Increasing Young Women on
Boards
A Case Study
YWCA of Adelaide Inc.
YWCA of Adelaide Inc.
Leadership Pathways
To meet our purpose,
the YWCA has
developed a pathway
to illustrate how it will
support the leadership
development of girls
and young women
through a coherent
program framework
that starts in primary
school and ends in the
YWCA Boardroom:
Organisation Purpose
•
•
•
Constitution – 30% women <30yrs
Mission – Leadership of Women and Girls
Strategic Plan – Young Women & Girls building skills &
attributes for Leadership
Process Drivers
•
•
•
•
•
Formal Induction – Sassy and
Savvy based Meeting
Discipline
- Time Control
- Agenda Development
- Decision Focused
Agreed Norms
Confidentiality Agreement
Allocation of time to safety and
engagement via “check in”
Creating respect – bringing skills
matrix alive
Governance Resource
Building
Building
Better
Boards
Board Culture Development
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Board Training
SHE Leads Program, career
development and mentoring
Nominations Process that values
quality and contribution
Meaningful opportunity and results to
members
Harnessing Interest
Traineeships
Committee Memberships
• Create Safety
- Celebration and profile of new members
- Establishing ‘group’ norms and values
- Confirming knowledge and encouraging learning through induction
• Create Learning
- Professional development needs identified
- Learning from each other encouraged
- “Buddy” Creation
- Accessibility and Support of Chair - high profile, high achieving young women
“Walking the talk”
- Ok to not know and ask
- Holding each other accountable
- Engagement with real business of organisation through key staff presentations
- Staff/Board Forum
Outcomes for YWCA of
Adelaide
Improved membership choice for Board
• 2012 5 nominations for 3 Board positions
• 2013 14 nominations for 4 Board positions
Improved preparation for Board membership
• 2012 10 of nominating women had completed or were
registered for Board training program
• 2014 14 applicants for one Board traineeship position
Improved support for Board membership
• 2013 a group who participated in the session in October hit it
so well that they now catch up for lunch once a month
Diversity Targets Meeting Skill Requirements
• 2014 Quality Board 70% < 30 years old at appointment
off
Increasing Women on Boards
in SA
Since attending YWCA Board Training I….
..gained confidence to nominate for the Y Board of Adelaide and the IEU-SA state executive
..have joined the board of a commercial bank (West Beach Community Bendigo Bank), a not-forprofit organisation (SASRAPID Inc.), and have joined an advisory board in a paid position for a
privately owned family business in Sydney
.. received a grant to undertake the Foundations of Directorship program through the Australian
Institute of Company Directors. I completed that earlier this year and successfully passed my exam
.. have joined my sons' Governing Council for his school and was elected to the South Australian
Screen Industry Council.
..nominated for a further term on the Council of the Law Society of South Australia (“LSSA”) (at
the time of the training session I was a junior member of the Council with my term due to end in
late October)
.. have been appointed as the chair of the Education Subcommittee of the Women Lawyers
Association of South Australia (I had joined the WLASA Committee only a few weeks before the
training session).
..applied for the YWCA Board Traineeship position, which I was then invited to interview for in
May 2014. Although I was not successful, I ultimately joined the YWCA Nominations Committee in
May 2014 as a result. My aim at this stage is to apply for a YWCA board position later this year;
And many more…
What Motivated you to join your
board?
What forms of diversity are desirable on
your board?
Strategy to recruit a diverse board
YWCA of Adelaide Inc.
Building a Better Board by:
• Diversity Objective established
 e.g 30% <30 years
• Building source of applicants
 going where the leaders are?
• Promotion and transparency of application process
• Plan for transparent succession
 encouraging individual and collective planning
• Creating entrance pathways
 Internship
 Sub Committees
 Minute Taker
YWCA of Adelaide Inc.
Liz Forsyth
E: liz.forsyth@ywca.com.au
M: 0439 896 478
Nicole Swaine
President
MD - Explore Potential
E: nicole@explorepotential.com.au
M: 0413 519 139
If you would like:
• A copy of this presentation
• Board Skills Matrix
• Board Recruitment Process Templates
Please leave your business card in the bowl provided and we will
send them to you very soon.
Thank you