Program Extended for Women on Boards Training

A corporate governance training initiative to develop women’s skills as Board Directors will be offered over the next two years.

The Victorian Women's Governance scholarships are a joint initiative of the Victorian Government and the Australian Institute of Company Directors (Company Directors).

The scholarships are available to women on the boards of Not for Profit organisations that receive State Government funding to undertake corporate governance training provided by Company Directors.

The Victorian Minister for Women’s Affairs, Mary Wooldridge, made the announcement during her keynote address at the Telstra Victorian Business Women’s Awards in Melbourne – the same event at which she announced the initial round of 34 scholarships last year.

“As well as enhancing the skills of the scholarship recipients for their current and future roles as Directors, the program strengthens the governance of the Not for Profit boards on which these highly talented women currently serve,” Wooldridge said.

Chief Executive and Managing Director of Company Directors, John Colvin, said that the scholarships provide support to female directors serving their communities in the Not for Profit sector.

“A diverse range of skills, experience and a good gender balance is an important aspect of good governance across all sectors, including the Not for Profit sector,” Colvin said.

Colvin said that the company had already received nearly 1000 expressions of interest in the program.

“Directors of Not for Profit organisations, who more often than not, perform their role voluntarily, broadly have the same legal responsibilities as for-profit Directors and need to be armed with a good understanding of the responsibilities and risks of Directorship.”

The Federal Government has also contributed $225,000 in funding.

Applications for the scholarships open in October. For more information, visit www.companydirectors.com.au/boarddiversity