On a Friday in August at the Kyneton Mechanics Institute, 60 local female and non-binary high school students attended a “Making HERstory” Leadership Forum.
The program was organized by the Macedon Ranges Family Violence Network and proudly supported by the Zonta Club of Kyneton Inc, District 23, as well as School Focused Youth Services at Cobaw Community Health and Macedon Ranges Shire Council.
The forum gave the young participants opportunities to develop and present on leadership goals in various projects they would like to progress in their communities. Two nominees for the Zonta Club of Kyneton Inc's 2019 Young Women in Public Affairs Award shared their leadership experiences at the event. Laura Crozier is a Macedon Ranges Shire Youth Ambassador and Shayln Blyth is an LGBTIQ+ advocate for the Cobaw Community Health’s WayOut program.
On the day, what inspired all motivational youth speakers was knowing they are making a change.
The forum was also a celebration of regional female leaders and affirmation of the importance of increasing female leadership worldwide. The Zonta Club of Kyneton Inc Advocacy Committee Chairman Jenny Kerr provided information on the Zonta International Foundation service projects and Zonta's strategies to end violence against women. The students were very interested in Zonta’s role with UN Women in 2019 and its educational programs.
In summing up the success of the forum, Kerr said of the participants and speakers: “If this is the caliber of our future leaders, then we will be in good hands.”