Caring hands choose to challenge, connect communities  

Hands up if you choose to challenge?  Hands up if building strong communities and meaningful relationships is important? 

It was all “hands on deck” when more than 40 women across the generations gathered at Southcare to explore the theme of this year’s International Women’s Day of #ChooseToChallenge as part of the Soroptimist International Leadership and Networking Seminar. 

The evening was organised by several Soroptimist International Clubs in WA including South Perth, Fremantle and Rockingham as part of Southcare’s Strategic Goal of Community Connectedness.  

Facilitated by Southcare Chief Executive Officer Dr Nicky Howe, she invited all attendees to strike the #ChooseToChallenge pose by raising their hands high to show a commitment to calling out bias, question stereotypes and forge an inclusive world. 

Dr Howe said the opportunity to share ideas, grow and learn never goes out of style. 

“When like-minded people come together, there is an opportunity to explore leadership, advocacy, philanthropy, and skills development, plus ask these as the important questions,” Nicky said. 

Attendees shared their personal experience of when they had chosen to challenge at a point in their career, how this required them to call on their own values, their “why” and how they overcome emotions of fear and rejection to make a stand for something they felt needed to be changed. 

Panelists included Legal Officer, Perth Casino Royal Commission, Karess Dias, Company Secretary, OCS Group Australia, Christine Johnson and Founder, Alyceum and 100 Women, Alicia Curtis. 

If you’d like to get involved in Southcare’s Community Connectedness program, please reach out to Veronica Lawrance, Ambassador, Southcare Community Connectedness on veronica.l@southcare.org.au.