To develop the talent and skills of current and emerging female leaders in the region, RDA Greater Whitsundays developed the Women in Leadership (WIL) program. Three WIL programs have been delivered across the Mackay and Isaac Local Government Areas over three years, with almost 100 aspiring female leaders taking part.

The WIL program objectives were to:

• Provide tools and capacity for women to manage personal and professional challenges
• Create a safe environment for women to expose vulnerabilities, champion strengths and gain confidence
• Assign mentors to enhance participants’ leadership behaviours and skills
• Promote the program externally to showcase the benefits of gender diversity and support regional development

Each program ran for 12 months with 25–30 participants per cohort and included five full-day workshops, two half-day masterclasses, two networking opportunities and mentoring from industry leaders. An additional mentor only event was included to encourage and promote cross industry connections and collaborations.

As a program with place-based design, the WIL program provided region-based perspectives and solutions, supporting women in remote areas and raising awareness of the benefits of female leadership in male-dominated industries. More than $250,000 in funding was secured through regional business investment to support this program.

The Wins

• Follow-up verbal surveys conducted two years post program showed participants’ increased confidence and commitment to personal and professional development had been sustained.
• A 2025 Participant Self Growth Survey demonstrated measurable improvement across all areas, including workplace and personal confidence, happiness at work, feeling seen and heard, self-belief and the capacity to create positive change. Many participants became mentors in the program over time and continued to support women through that role.

The WIL program has strengthened leadership capability across the Greater Whitsunday region, equipping women with the confidence, skills and networks to contribute more effectively to their workplaces and communities. It has demonstrated the value of gender diversity in leadership, supporting stronger organisations and positive regional development outcomes.

Learnings from previous programs have highlighted opportunities to better inform government policy and initiatives aimed at improving workplace diversity, performance and productivity, with potential to formally document and share these insights as a blueprint for future programs.