Program Information

Women Leading the Way (WLW) is a unique hands-on leadership training program that will encourage women to move to the next level in their leadership journey. The program will offer these women the tools and techniques to: develop their leadership abilities; enable them to move in to positions of greater influence and responsibility; and affect political, business, or social change in communities/organizations of their choice.

BENEFITS

1. Women Leading the Way participants will experience:

Values-Driven Leadership: which considers current research and best practices for developing women leaders
Leadership Skill Development: gaining the resources and skills to advocate for change effectively within organizations, and how to engage in action that will affect real change for communities
Experiential Learning: orientation to different levels of government, businesses and non-profits, policy-making and public consultation processes within these bodies

2. Participants will also have access to mentors who will support and advise them as they apply their leadership knowledge to actual projects that selected and managed by each participant.

HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE

The program will provide opportunities for participants to gain experience in their particular area of interest. For instance: Interested in politics? Women Leading the Way may connect a participant with a political leader whom she might shadow, provide first hand knowledge of how the political process works, and support her in designing a project that addresses political issues.

If the participant is more interested in business, WLW may connect her with a corporate CEO who will provide her with insight into top level management and support her in creating a project within a large corporate environment.

For those drawn to the social sector, WLW may connect them with an executive director at a local non-profit and then work with them to create a community-based project that might affect social change.

WHEN AND WHERE

First Cohort

January 2011 – June 2011 (Applications now closed)

Participants undertake two days of in-class training once a month in Vancouver (Friday/Saturday)
Participants will connect each week on-line with tutors, speakers and experts while also having to complete assignments
Participants will have opportunities to access a coach as appropriate

July 2011 – December 2011

Participants will engage in experiential training and community project development
Each participant will have a personal mentor who will stay connected with her throughout the duration of the project
Participants will be required to present their project results to a tribunal of subject matter experts

Second Cohort (Deadline for applications May 16, 2011)

September 2011 – September 2012 (process outlined above)

HOW TO APPLY

MENTORS

We are also seeking mentors who will work with participants as subject matter or sector expert panelists and as project advisors.

For more information contact:
Danna Murray, Program Director or Jo-Anne Lauzer, Program Coordinator. Ph: (604) 683-7635 ext. 228 or Email: wlw@theminervafoundation.com

When I moved to Canada in 1998, I was pregnant and all alone. I was scared as to how I would take care of my daughter without a decent standard of education. I realized that without English I would be useless so I focused on improving my English by attending ESL classes at Vancouver Community College. When my English level improved, I was confident enough to go for science courses. And in 2003, the Minerva Foundation offered me the Minerva Foundation Award For BC Women in recognition of my excellent grades at school.
This scholarship changed my life as it offered me the opportunity to take post secondary course. Then when I entered the Licensed Practical Nursing Program in 2006, I faced financial problems. Again, it was Minerva that helped me with funds to solve my financial problems. Now I am working as an LPN and have solid hopes of furthering myself in this field.
Thanks so much to Minerva for giving me a life of hope. Thank you so much Minerva for helping me by believing in my abilities.

Sasiratha Uthayakumar, LPN