Local event to inspire women stepping into leadership roles
An event “bringing together inspiring women leaders to explore work-life balance, leadership, personal wellbeing and success” is taking place in Mullingar this weekend. Led by local resident, Emer Walshe, who is deputy national president of Junior Chamber Ireland (JCI) Ireland, ‘Redefining Balance for Women in Leadership’ is on Saturday April 11 (noon-4pm) at the Greville Arms Hotel.
“The event is part of my year-long Women in Leadership programme,” said Emer.
“The project consists of a team of nine people, leading various initiatives, and that team are led by one of my project team members Mariam Adefuye.
“We wanted to do it in Mullingar because it’s central and we decided on the Greville Arms. We’re bringing together inspiring women leaders to explore the realities of work-life balance, leadership expectations, personal wellbeing and the evolving definition of success.
The day will include multiple panels with local speakers and other experts from across the country.
“We have some great women, Ruth Illingworth is one of the panellists. We have Sharon McNevin as well and some JCI senators, some really fantastic women... Dolores Andrews, a JCI senator, a workplace wellness specialist and confidence coach.
“And then we have Michelle Daly Hayes and she’s connected to people all over the country,” said Emer. “She’s a business consultant and a radio presenter in Limerick and a public relations expert as well.
“I’m going to be on a panel as well and we’re still confirming other panellists.”
Emer thinks “it’s important we bring everyone into the conversation”.
“This is something that was specifically done with this programme. I wanted men and women included. We need to make sure that we’re opening the conversation to everybody to be able to empower women as leaders.
“I want to enable women to own their voices, to gain confidence and to understand their power as leaders and the positive changes they can make on the world .
“We’re not just educating people for the future – we’re teaching people to unlearn the ways of the past,” Emer said, referring to an event she had attended recently.
“We’re moving forward with a new narrative and we want that to be inclusive. The future has to be inclusive.”
The event comes as the Louis Theroux documentary ‘Inside the Manosphere’ on Netflix makes headlines for its depiction of highly conservative male influencers and their derogatory attitudes to women.
In Emer’s opinion the emergence of such “influencers” shows why inclusive conversations are needed more than ever. “I watched the documentary and it’s clear that men need to be included. This is not an environment where it’s genders or other people against each other.
“It’s an environment where we need to educate everyone to teach people to unlearn societal things that have been embedded for decades.”
The Junior Chamber International has pushed for progress since it was founded in 1915. The group has had many influential members across the world, from JFK to Kofi Annan.
“We’re not interested in polarisation but we’re interested in open dialogue, open conversations,” said Emer. “That’s the only way we can come together nationally, and internationally and be able to live together in that way for the future. We’re responsible, we have an obligation to shape future generations and teach future generations. This event is a starting point.”
• Tickets for the Mullingar event are available at Eventbrite.