Joan Kirner Emerging Leaders Program

The Joan Kirner Emerging Leaders Program honours the legacy of the late Joan Kirner AC. As Victoria’s first woman premier, she blazed a trail for women in public life and public office. The program honours this legacy and supports future generations of young Victorian women to follow in her footsteps.

Program Overview:
Joan Kirner Emerging Leaders Program

The program aims to empower and support women to identify the leadership challenges they face, and develop practical skills and strategies to advance their leadership careers. Delivered in partnership with Leadership Victoria, round four of the program will be held from 11 October to 20 November 2023.

Participants will take part in interactive learning development workshops, collaborative group work, structured networking and mentoring activities, and hear from guest speakers that are shifting the perceptions of young women in leadership.

Applications for Round four of the program will specifically engage women and gender diverse people from multicultural or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

The Victorian Government is proud to support women to attend the program by reimbursing childcare, accommodation and travel costs. Please note that reimbursement is capped and assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Read the Application Guide to help you prepare your application.

Eligibility

You are eligible for the Joan Kirner Emerging Leaders Program if you:

are a woman, including trans, gender diverse or sistergirl
identify as a person from a multicultural community or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander background
are aged between 22 and 40
live in Victoria, regardless of residency or citizenship status; and
consider yourself an emerging leader.

We encourage women with diverse lived experience to apply, including Aboriginal women, women from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, women of colour, and the LGBTQI+ community.

Assessment Criteria

For Round four, you must be available to attend the program on the following dates:

Day 1 – Wednesday 11 October 2023 (in-person attendance)
Day 2 – Thursday 12 October 2023 (in-person attendance)
Day 3 – Wednesday 25 October 2023 (online attendance)
Day 4 – Wednesday 1 November 2023 (online attendance)
Day 5 – Wednesday 8 November 2023 (in-person attendance)
Graduation – Monday 20 November 2023

The program does not provide an accredited qualification.

Assessment Process

Applications for Round Four are now closed.

Leadership Victoria will convene an assessment panel to review your application based on your response to the selection criteria set out in the application form. You will not be required to attend an interview.