WELA programs support participants in identifying their approach to leadership, recognising and stepping into their power to influence and overcome the barriers they face.
These barriers are as diverse as the participants who do our programs, including personal, organisational, family, cultural and systemic barriers. Following the program, participants are empowered by the lessons they’ve learnt and inspired by the transformative experience and relationships forged.
WELA Learning Experience Designer Asmaa Guedira leading a workshop at the WELA x Green Music Australia Sound Country Artists’ Leadership Retreat. Photo: Anna Brozek.
“The program really reshaped how I see myself as a leader. Before, I often questioned whether I had enough knowledge or experience to speak up in certain spaces. Through WELA, I realised that leadership isn’t about being perfect or having every skill. It’s about showing up authentically, speaking from your values, and being willing to learn alongside others. Being with other women and gender-diverse leaders who were dealing with their own challenges helped me see that I wasn’t alone… Having that space to connect over those experiences was powerful.”
– Takesa Frank, Proud Aboriginal Woman and WELA 2024 National Leadership Program Alum
This is the program that’s going to provide you with the key tools you need to really create change.
How we deliver this change is through our curriculum which is centred on four key themes:
This transformational, relational methodology has proven to work time and time again for our alumni.
An annual leadership development program developed over more than 10 years of research and practice. In 2026, we will be running TWO programs, each open to up to 25 women and gender-diverse participants.
Mixing online with in-person retreat format, and a diverse range of guest speakers over a 9-month period for each program.
Tailored mentoring, developing skills, building networks and addressing your real-life challenges to transform your leadership.
For more information and details on how to apply, see our National Leadership Program page.
Need to build the skills of a specific group of environmental and climate changemakers?
We tailor a 3-4 day leadership program to meet the needs of the challenge you face. Whether it’s an organisation, a geographic area, a sector, or an issues-based community campaign, we will deliver a program that gives you the tools to create change.
Available for groups of between 15 and 25 women and gender diverse people.
Contact us at programs@wela.org.au to discuss a tailored program for your needs.
Tools for Changemakers: A dynamic online workshop series designed to equip women and gender-diverse people with the skills, tools, and mindset to lead with confidence, navigate change, and build collective impact.
JEDI Learning Circles: Spaces for honest conversations about justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion in the climate movement. This is a dedicated platform centering the perspectives of women and gender-diverse people active in the environmental movement, who identify as First Nations, Black, People of Color, disabled, queer, or whose lived experiences are shaped by multiple forms of marginalisation.
WELA is guided by an equitable and feminist approach to pricing. Our fundraising efforts supplement running costs so that we can offer lower prices to participants. Tiered pricing and scholarships are also available to enable better access to WELA programs.
The program has been transformative, giving me confidence and tools to step into leadership with clarity and purpose. It connected me with an inspiring network of women, and the retreat provided a powerful space for reflection and growth. WELA showed me that leadership can be collaborative, compassionate, and deeply connected to community and Country. Since WELA, I’ve been practicing active listening in conversations, approaching challenges with a more open mind and positive outlook. I feel more confident in setting work–life boundaries and prioritising self-care, which has strengthened both my leadership and my wellbeing.
The WELA program has provided significant opportunities for me to develop my networks, improve my relational and communication skills, and given me strong foundations to lead a team with confidence….to draw on their expertise, and facilitate and environment where we can work effectively together to achieve impact. I have the confidence to be more proactive in addressing interpersonal issues, and to ask for help when I need it.
Being part of the WELA leadership program was deeply inspiring and empowering. Spending four days in an intensive with a group of incredible women, Palawa women, and gender diverse people from across lutriwita/Tasmania—all committed to uplifting the environment and their communities—filled me with renewed purpose and hope. The collective energy, courage to challenge the status quo, and unwavering support for one another reminded me of the power of using our voices. I left feeling not only more equipped, but more connected, energised and grateful
Among the many lessons WELA offered, a few have stayed with me every day: that leadership doesn’t require perfection, but presence; that working with emotion and grief is not a weakness, but a source of strength; and that advocacy must be collaborative, relational, and grounded in values.
Being selected to join a cohort of bold, diverse, and deeply committed women was an honour and a turning point. Surrounded by leaders working across field research, mangrove restoration, Traditional Owner engagement, youth climate action, and policy reform, I found myself part of a living map of interconnected strategies—all essential to the future of the Reef.
