How would you feel about landing an internship that offers a 12 month role, participation in the World Council in Thailand, inclusion in six YWCA board meetings and a unique mentoring session with YWCA patron The Hon. Quentin Bryce? Pretty excited we imagine.
To advance their commitment to women’s leadership and progress towards gender equity, YWCA Queensland is pleased to offer the inaugural Leadership Internship in 2015.
They encourage women of all ages and backgrounds to apply for this opportunity. The role is unpaid, but is designed to be flexible around your existing commitments. Click here to read the full terms and conditions. Applications close 31 July 2015.
To learn more about the YWCA and this opportunity we sat down with Jess Hamilton who is the National Marketing Director at Deloitte and a YWCA Life Member.
Why and when did you get involved with YWCA Queensland?
I have been involved with the YWCA since I was 17 years old, in Canberra. As a teenager, I was lucky enough to have participated in YWCA leadership development programs that taught me to believe in myself, set goals and work hard to achieve them. I was also introduced to an inspiring community of women working to help young women achieve their potential and create more resilient and safe communities. I completed a Board traineeship with YWCA Canberra and served on their board from 1997 to 2000.
When I moved to Brisbane in 2004 one of the first things I did was join the YWCA and get involved. I wanted to help the YWCA empower women, families and communities in Brisbane, connect with a like-minded group of people and also make a few friends. I was appointed to the Board in 2005 and served as Vice-President through to 2009.
Over this time I was proud to have been a part of team that turned a $106,000 loss into an $8,500 profit over a 12 month period and also drove constitutional reform so that the organisation could be awarded Deductible Gift Recipient status.
When YWCA Queensland was formed in 2011 I served as their inaugural YWCA Australia Board Representative through to 2013. In this role I am most proud of chairing the committee that developed the 2013-16 Strategic Directions for YWCA Australia, which was 100% endorsed at a triennial convention by all member associations, a first for the movement.
In 2012 I was supported by YWCA Queensland to represent YWCA Australia at the United Nations Commission on the status of Women in New York. It was one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences of my life to date!
Being involved in the YWCA quite literally changed my world and I am passionate about helping this wonderful organisation continue to change the lives of young people, particularly young women. I also have the great honour of being a Life Member of YWCA Queensland.
Tell us about your career journey and your obstacles.
When I finished university I thought I wanted to be a hotel manager and today I’m a marketing director in a professional services firm. The constant in my career to date has been marketing which has enabled me to travel the world and help communities across Australia.
I’ve helped design homes for families to live in, create thriving communities through developing sustainable brands for new residential developments and give meaning to a hole in the ground (literally a 3.7km tunnel) while engaging the hearts and minds of Brisbane. Most recently I have played a part in shaping the economic debate for a better future for Australia.
Today as a marketing leader, I am able to empower my team to achieve their individual and collective potential through harnessing their creativity, commitment and drive to solve complex business problems.
I was even able to do a TEDx talk on ‘what is success’ in 2012 which you can check out here.
There have been ups (winning the 2010 Australian Marketing Institute Award for Marketing Excellence for ‘Best New Brand’ in Australia) and downs (going through a redundancy when the GFC hit). I balance a full time job alongside being a mum, wife, daughter, friend and volunteer which isn’t always easy.
I work hard, but take time each day to help my son with his homework and each year we see a different part of the world together. I’m thankful that I am able to choose to do all of these things.
Why do you think the Leadership Internship is a good opportunity?
It’s an AMAZING opportunity and something that money can’t buy. Mentoring from Quentin Bryce, attendance at the YWCA World Council in Thailand and at board meetings as well as training – all designed to fit around your commitments! Regardless of where you come from or what you want to do there is no doubt that this opportunity will fast track your career. It will be hard work for the lucky intern, but hugely rewarding and life changing.
What does leadership mean to you?
Leadership means helping people realise their potential – creating opportunities for them to do things that didn’t think they were capable of and supporting their success personally and professionally. I believe leadership is about influence, not power, and that anyone can be a leader at any time.
What can we do as women to ensure equality?
Back yourself. Help each other. Be a leader. Collaborate. Be active in the community. Mentor young women, sponsor them. Call out inequality in all forms when you see it. Get involved with the YWCA!
What are your hopes and plans for the future?
To be happy and to make others happy, too. Being able to make choices around how I balance family, work, travel and volunteering is what it’s all about for me.