring different views and are often faced with distinct challenges and obstacles.
Leadership events for women encourage the sharing of stories, and increase skills for personal and community change.
The recent Women in Leadership Symposium in Manjimup was no exception.
There were many áhah’ moments as we reflected on leadership styles and began to recognize and identify with the differences between stereotypical leadership and life-affirming leadership models.
The understanding that leadership can be from ‘behind’ or from the ‘front’, and we all have our own innate way of being a leader led to great discussions about individual experiences and many acknowledgments of times in the past where each of the participants had indeed shown great leadership.
As the group began to reflect on their own stories and the journeys they had each progressed through in their personal environmental and landcare journey their turning points were revealed. Quite often the story itself followed a path that had progressed from a sense of powerlessness to one of discovering and owning their power to make change.
Taking the time to reflect and in turn be motivated by your own story, and the stories of other women, is a powerful thing in itself.
It becomes the ‘story of us’ and is a passionate and motivating narrative for collective momentum and social change.
Add to this some deeper skills in self-reflection, deconstructing perceived and real barriers, identifying who or what you need to make change or move forward, and how you can support and include others in the process in a clear and purposeful way all contributes to the development of valuable leadership skills.
Here’s what the participants had to say and 7 reasons why you might like to get along to one of our leadership courses for women in the future.
- It’s great to meet other women from all different roles in the environmental sector.
- It’s always good to revise and define our own leadership styles and understanding the styles of others.
- Increasing awareness of moods and emotions and being mindful of these roles in your-self and others can make communication and change- making more powerful.
- Sharing experiences and stories in a group that really gets what you’re talking about is empowering in itself.
- Reaffirming some things you know about yourself and awakening other qualities and attributes is so worth it.
- Gaining some clarify about what’s next and some steps toward making it happen.
- Get refreshed, revitalized and re-energised.
We are currently developing more workshops for the South coast regions. One will be based in Albany and the second in the lower South West.
If you are interested in future workshops or discussing leadership and capability skills development for your group or organisation and would like to know what else is possible please get in touch.
Contact Dawn or Louise on [email protected] or by phone (08) 9848 3310
This event is supported by Royalties for Regions, StateNRM and the Department for Communities.
Photo featured Image: L-R Jacquie Foster, Nerilee Boshammer, Emma Maesepp, Jacqueline Lahne (back row), Dawn Atkin, Bev Lockley, Louise Duxbury (back row), Andrea Salmond. (Absent from photo Evelyn Collin and Donna Carman). Womens Leadership Symposium, Manjimup, September 2017.
by | Aug 8, 2017 | Green Skills Inc. - Sustainability Non-Profit
Women play a unique role in community efforts, we bring different views and are often faced with distinct challenges and obstacles.
These one-day events for women will encourage the sharing of stories, help increase skills for personal and community change, and provide resources and mentoring for future guidance.
It is hoped that bringing this experience to the region will be of great benefit to begin to support and mobilise women in leadership roles in the Great Southern and the South West of Western Australia.
We look forward to women across the southern regions of Western Australia coming together to link up with other women, share what is really important, identify and own their unique leadership styles, and explore ways to expand their leadership potential and continue to make a difference in Landcare and the environment.
In addition to the workshops a series of post event, one to one mentoring opportunities are included to further support the leadership journey out in the community.
Join us. To register for a workshop nearest to you please contact Dawn or Louise on [email protected] or by phone (08) 9848 3310
These workshops and mentoring opportunities are supported by Royalties for Regions, StateNRM and Department for Communities.
by | Jul 28, 2017 | Green Skills Inc. - Sustainability Non-Profit
A regional symposium, consisting of two one day events to support women in the NRM, Landcare and Environmental sector will take place in the Great Southern and Lower South West during September and October.
The symposium leverages the outreach of the WELA – Women in Environmental Leadership Action Leadership Program that took place in Victoria 2016 and 2017. The program included participants from most states and diverse backgrounds in the sector.
It is hoped that bringing this experience to the region will be of great benefit to begin to support and mobilise women in leadership roles in the Great Southern and South West. Events will be hosted in Katanning and Manjimup and aim to attract women in the surrounding areas and catchments. (For more information click here.)
Dr Louise Duxbury will be a key speaker and co-facilitator at the event. Dr Duxbury, a WELA facilitator, Founder of Green Skills Inc, and long term resident of the Great Southern brings almost four decades of experience, insight and passion in the environmental sector.
Dawn Atkin, Symposium Coordinator said “We hope this first symposium series will seed the path for more leadership development and networking opportunities for women in the sector and across the region. Our aim is to strengthen development of resources and pathways and mentoring opportunities for the future.”
The one day leadership events that make up the symposium will each include two speakers, opportunities for women to share their experiences, connecting and leadership skills development. All participants will also have access to a one to one mentoring opportunity after the event to support their ongoing development.
This symposium has been made possible by The StateNRM Community Capabilities Grants Program and the Department of Local Government and Communities Grants for Women Program.
For more information or to register your interest please contact Dawn Atkin (08) 9848 3310 or [email protected]
by GreenSkills | Jun 9, 2017 | Green Skills Inc. - Sustainability Non-Profit
Green Skills Inc has been engaged by the Torbay Catchment Group to undertake the community engagement plan for the review of the 2008 Torbay Watershed Plan. Green Skills Inc will work with the Torbay Catchment Group and the community of the Torbay catchment to:
- Involve the community through a range of mechanisms to ensure maximum efficiency in community engagement and opportunity for informing/feedback for issues and concerns (workshops & surveys).
- Inform the community of progress on the Torbay Restoration Plan, current context, new information and seek input into revision of catchment restoration plan.
- Consult the community to build community awareness and understanding, to identify/engage with new community and strengthen Torbay Catchment Group’s connection to community
- Identify gaps or emerging issues for inclusion in restoration plan review.
- Collaborate with the community by developing partnerships to formulate options and provide recommendations.
- Empower the community to implement and be a part of managing behaviour change.
The outcomes of the community engagement process will inform the content of the revised Torbay Restoration Plan. The Torbay Restoration Plan 2017 – 2027 will be released to the community in December 2017.
