Tag: Teens

I was privileged to attend the Born 2 Lead  B2L Conference in Calgary this week thanks to the generosity of Ildi Wiley with students from Bishop Carroll High School.

Why do we still need to empower young women? There are so many reasons. I will highlight a few.

According to the Parkland Institute , (Catalyst A think tank )

In Alberta

• 8% of women sit on boards (the national average is 14%)
• it will take 228 years to close the gender gap
• in 1976, the wage gap was 62%,in 2015 it is 63%
• women make up 2/3 of all part-time workers

In the New Soft War on Women Caryl Rivers and Rosalind Barnett highlights several reasons why we need to empower woman , including an Indiana University study that says over a lifetime of work women with a bachelors degree will earn a third less ( some 700,000) less than a man with the same degree. Do we need to empower young  women?

Yes indeed we do! We need to have mentorship and role modelling  for young people . Our young women need to know that they can rise up and take on leadership roles.

The Born 2 Lead conference is one way young women can begin to find these mentorship opportunities. Young women can look forward to another conference next year as this year was the first in Calgary.

Here is a peek at some of the conference:

Lessons young women need to know …

• No matter what your start in life doesn’t mean it has to be your finish YOU CAN LEAD
• There are women all around you that care about you and your wellbeing
• In order to act like a leader think like a leader , say yes to something that you would usually say no to because you were afraid of failing.
• What anyone says about you good or bad doesn’t matter Barb Stegemann
• No one can take your joy from you ever Barb Stegemann
• Emotional capital is worth more than anything Barb Stegemann
• Viktor Frankl’s book Man Search for Meaning is loved by many women including me. Young people need to read this book.
• Think about what you want to be one year , two years , three years from now . How will you get there?
• Technological skills do matter to the business world
• Digital Citizenship is important and a message given at this conference. Yes, I was so happy to see them mention just how important it is when getting and keeping a job! See more here.
• When young women go into the workforce they should understand what a good linked in profile looks like
• Young women need to build their employability traits through networking, service learning, volunteering and work experience
• You have to be your own champion. It is ok to share your strengths with others
• Never under estimate your ability to be resilient to rise above the nay sayers

 

“Each of us carries within a secret yearning-a yearning that as time and life march on, often becomes a secret sorrow. That yearning will be different for each of us; it is the most deep longed for expression of self. Only to the degree that each of us are able to bring forth our own heart’s core will our lives be fulfilled, truly worthwhile.”

Lighting the Torch The Kinder Method of Life Planning 2006 George Kinder and  Susan Galvan

I wish for ever young woman and actually every youth I work with that they are able to bring forth their own heart’s core and live a fulfilled life.

So young women know that you are Born to Lead. Rise up and do it! I know you can.