IWD 2025, March Forward: ECU and Gaining Ground WA Team Up to Propel Young Women’s Leadership
The year-long partnership will leverage the power of sport and storytelling to progress gender equality in Western Australia
PERTH (8 March 2025) -- Gaining Ground WA, a women-led not-for-profit that equips young women with tools to stay in sport and lead, and Edith Cowan University (ECU), a university whose namesake was the first woman to be elected to lead in the Australian Parliament, announce a partnership to amplify the leadership of young women in our community through the power of storytelling.
The year-long initiative, Your Story, Your Lead, brings together 10 young women, 18-35 years-old playing and leading in sport in the Perth Metropolitan to build self-advocacy skills, make meaningful connections, and develop leadership confidence and capabilities through professional storytelling.
ECU and Gaining Ground WA have collaborated with leading not-for-profit Centre for Stories to deliver its acclaimed oral storytelling training. The first workshop kicked off on 1 March 2025 at the ECU Engagement Hub in Perth City, and the second workshop takes place today on International Women’s Day. Throughout three workshops, participants will learn the power of discovering and sharing their stories, craft and present a 10-minute oral story, and grow their leadership skills like confidence, sense of belonging and connection to community.
ECU Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Sport) Professor Sophia Nimphius, emphasised the importance of this partnership: “For ECU, this community partnership connects key themes of education, sport as a vehicle for change and the power of sharing our stories. Like the power we find in sharing the story of our namesake, Edith Cowan, who cracked the tough nut of being the first woman elected to the Australian Parliament. Partnering with Gaining Ground WA and Centre for Stories allows us to magnify the meaningful impact we can make in our communities. By valuing inclusion, elevating young leaders, and fostering growth through education.”
Aligned with IWD 2025’s theme of March Forward, participants’ stories will be shared throughout the year in a WA-wide multi-media campaign to increase visibility of young women leading in sport and our communities. These stories will also be integrated as case studies on leadership within ECU courses.
From a young woman who immigrated to WA from Colombia six years ago, who wants to ensure people with English as a second language have an equal place in sports, to a professional goalkeeper, who is a fierce advocate for the inclusion of players with disabilities in sport programs, each participant will identify their unique story and strengths, celebrate their differences, and inspire others to lead positive change in the community.
"The most exciting and impactful part of this partnership is our shared purpose to enrich lives and create spaces where women can come together to continue to lead change where we live and play sport,” said Kris Marano, Executive Director, Gaining Ground WA. “From woman-to-woman and generation-to-generation, we’re delivering the support we wish we had as teenagers and young adults in sport, to have our voices heard and feel empowered to lead -- this partnership will aim to keep providing stepping stones for women and girls to stay on their leadership journey and become relatable role models for future generations. We are excited to gain ground and march forward through the power of sport, community, and storytelling.”
ECU, Gaining Ground WA, and Centre for Stories share the value and purpose of creating greater equity and enriching lives in Perth and Western Australia, of which sport is a crucial connector. The three-phase project is grounded in desired outcomes including:
Empowering sense of self and community - increased confidence, sense of belonging, and connection to community
Learning tools and skills– to keep building confidence, belonging, and connection in sport and community
Creating visibility – feeling empowered and uplifted to step into leadership roles in one’s club, classroom, or community
Sustaining leadership – being equipped with resources and role models to turn to within the generation ahead and to mentor younger generations
Demonstrating impact – aligning in designing and delivering programs that meet women and girls where they are and with what they need, learning, pivoting and growing based on positive behaviour change and feedback from participants
ECU’s partnership with Gaining Ground WA is aligns with the ECU Sport Framework,which prioritisies sport and sport-related partnerships to enhance the student experience, create social change, enhance global relationships, or unite and connect local communities. Through ECU’s partnership with organisations like Gaining Ground WA and the Perth Lynx, ECU aims to deliver on its commitment to prioritising partnerships and sponsorships in women's sports.
For more information, please visit Gaining Ground WA and Edith Cowan University.
About Gaining Ground WA:
Founded in 2020, Gaining Ground is a women-led mental wellbeing not-for-profit that supports women and girls to lead to their true capabilities in and out of sport. By delivering mentorship programs and wellbeing workshops, Gaining Ground WA equips young leaders with the tools to build confidence, connection, and positive communication and sustain and grow their participation and leadership in sport. Dedicated to ensuring women and girls’ voices are heard and sport programs are designed to meet their needs, Gaining Ground is growing a community of women and men committed to creating a gender equitable future of grassroots sport and communities. For more information about how Gaining Ground is creating change, visit Gainingground.com.au or follow Gaining Ground on Instagram (@gaininggroundwa) or LinkedIn (LinkedIn.com/gaininggroundwa).
About Edith Cowan University:
Edith Cowan University (ECU) is where creative thinkers are made. Located in Western Australia, our dedication to providing industry-relevant teaching and research, supportive student experiences and award-winning facilities enable ECU students to think outside of the box, to use creativity to tackle challenges and seize opportunities. The University is immensely proud to be named in honour of Edith Dircksey Cowan OBE. A university named in her honour is a fitting tribute to an inspirational woman with a pioneering spirit who dedicated her life to the belief that education was the key to growth, change and improvement in society. The University has embraced Edith's values of inclusion and equity which are honoured in many ways throughout the fabric of the University.